Friday, October 2, 2026
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Gaston County, NC (WNN) - Jessica Maria Moreno is stepping into the race for Gaston County Commissioner with more than a decade of experience in community organizing and a campaign focused heavily on housing, infrastructure, and the future of a growing Gaston County. She will be running for the Gastonia Township seat against long-time incumbent Tom Keigher.
Moreno has lived in Gaston County since 2017, but emphasized her involvement in local politics began years earlier after her family was directly affected by a rezoning decision in Matthews. At the time, Moreno said her mother had spent her life savings purchasing a mobile home and moving it from Fayetteville to Matthews. A few years later, the family saw a rezoning sign outside their community. This rezoning issue was Moreno's first introduction to how local government decisions can directly affect families.
Jessica Moreno during her in-studio interview with WNN - September 30, 2026
Mason Beam (WNN)
"As a young lady at that time, I worked at a call center doing customer service, going to church, going home, and voting for president. That was as much as my political experience went, but after that rezoning sign and figuring out what that meant for our community and our family, I had to do something."
- Jessica Moreno
That rezoning issue eventually displaced residents within her community. Some families were unable to move their mobile homes because of their age, while others were able to be relocated, but ultimately at the cost of $20,000 to $25,000. Reflecting on the experience, Moreno said the situation introduced her to grassroots organizing, an effort where a group of people works together to make a change, which showed her how local government decisions affect everyone.
Affordable housing is one of the main issues Moreno says she would focus on if elected. She discussed a recent Gaston County zoning case involving a family who wanted to install a modular home on land they had already purchased. After the case was explained, the county voted against the request and denied it. Moreno said the situation showed some of the challenges families can face when trying to find affordable housing.
"Development is going to happen. We're going to need to build up eventually."
- Jessica Moreno
Her approach would be to consider how continued growth and development could affect the people who already live in Gaston County, including those trying to buy their first home and seniors who want to remain in their communities. Her priority is to protect existing affordable housing, including mobile home communities, and exploring a right of first refusal could allow residents to purchase land if a mobile home park is being considered for redevelopment.
Jessica Moreno during her in-studio interview with WNN - September 30, 2026
Mason Beam (WNN)
When focusing on Gaston County Schools, Moreno said she supports increasing the county's investment in public education. She pointed out that if the surrounding counties can provide 30% funding for their school systems, Gaston County should do the same.
She also believes that Gaston County should examine its current law enforcement structure, which includes both a county police department and the Gaston County Sheriff's Office. Rather than advocating for immediate change, Moreno said she would like the county to examine whether a merger or another restructuring could yield savings or other benefits.
She took a similar approach when discussing the proposed sports complex. She said she is not opposed to sports-related development, but believes the county should prioritize addressing homelessness and the need for a year-round shelter before moving towards economic drivers.
When addressing property taxes and the county's schedule of values, Moreno acknowledged that rising taxes can create financial challenges for working-class residents. However, she believes the commissioners should retain the ability to adjust the tax rate based on property valuations.
Moreno said she views the election as one part of a larger effort to organize residents and bring their concerns into local government.
"I'm an ally of the people. I have experience working with communities, addressing problems, and coming up with solutions that will result in material changes."
- Jessica Moreno
You can learn more about Moreno's campaign through her website, listed here.
Jessica Moreno and Rusty Wise during an in-studio interview with WNN - September 30, 2026
Voter registration in Gaston County is open until October 9, 2026, with mail-in voting having already begun and ending on October 20, 2026. Early voting runs from Thursday, October 15, through Saturday, October 31. The traditional voting day will be on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and final results should be announced by November 13, 2026. To sign up to talk about your own platform, head to this article to book a time to visit us in the studio. All political affiliations and positions are welcome to speak.
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