The I-Team discovered property records that show Blackwell owns a home in Franklin County and is registered to vote at a Wake Forest home owned by his wife in Wake County. Property records list the Franklin County home as the couple's mailing address.
State law requires sheriff candidates to be qualified voters in the county they seek to represent. North Carolina election law states that qualified voters must live in the county where they are registered to vote and have resided there for at least 30 days before Election Day.
Blackwell said he is complying with the law and divides his time between the two properties.
"The law says I have to be there 30 days prior to the election. That's what I'm following the law on," Blackwell said.
Voting records reviewed by the I-Team show Blackwell voted in Wake County during the March 2026 primary election. The report also found that he voted in Franklin County during the 2024 primary and general elections.
When the I-Team visited the Wake Forest property on Friday, an unidentified man who answered the door said Blackwell and his wife owned the home but did not live there.
The I-Team later visited the Youngsville home that Franklin County property records list as being owned by Blackwell and his wife.
The background of a photograph of Blackwell and his wife on his campaign website matches the exterior of the Franklin County home.
Blackwell said he is acting within the law.
"I'm doing what the law says I can do and following the law. I'm not trying to cheat it or circumvent or anything of that nature," he said.
Blackwell told the I-Team that he plans to fully move into the Wake Forest home at least one month before Election Day and now splits his time between the two residences.
Blackwell said voters should not question his commitment to serving Wake County, arguing that he would not be running for the office if he did not believe he could effectively serve the public.
"I wouldn't run for Wake County if I didn't feel like I was going to be serving the public; I wouldn't be living in both places," he said. "So, I do live in both places and following, like I said, the letter of the law to do that."
The State Board of Elections told the I-Team that the Wake County Board of Elections has not received any candidate challenges or protests against Blackwell and is not investigating him.
Election Day is 67 days away.
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