Craven County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Craven County: 27 seats on 7 elected bodies. 14 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of County Commissioners
Craven County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Tom Mark Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Jason R. Jones Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Beatrice Smith Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 4 | ET Mitchell Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Shevel (Sherry) Hunt Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 6 | Chadwick Howard Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 7 | Denny Bucher Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court | Lexanne Huffman Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Register of Deeds | Josh Kohr Republican source | |
| Sheriff | Chip Hughes Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
School Board
Craven County Board of Education
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Education Member, District 1 | Patti Mason Republican source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 2 | Scott Murphy Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 3 | Lori Grady Spiece Republican source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 4 | Jennifer Dacey Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 5 | Amy Eastwood Davis Republican source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 6 | Lauren Riggs Kitzinger Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 7 | Darlene Gibbs Republican source |
Cities and towns
Special districts
Craven Soil and Water Conservation District
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | William C. (Will) Farmer source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Adam Fulcher source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Marlene Salyer source |
How many local governments Craven County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 15 local governments in Craven County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 8 | 1 |
| School districts (school boards) | 0 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 6 | 1 |
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (2 in Craven County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Craven County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.8% · White 64.5% · Black 19.5% · Asian 2.9% · Other or more than one race 5.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Craven County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.3% | 1,317 | 38,727 | 40,044 |
| August 2026 | 3.8% | 1,486 | 38,124 | 39,610 |
| July 2026 | 3.9% | 1,533 | 37,328 | 38,861 |
| June 2026 | 3.7% | 1,455 | 38,381 | 39,836 |
| May 2026 | 3.7% | 1,485 | 38,615 | 40,100 |
| April 2026 | 3.6% | 1,463 | 38,755 | 40,218 |
| March 2026 | 3.6% | 1,480 | 39,122 | 40,602 |
| February 2026 | 4.0% | 1,621 | 38,930 | 40,551 |
| January 2026 | 4.1% | 1,676 | 38,750 | 40,426 |
| December 2025 | 3.5% | 1,442 | 39,355 | 40,797 |
| November 2025 | 4.2% | 1,702 | 39,215 | 40,917 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.7% | 1,526 | 39,189 | 40,715 |
| August 2025 | 4.2% | 1,736 | 39,152 | 40,888 |
| July 2025 | 4.1% | 1,673 | 39,031 | 40,704 |
| June 2025 | 4.0% | 1,645 | 39,560 | 41,205 |
| May 2025 | 3.8% | 1,561 | 39,569 | 41,130 |
| April 2025 | 3.5% | 1,425 | 39,631 | 41,056 |
| March 2025 | 3.8% | 1,566 | 39,676 | 41,242 |
| February 2025 | 4.0% | 1,635 | 39,363 | 40,998 |
| January 2025 | 4.0% | 1,654 | 39,477 | 41,131 |
| December 2024 | 3.4% | 1,392 | 39,604 | 40,996 |
| November 2024 | 3.9% | 1,595 | 39,677 | 41,272 |
| October 2024 | 3.5% | 1,430 | 40,016 | 41,446 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 3.9% | 1,597 | 39,383 | 40,980 |
| 2024 | 3.7% | 1,534 | 40,139 | 41,673 |
| 2023 | 3.6% | 1,521 | 40,231 | 41,752 |
| 2022 | 3.9% | 1,589 | 38,947 | 40,536 |
| 2021 | 4.8% | 1,941 | 38,261 | 40,202 |
| 2020 | 6.5% | 2,594 | 37,104 | 39,698 |
| 2019 | 4.0% | 1,668 | 39,551 | 41,219 |
| 2018 | 4.4% | 1,757 | 38,419 | 40,176 |
| 2017 | 4.7% | 1,923 | 38,600 | 40,523 |
| 2016 | 5.3% | 2,146 | 38,404 | 40,550 |
Crime reported in Craven County
By police agency (7)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craven County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 111 | 433 | 44,399 |
| New Bern Police Department | 2025 | 130 | 588 | 34,980 |
| Havelock Police Department | 2024 | 34 | 262 | 16,574 |
| Trent Woods Police Department | 2023 | 0 | 11 | 4,089 |
| River Bend Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 3,057 |
| Vanceboro Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 977 |
| Bridgeton Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 438 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (7), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craven County Sheriff's Office | 104 | 46 | 44,399 |
| New Bern Police Department | 85 | 25 | 34,980 |
| Havelock Police Department | 25 | 10 | 17,283 |
| River Bend Police Department | 6 | 0 | 2,879 |
| Trent Woods Police Department | 5 | 0 | 4,041 |
| Vanceboro Police Department | 3 | 0 | 864 |
| Bridgeton Police Department | 1 | 0 | 350 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 229 | 2.19 | 81 | 7 |
| 2024 | 238 | 2.29 | 76 | 7 |
| 2023 | 236 | 2.34 | 83 | 7 |
| 2022 | 231 | 2.28 | 86 | 7 |
| 2021 | 234 | 2.35 | 85 | 7 |
| 2020 | 221 | 2.17 | 89 | 7 |
| 2019 | 208 | 2.03 | 41 | 7 |
| 2018 | 197 | 1.92 | 92 | 7 |
| 2017 | 199 | 1.92 | 88 | 7 |
| 2016 | 193 | 1.87 | 81 | 7 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Craven County Clerk of Superior Court?
- Lexanne Huffman (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Craven County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Craven County Register of Deeds?
- Josh Kohr (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Craven County, North Carolina.
- Who is the Craven County Sheriff?
- Chip Hughes (Republican) is the Sheriff of Craven County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Craven County commissioners?
- Tom Mark (District 1); Jason R. Jones (District 2); Beatrice Smith (District 3); ET Mitchell (District 4); Shevel (Sherry) Hunt (District 5); Chadwick Howard (District 6); Denny Bucher (District 7).
- Who is on the Craven County School Board?
- Patti Mason (Board of Education Member, District 1); Scott Murphy (Board of Education Member, District 2); Lori Grady Spiece (Board of Education Member, District 3); Jennifer Dacey (Board of Education Member, District 4); Amy Eastwood Davis (Board of Education Member, District 5); Lauren Riggs Kitzinger (Board of Education Member, District 6); Darlene Gibbs (Board of Education Member, District 7).
- What is the population of Craven County?
- About 102,612 people, with a median age of 38.8; the median household income is $65,873 and 13.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Craven County?
- 3.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,317 people unemployed in a labor force of 40,044, against 3.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Craven County?
- 15 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal and 6 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Craven County?
- 1: New Bern. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
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