The Ballot Brief
North Carolina judges
November 2026

Judges 2026 › North Carolina › Judges on the ballot

Judges on the North Carolina ballot in November 2026

North Carolina voters see 4 statewide court races, 340 county-level judicial races in the counties we track on the November 3, 2026 ballot in the races The Ballot Brief tracks. Retention questions are a yes-or-no vote on keeping a sitting judge; elected seats work like any other race.

Statewide court races

These seats are elected by every voter in North Carolina. Open a race for the full page.

Supreme Court Associate Justice, Seat 01

Voted statewide: on every North Carolina ballot. 2 candidates.

  • Anita Earls (D)

    Earls is an attorney who currently serves as an Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court, per the campaign site. Her campaign focuses on protecting constitutional rights for North Carolinians, per the campaign site.

    Top Priorities
    • Upholding the state constitution
    • Protecting access to healthcare
    • Defending the right to a sound basic public education and voting rights
    Per the NCSBE Judicial Voter Guide.

    Campaign site · Full profile

  • Sarah Stevens (R)

    Sarah Stevens is an attorney with more than 30 years in private practice and president of the Surry County Bar Association, per her campaign site. She has served as Republican Leader and Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House, chairing the House Elections Law and Judiciary Committees, and holds a law degree from Campbell University School of Law, per her campaign site.

    Campaign site · Full profile

Court Of Appeals Judge, Seat 01

Voted statewide: on every North Carolina ballot. 2 candidates.

  • John S. Arrowood (D)

    John S. Arrowood is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Full profile

  • Michael C. Byrne (R)

    Michael C. Byrne is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Full profile

Court Of Appeals Judge, Seat 02

Voted statewide: on every North Carolina ballot. 2 candidates.

  • Tobias (Toby) Hampson (D)

    Tobias (Toby) Hampson is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Top Priorities
    • Keeping judges with Court of Appeals experience on the bench
    • Defending the rule of law
    Per the NCSBE Judicial Voter Guide.

    Full profile

  • George Cooper Bell (R)

    George Cooper Bell is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Full profile

Court Of Appeals Judge, Seat 03

Voted statewide: on every North Carolina ballot. 2 candidates.

  • Christine Marie Walczyk (D)

    Christine Marie Walczyk is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Top Priorities
    • Protecting individual liberties and equal access to justice
    • Maintaining an independent judiciary
    Per the NCSBE Judicial Voter Guide.

    Full profile

  • Craig Collins (R)

    Craig Collins is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

    Full profile

County and trial-court judicial races we track

Trial judges, county courts and other judicial offices from the county pages we have built (92 counties so far). Each link opens that race's page.

Everything else on your North Carolina ballot · Your exact ballot by ZIP code