Gary A. Ceres's campaign for Beaufort County commissioner is his first time running for public office.

Candidate filing underway for March primary

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Wants to "cap annual property-tax increases, protect seniors and fixed-income homeowners, and guarantee transparent, predictable bills."

Plans to "launch a 90-day audit to repeal outdated county regulations that block growth. Fast-track small-business permits and create a one-stop approval system to save time and money."

Supports helping small businesses with startup fee waivers, shared service programs, and reduced utility deposits.

Wants to "order a full county performance audit, consolidate redundant offices, and return the savings to taxpayers."

- Wants to "cap annual property-tax increases, protect seniors and fixed-income homeowners, and guarantee transparent, predictable bills."
- Plans to "launch a 90-day audit to repeal outdated county regulations that block growth. Fast-track small-business permits and create a one-stop approval system to save time and money."
- Supports helping small businesses with startup fee waivers, shared service programs, and reduced utility deposits.
- Wants to "order a full county performance audit, consolidate redundant offices, and return the savings to taxpayers."

Economy

As of January 2, 2026, Gary A. Ceres did not have a website or any information online.

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

Gary A. Ceres

As of January 2, 2026, Gary A. Ceres’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Buket Urgen

Ashley Woolard

As of January 2, 2026, Ashley Woolard’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ashley is from Washington, North Carolina. She attended the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership in 2003. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from East Carolina University. She lives with her wife, Jessica, and their three children, Payton, Parker, and Pressley, in Washington. She attends the Church of Christ.

Supports the current initiative to eliminate the state income tax.

- Supports the current initiative to eliminate the state income tax.

As of January 2, 2026, Ashley Woolard did not have a website or any information online.

Travis is from Core Point in Beaufort County, North Carolina. He attended Aurora High School in Aurora, North Carolina.

C. Travis Martin | Eastern NC Politicians

C. Travis Marton is from Core Point in Beaufort County, North Carolina.

Travis is a construction manager at Industrial Management Services at the Nutrien Phosphate Plant in Aurora, where he has worked since 2022. He previously worked as an electrician at Brown and Root Construction and Carolina Crane early in his career, and joined Texas Gulf (now Nutrien) in 1984 as a shipping department operator before moving to the electrical department and retiring in 2022 as an Instrument/Electrical supervisor. He also owns CTM Properties, a rental business.

Travis is a construction manager at Industrial Management Services at the Nutrien Phosphate Plant in Aurora, where he has worked since 2022. He also owns CTM Properties, which is a rental business.

Plans to rezone the Industrial Park in Chocowinity to attract business and create jobs in Beaufort County.

Plans to rezone the Industrial Park in Chocowinity to "make the site more attractive to business interests [while] bringing jobs to Beaufort County."

- Supports lowering taxes.
- Plans to rezone the Industrial Park in Chocowinity to "make the site more attractive to business interests [while] bringing jobs to Beaufort County."

As of January 2, 2026, C. Travis Martin did not have a website or any information online.

Said, "I believe in a dedicated and educated sheriff's office that will get the drug dealers and criminals out of our county. I will work with the commissioners to ensure that the sheriff's office has the equipment and staffing needed to keep our neighborhoods safe."

Believes in a "dedicated and educated sheriff's office that will get the drug dealers and criminals out of our county"

Said, "I will support judges that will uphold the law and keep criminals out of our neighborhoods."

Plans to work with the commissioners to "ensure that the sheriff's office has the equipment and staffing needed to keep our neighborhoods safe."

- Believes in a "dedicated and educated sheriff's office that will get the drug dealers and criminals out of our county"
- Said, "I will support judges that will uphold the law and keep criminals out of our neighborhoods."
- Plans to work with the commissioners to "ensure that the sheriff's office has the equipment and staffing needed to keep our neighborhoods safe."

C. Travis Martin

As of January 2, 2026, C. Travis Martin’s website did not contain information on this issue.

John T. Edwards's campaign for Beaufort County commissioner is his first time running for public office.

As of January 2, 2026, John T. Edwards did not have a website or any information online.

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John T. Edwards

As of January 2, 2026, John T. Edwards’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Stan Deatherage

Stan Deatherage is from Washington, North Carolina. He attended Washington High School. He has a degree in art design from East Carolina University. He lives with his wife, Lynn Womble Deatherage, in Washington.

Stan is the Owner/President/Chief Executive Officer of Symbiotic Networks, Inc. He works at Symbiotic Networks, Inc., where he spearheads innovative initiatives in the tech and networking sector. He also owns Deatherage & Associates, showcasing his entrepreneurial versatility across industries. He serves as a County Commissioner for Beaufort County Government.

Stan Deatherage is currently a County Commissioner for Beaufort County Government. He has served seven terms.

As of January 2, 2026, Stan Deatherage’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Staff Directory • Stan Deatherage

Supports reducing taxes and cutting unnecessary services.

- Supports reducing taxes and cutting unnecessary services.

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.