Brunswick County GOP leaders to decide sheriff recommendation Monday Night

BOLIVIA, N.C. (WECT) - The Executive Committee of the Brunswick County Republican Party will meet Monday night, April 24, to decide on a candidate to succeed the retiring John Ingram as the county’s sheriff.

William Moore, the county GOP chair, said the meeting is open to republicans and will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the party headquarters, 971 Old Ocean Highway in Bolivia.

The Executive Committee is expected to go into closed session for its vote and announce the results in public afterwards. The name of the candidate will then be sent to the county commissioners for a vote. The next commissioners’ meeting is scheduled for May 1.

Ingram is retiring effective April 30 after serving 15 years as sheriff and 30 years in law enforcement. He began his career with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office in 1991, and served with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office for two years before returning to the BCSO in 2008 to be chief deputy under former Sheriff Ronald Hewett. When Hewett resigned following an indictment later that year, Ingram was appointed as interim sheriff. He won his first election in 2010 and won re-election in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Ingram has recommended Chief Deputy Brian Chism to be named as interim sheriff. Chism started his law enforcement career with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office in 2005. According to Moore, while other candidates expressed interest in the position, Chism is the only one who applied with the party to be considered as Ingram’s successor.

The person ultimately named as the interim sheriff will serve the remainder of Ingram’s term through 2026.

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