After an unopposed election for Orange County Sheriff in 2022, the 2026 Democratic primary will see a race for the position.
Incumbent Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood is seeking re-election and a fourth consecutive term. He faces David LaBarre for the position, who hails from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office and two decades of experience in law enforcement and criminal justice reform.
A 45-year veteran of the sheriff’s office and a lifelong Orange County resident, Blackwood was first elected in 2014 after a narrow race against David Caldwell. He defeated Tony White in the 2018 Democratic primary and ran unopposed in 2022.
According to his campaign website, the incumbent sheriff seeks to continue working closely with the county’s criminal justice stakeholders in designing a new Criminal Justice Complex and in strengthening community relationships. It also cites the mental health of those housed in detention centers and its officers would be at the “top of the list” of priorities for his fourth term.
“We simply cannot sit back and accept things as they are,” a statement on Blackwood’s campaign site reads. “Hiring and retention of quality staff will be directly affected by addressing the mental health needs of those confined within our Detention Center. I also feel strongly that we must change the way we recognize and respond to missing and exploited children. The Department of Public Safety has made the Interdiction for the Protection of Children or IPC a priority, and I am too.”
According to Blackwood’s campaign site, his broader policy goals include addressing the needs of the elderly through county partnerships, working with community centers to address the needs of the youth, and continuing to be responsive and accountable to the public. As a member of the Opioid Settlement Committee, he also aims to continue the work in developing a comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid epidemic.
Blackwood has formally served as president of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, allowing him to help other county sheriff departments get resources to best address their local needs. Last year, Governor Josh Stein also appointed him as the Chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission.
LaBarre joins the Orange County race after more than 20 years of experience serving in the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, with his former roles ranging from patrol, narcotics, and the FBI Safe Streets Taskforce. In his latest role as its Planning and Development Director, he has helped expand jail-based mental health and addiction services and implemented real-time gun permit background checks, according to his campaign site.
LaBarre’s policy goals as sheriff are listed as part of a “progressive vision” which includes strategic policing, community-based public safety, accountability, and providing modern alternatives for arrests.
“I believe true public safety begins with prevention, not punishment,” a statement on LaBarre’s campaign website reads. “I support alternatives to policing for mental health calls, investment in data-driven strategies, and strong community partnerships. Now, I’m running for Orange County Sheriff to bring compassionate, transparent, and justice-focused leadership to the office.”
Those efforts would focus on investing in community programs to address the root causes of crime, data-informed approaches to avoid discriminatory practices, and responding to non-violent calls and mental health situations with trained crisis professionals for a non-law enforcement response. He also aims to create a third-party independent oversight committee to increase community trust.
The filing period for 2026 primary and general elections in North Carolina — for federal, state and county government positions — runs through Friday, Dec. 19 at 12 p.m. Learn who else has filed for office in Orange County by reading Chapelboro’s coverage.
Featured images via the Committee to Re-Elect Charles Blackwood Sheriff and the Committee to Elect David LaBarre for Sheriff.
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