Pender County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Pender County: 20 seats on 7 elected bodies. 9 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of County Commissioners
Pender County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Brad George Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Randy Burton Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Jerry D. Groves Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Brent Springer Republican source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court | Elizabeth H. Craver Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Register of Deeds | Sharon Lear Willoughby Republican source | |
| Sheriff | Alan W. Cutler Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
School Board
Pender County Board of Education
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Education Member, District 1 | Brent Springer Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 2 | Beth Burns Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 3 | Don Hall Republican source | |
| Board of Education Member, District 4 | Ken Smith Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Board of Education Member, District 5 | Tommy Reeves Republican source |
Cities and towns
Special districts
Pender Soil and Water Conservation District
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Bill Murrell source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Jim Burns source |
How many local governments Pender County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 8 local governments in Pender 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 | 6 | 1 |
| School districts (school boards) | 0 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 1 | 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 (1 in Pender 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 Pender County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 8.8% · White 74% · Black 12.1% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 4.3% (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 Pender County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 2.9% | 948 | 31,435 | 32,383 |
| August 2026 | 3.3% | 1,075 | 31,085 | 32,160 |
| July 2026 | 3.5% | 1,123 | 30,905 | 32,028 |
| June 2026 | 3.3% | 1,078 | 31,143 | 32,221 |
| May 2026 | 3.3% | 1,051 | 31,257 | 32,308 |
| April 2026 | 3.2% | 1,039 | 31,424 | 32,463 |
| March 2026 | 3.3% | 1,064 | 31,389 | 32,453 |
| February 2026 | 3.6% | 1,159 | 31,010 | 32,169 |
| January 2026 | 3.8% | 1,208 | 30,677 | 31,885 |
| December 2025 | 3.2% | 1,026 | 31,192 | 32,218 |
| November 2025 | 3.6% | 1,181 | 31,292 | 32,473 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.5% | 1,131 | 31,369 | 32,500 |
| August 2025 | 3.9% | 1,258 | 31,269 | 32,527 |
| July 2025 | 3.8% | 1,237 | 31,623 | 32,860 |
| June 2025 | 3.7% | 1,202 | 31,416 | 32,618 |
| May 2025 | 3.5% | 1,128 | 31,263 | 32,391 |
| April 2025 | 3.2% | 1,024 | 31,280 | 32,304 |
| March 2025 | 3.5% | 1,128 | 30,873 | 32,001 |
| February 2025 | 3.7% | 1,151 | 30,289 | 31,440 |
| January 2025 | 3.7% | 1,154 | 30,291 | 31,445 |
| December 2024 | 3.1% | 967 | 30,377 | 31,344 |
| November 2024 | 3.3% | 1,044 | 30,522 | 31,566 |
| October 2024 | 3.0% | 952 | 30,915 | 31,867 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 3.6% | 1,147 | 31,105 | 32,252 |
| 2024 | 3.3% | 1,059 | 30,775 | 31,834 |
| 2023 | 3.3% | 1,038 | 30,357 | 31,395 |
| 2022 | 3.6% | 1,073 | 29,066 | 30,139 |
| 2021 | 4.4% | 1,226 | 26,802 | 28,028 |
| 2020 | 6.7% | 1,758 | 24,622 | 26,380 |
| 2019 | 4.0% | 1,084 | 26,025 | 27,109 |
| 2018 | 4.3% | 1,138 | 25,349 | 26,487 |
| 2017 | 4.7% | 1,239 | 24,965 | 26,204 |
| 2016 | 5.3% | 1,360 | 24,140 | 25,500 |
Crime reported in Pender County
By police agency (3)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 77 | 324 | 63,439 |
| Burgaw Police Department | 2025 | 10 | 70 | 3,849 |
| Topsail Beach Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 428 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (3), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County Sheriff's Office | 98 | 56 | 63,439 |
| Burgaw Police Department | 16 | 1 | 3,849 |
| Topsail Beach Police Department | 10 | 1 | 509 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 124 | 1.83 | 58 | 3 |
| 2024 | 107 | 1.59 | 51 | 3 |
| 2023 | 115 | 1.80 | 43 | 3 |
| 2022 | 98 | 1.59 | 42 | 3 |
| 2021 | 98 | 1.56 | 44 | 3 |
| 2020 | 103 | 1.66 | 47 | 3 |
| 2019 | 90 | 1.47 | 48 | 3 |
| 2018 | 91 | 1.51 | 47 | 3 |
| 2017 | 92 | 1.58 | 45 | 3 |
| 2016 | 84 | 1.48 | 48 | 3 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Pender County Clerk of Superior Court?
- Elizabeth H. Craver (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Pender County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Pender County Register of Deeds?
- Sharon Lear Willoughby (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Pender County, North Carolina.
- Who is the Pender County Sheriff?
- Alan W. Cutler (Republican) is the Sheriff of Pender County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Pender County commissioners?
- Brad George (District 1); Randy Burton (District 2); Jerry D. Groves (District 3); Brent Springer (District 5).
- Who is on the Pender County School Board?
- Brent Springer (Board of Education Member, District 1); Beth Burns (Board of Education Member, District 2); Don Hall (Board of Education Member, District 3); Ken Smith (Board of Education Member, District 4); Tommy Reeves (Board of Education Member, District 5).
- What is the population of Pender County?
- About 65,550 people, with a median age of 41.6; the median household income is $80,396 and 9.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Pender County?
- 2.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 948 people unemployed in a labor force of 32,383, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Pender County?
- 8 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal and 1 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Pender County?
- 1: Burgaw. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Pender County's 2026 ballot and results · Every North Carolina county · North Carolina's members of Congress
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