Clay County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
7 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 5 Clay County races, led by the North Carolina Senate District 50 contest.
Judges
North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1Donna Forga (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Donna Forga Republican Incumbent
Donna Forga was appointed chief district court judge for the judicial district covering Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties effective December 2024, per a North Carolina Judicial Branch news release. Forga was first elected to the bench in 2010 and earlier worked in private practice and as a staff attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina, per the same release. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Donna Forga (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1. Voters across Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties 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).
Full race pageNorth Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 2Justin B. Greene (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Justin B. Greene Democratic Incumbent
Justin B. Greene currently serves as a District Court Judge for District 43 in Haywood County, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch directory. A Swain County native, Greene has practiced law out of Bryson City since 2006, per WCTI-TV. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Justin B. Greene (Democratic) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 2. Voters across Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties 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).
Full race pageNorth Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 3William (Bill) Jones (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
William (Bill) Jones Democratic Incumbent
William (Bill) Jones is a district court judge for Judicial District 43, appointed by Governor Josh Stein and sworn in on March 3, 2025 at the Haywood County Courthouse, per the North Carolina Governor's office. He most recently served as a solo practitioner for over two decades and previously worked as an assistant district attorney in District 30 from 1998 to 2003, and he received his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, per themountaineer.com. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
William (Bill) Jones (Democratic) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 3. Voters across Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties 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).
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Find your districts by addressNorth Carolina Senate District 50Tom Downing (D) · Kevin Corbin (R)
Tom Downing Democratic
- Addressing affordable housing shortages
- Affordable childcare availability
- Addressing rising health insurance costs
Per the campaign site.
About Tom Downing
Tom Downing is a Democrat running for North Carolina Senate District 50, covering Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania counties. He has 15 years of municipal government experience and previously worked eight years as a special education teacher for students with serious emotional disabilities, per his campaign site.
Kevin Corbin Republican Incumbent
Kevin Corbin is a Republican representing North Carolina Senate District 50, covering Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania counties, with three terms in the Senate and two prior terms in the House, per the North Carolina General Assembly.
Tom Downing (Democratic), Kevin Corbin (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Kevin Corbin is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the March 3 primary (a second primary is held only when no one reaches 30 percent plus one); unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageNorth Carolina House District 120Caleb Brown (D) · Karl Gillespie (R)
Caleb Brown Democratic
- Supports full funding for public education
- Supports expanding access to healthcare
- Focuses on household financial stability for working families
Per the campaign site.
About Caleb Brown
Caleb Brown is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 120, representing Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties. Brown is a teacher, coach and second lieutenant in the North Carolina Army National Guard who lives in Highlands, per the campaign site.
Karl Gillespie Republican Incumbent
- Supports expanding broadband access in rural areas
- Supports economic development and business expansion
- Supports education funding and access to higher education
Per the campaign site.
About Karl Gillespie
Karl Gillespie is the Republican incumbent for North Carolina House District 120, representing Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties, and serves as House Majority Whip, per the North Carolina General Assembly. Gillespie is a fifth-generation Macon County resident, business owner and former county commissioner, per the campaign site.
Caleb Brown (Democratic), Karl Gillespie (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Karl Gillespie is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the March 3 primary (a second primary is held only when no one reaches 30 percent plus one); unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
North Carolina nominees were set by the March 3 primary; a candidate clearing 30 percent plus one avoids a second primary, and unopposed nominees still print on the November 3 ballot, per the State Board of Elections.
Who is on the ballot in Clay County, North Carolina on November 3, 2026?
Clay County sample ballot 2026: see where the north carolina district court judge and north carolina senate candidates stand on health care and schools. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in North Carolina?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for North Carolina are listed on the North Carolina election hub. North Carolina election hub →
How do I see my exact Clay County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
North Carolina statewide racesEvery North Carolina race on this county's ballot.All North Carolina ballot measures3 statewide ballot measures