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Occupation
Plant technician at Procter & Gamble

Birthdate
January 28, 1978

Address
308 Ashland Dr. Apt. C, Greensboro, NC 27403

Web site and email address
www.elledge2008.com, elledge08@gmail.com

Party affiliation
Libertarian

Previous elective experience
Chairman, Guilford County Libertarian Party; Libertarian Party of North Carolina executive committee member at-large

Other relevant experience (boards and commissions)
No experience on public boards or commissions

Family
Single, no children

Why have you chosen to run for this office?
I have chosen to run for this office because I believe that government has its hands into too many things. Government should exist only to protect people's rights, but instead, government tries to be everything to everyone. Nothing seems to be outside the purview of government anymore. I believe that is wrong, and as commissioner, I would like to bring limited government to Guilford County.

What distinguishes you most from your opponent?
I stand firmly by one principle: that all individuals have a natural right to live their lives however they choose as long as they do not violate the natural rights of others. As commissioner, I will always vote for any measure which will increase the freedom of the individual and vote against any measure which would diminish it.
Key qualifications you would bring to the job

My key qualification is that I know how to say no: no to special interests, no to frivolous spending, no to tax increases, and no to all sorts of other government abuses.

List your top three campaign issues and your stances on those issues (briefly, please)

Spending. Guilford County spends too much money as a result of being involved in too many things. From spending people's hard-earned money on entertainment to corporate welfare for billion-dollar corporations, the county obviously has no understanding of what constitutes proper government. I want to bring fiscal responsibility to Guilford County.

Taxation. Once spending has been reduced, taxes should be reduced proportionately, keeping more money in the hands of the people who earned it. That's the only reasonable type of economic stimulus.

Deregulation. Too much regulation makes existing businesses inefficient, and it makes it much more difficult than it should be for entrepreneurs to start new businesses. It also often favors certain businesses over others. With much less regulation, business would thrive in Guilford County, and I want to do whatever I can to deregulate the economy here as much as possible.
How will you contribute to greater civility on the board?
Government is a very uncivil thing. It seeks to control the lives of other people, so it is no surprise that the board of commissioners is often characterized as uncivil. As someone who wants to greatly diminish the power of government so that people are free to control their own lives, I think my presence would add some civility to the board.

What large projects or expenditures do you anticipate in the next few years for Guilford County?
The population of Guilford County and North Carolina are growing rapidly, so I expect that all the critical infrastructures such as emergency services, law enforcement, roads, and schools will be expanded. That is why it will be so important that the board of commissioners cuts all non-critical spending from the budget and starts looking toward privatizing as many services as possible.

Should the board require that its chairman be an at-large representative?
Yes. The most powerful member of the board should be someone who represents the entire county, not just one segment of the county.

Under what circumstances will you approve of economic incentives for new or expanding businesses?
I would under no circumstances support any incentives which give taxpayer money to new or expanding businesses. I would, however, approve of any incentives which would reduce the tax or regulatory burden on businesses if and only if those tax burdens would not be shifted to other taxpayers. I would further urge the board of commissioners to extend tax breaks to everyone, not just a select few businesses.

How can county government improve relations and coordinate the delivery of services with municipalities?
They can improve both of those by separating their services as much as possible. The more decentralized government is, the better.

With which aspect of county government are you most satisfied, with which are you most dissatisfied, and why?
To be completely honest, I can't think of a single thing with which I'm satisfied. Even the one legitimate function of government -- apprehending criminals and bringing them to justice -- is marred by the fact that law enforcement spends so much time arresting and convicting people for victimless crimes such as nonviolent drug charges. I am most dissatisfied with the fact that government operates coercively rather than by the consent of the governed.