John Beard (North Carolina)

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John Beard

Prior offices:

Biscoe Town Council

Year left office: 2019

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Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2019

Education

Bachelor's

Va Commonwealth University, 1985

Graduate

Clemson University, 2001

Personal

Birthplace

Dumfries, VA

Religion

Christian

Profession

School Counselor

John Beard was an at-large member of the Biscoe Town Council in North Carolina. Beard left office in 2019.

Beard ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Biscoe Town Council in North Carolina. Beard lost in the general election on November 5, 2019.

Beard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.

Beard is affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Biography

Beard was born in Dumfries, Virginia. He obtained an undergraduate degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1985 and a graduate degree from Clemson University in 2001. He began working as a school counselor in 2001. He also worked with local mental health service providers and wilderness education programs from 1986 to 2001.

Elections

2019

See also: City elections in Biscoe, North Carolina (2019)

General election

General election for Biscoe Town Council (2 seats)

Barry Jackson and Daryl Anliker defeated incumbent C. Jerry Smith, incumbent John Beard, and Mike Simmons in the general election for Biscoe Town Council on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Barry Jackson (Nonpartisan)	36.0	206
✔	Submit photo	Daryl Anliker (Nonpartisan)	29.3	168
	Submit photo	C. Jerry Smith (Nonpartisan)	15.2	87
	Submit photo	John Beard (Nonpartisan)	13.6	78
	Submit photo	Mike Simmons (Nonpartisan)	5.6	32
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	2

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 573
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Campaign themes

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John Beard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Beard's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have been a member of the Biscoe Board of Commissioners for the past 16 years. I have been a resident of Biscoe since 1996. I am originally from the Northern Va area, graduating from Va Commonwealth University. I have lived and worked in NC since 1986. I am currently employed with Asheboro City Schools as a school counselor at Balfour Elementary School. This is my third year in Asheboro. Prior to working in Asheboro I held similar positions in Montgomery County since 2001. I have been married since 1993. I have 4 grown children and 3 grandchildren. I hope to continue serving the Town of Biscoe for another term.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Continue to aid our town in bringing continued growth to Biscoe in the way of jobs for our citizens.
• Improve the quality of housing for our citizens.
• See that our LEOs are supported.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have no single policy I feel passionate about. I am concerned about the living conditions some of our citizens are forced to live in. Absentee landlords are a problem. As a result of these owners, tenants are living in housing that badly needs repairs while paying exorbitant monthly rents. Meanwhile we also have homeowners that do not adhere to town ordinances requiring they keep their property looking presentable. I hope to continue to work with our public works department to see these issues continue to be addressed.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Local government is truly run by the people. Not lobbyists or outside interests.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always looked up to my father. He was always fair and supportive of others, regardless of circumstance.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

No

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Sometimes decisions have to be made that aren't popular. Those typically include personnel decisions or decisions involving spending or taxes. Being able to give good sound reasoning for decisions and again, the ability to listen are key for officials.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a good listener and am willing to work with people of differing opinions in order to reach successful outcomes.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To look out for the best interests of the citizens and it's employees.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I was fair to everyone and that I put my family first.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I have lived in a time where I have been witness to many historical events. I am old enough to remember Apollo 11 when I was 7 yr old. I remember Watergate, the first space shuttle disaster and several more.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Since I was 16 yrs old I have worked in some capacity. My first job post college was working with youth at risk at a wilderness camp in NC. I worked there for 3 yrs before leaving to assist in starting a similar program in another part of the state. I worked in the wilderness camping field for 12 yrs.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The River Why. Just a good read about maturing and being reflective.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

You have the opportunity to shape the direction of a town's future.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I had none. It is the first place to learn how the governmental process works. It has been a great learning experience.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

An ability to listen to people's concerns and be fair. If you can't stand to be confronted by an unhappy citizen, you better not do this. Most of time, even the angriest citizen simply wants to be heard. I hope I have done that.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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