County Commissioner Candidate Kristel Swayze

Background

Kristel Swayze is a proud product of Cabarrus County, having attended Shady Brook Elementary, Kannapolis Middle, and A.L. Brown High School before studying sociology and history at UNC–Chapel Hill. She and her husband, Ken, are raising their two children in the community, where she remains deeply connected to public schools as an active PTO volunteer and dedicated advocate for local families and educators.

If You Don’t Know Where To Go, Go Forward

Kristel brings a wealth of practical experience from both the corporate and small business worlds. After beginning her career at Blue Cross Blue Shield helping individuals navigate complex policies and uncertainty, she took a leap in 2002 to launch and grow her own business. Over the last two decades, she has mastered managing people, budgets, and long-term plans. She understands that true progress doesn't come from flash; it comes from careful decision-making and knowing that others depend on you to get it right.

Issues & Advocacy

Kristel believes that county leadership is about responsibility, judgment, and keeping residents at the center of every decision. She is committed to a county government that works for the people it serves, focusing on outcomes that matter in the daily lives of families, teachers, first responders, and county employees. Her time in office will focus on:

  • Collaboration First: Fostering strong partnerships across towns, school systems, and agencies. She knows solutions are stronger when leaders listen, negotiate thoughtfully, and work through differences rather than retreating into silos.

  • Affordability & Planned Growth: Managing tax dollars with fiscal responsibility and care, ensuring that rapid county development is negotiated in the public's interest. Growth must align with infrastructure and school capacity so costs aren't shifted onto residents.

  • Strong Schools & Supported Teachers: Prioritizing long-range planning for school facilities to avoid overcrowding crises and maintaining competitive teacher supplements to keep experienced, dedicated educators in local classrooms.

  • Public Safety & Mental Health: Ensuring law enforcement, fire, and EMS have the proactive planning and resources needed as the county grows. She also champions leveraging facilities like the Stephen M. Morris Building as a central hub for coordinated mental health care and early intervention.

  • Respect for Taxpayers & Employees: Building budgets with creativity and discipline to stretch every dollar, while avoiding short-sighted cuts that burn out essential county employees or weaken critical services.

Campaign Information For more information and details about Kristel Swayze and her platform, visit her campaign website at Swayze for Cabco.