One candidate is tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Susan (Smitty) Dotson-Smith. Candidate information follows official Buncombe County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Susan (Smitty) Dotson-Smith (Democratic) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4. Voters across Buncombe County vote on this seat, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A. North Carolina judicial races have been partisan since the 2018 court reorganization. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list (read September 7, 2026).
Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.
This race. The sitting officeholder, Susan (Smitty) Dotson-Smith, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.
North Carolina › Buncombe County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4
Democratic Incumbent
Susan (Smitty) Dotson-Smith has served as a District Court judge in Buncombe County since 2012, per the Buncombe County Bar. Dotson-Smith received her J.D. from Wake Forest School of Law and was in private practice in Asheville for about twenty years before becoming a judge, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4 in 2026?
One candidate is tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Susan (Smitty) Dotson-Smith. Candidate information follows official Buncombe County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 4 election in North Carolina?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for North Carolina are on the North Carolina election hub at theballotbrief.com.
How do I see my exact Buncombe County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.
Candidate roster from official Buncombe County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Buncombe County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
17 tracked races in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.