This piece is part of a series of articles examining where 2026 Southeastern candidates for state and federal offices stand on key energy and climate issues, like data centers and energy costs.
Note: The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy does not support or oppose candidates or political parties. Links to reports, candidate websites, and outside sources are provided as citizen education tools.
In this blog post, we examine the policies and positions of Jennifer Balkcom, the Republican candidate running to represent North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. Also in this series, we profile Democratic candidate Jamie Ager. Election Day is November 3.
Jennifer Balkcom currently serves as the State House Representative for District 117 in the North Carolina State Legislature, where she has served since being elected in 2022. She is from Henderson, NC, and her family has called Western North Carolina home for eight generations.
Her profession is a mortgage loan officer.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Jennifer Balkcom voted for Senate Bill 266 in 2025, which sought to slow Duke Energy’s deployment of renewable energy.
Climate Change
Jennifer Balkcom voted for Senate Bill 266 in 2025, which eliminated a 2030 climate pollution reduction goal for Duke Energy, along with numerous other large effects on the electricity system.
Electric Transportation
We were unable to confirm Jennifer Balkcom’s positions on electric transportation in published media, public records, or on her campaign website.
Energy Justice
A key provision of the previously mentioned Senate Bill 266, which Jennifer Balkcom voted for, was to shift certain electric system costs onto residential customers instead of large corporate customers.
Energy Affordability
We were unable to confirm Jennifer Balkcom’s positions on energy affordability in published media, public records, or on her campaign website.
High-Risk Energy: Nuclear, Coal, Methane Gas
One of the major goals of backers of the previously mentioned Senate Bill 266, which Jennifer Balkcom voted for, was to have the state’s utility companies build new nuclear plants instead of procuring solar and wind energy. The bill promotes new nuclear and gas power plants by eliminating the 2030 pollution reduction goal and enabling utilities to charge customers for the construction of nuclear and gas power plants — but not renewable energy sources — before they produce power.
Jennifer Balkcom voted to pass Senate Bill 730 in 2026, which prohibits utility companies from retiring old coal- or gas-burning power plants before obtaining regulatory approval to build a new nuclear power plant.
Data Centers
Jennifer Balkcom voted to pass Senate Bill 730 in 2026 to put regulations on data centers.
Voting Information
Election Day is November 3. Here are important dates and deadlines to consider, from the North Carolina State Board of Elections:
- Sept. 4: Absentee ballots must be available and distributed to military and overseas voters. For more, see Vote by Mail.
- Oct. 9: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).* For more, see How to Register.
- Oct. 15: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available. For more, see Vote Early in Person.
- Oct. 20: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*
- Oct. 31: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
- Nov. 3: Election Day. For more, see Vote in Person on Election Day.
- Nov. 3: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*
*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.
Find additional important election information here.
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