Under a new state law, a person is not eligible to serve as a sheriff in North Carolina if they have been convicted of a felony, even if they’ve completed their sentence or had the conviction expunged from their record. A person who receives an unconditional pardon of innocence for their felony may file for the office of sheriff or be appointed to that office. The law, which takes effect October 1, 2021, also removes the requirement that a candidate for sheriff be a resident of the county for at least a year before the general election.
