Durham County, North Carolina

North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 4

One candidate is tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Dorothy Hairston Mitchell. Candidate information follows official Durham County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Dorothy Hairston Mitchell (Democratic) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 4. Voters across Durham 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).

What this office does

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, Dorothy Hairston Mitchell, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

North Carolina › Durham County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 4

Dorothy Hairston Mitchell

Democratic Incumbent

Biography

Dorothy Hairston Mitchell is a District Court Judge for District 16, Seat 4, in Durham County, appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in December 2021, filling the seat formerly held by Judge Brian Wilks. She earned her B.A. and J.D. from North Carolina Central University and serves as a Clinical Associate Professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law and Legal Director at the Center for Child & Family Health, having previously worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Durham County, per the North Carolina Governor's office. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on your ballotNorth Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 5

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 4 in 2026?

When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, 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 Durham 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.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Durham 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 Durham County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Durham County ballot

17 tracked races in Durham County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

North Carolina District Court Judge, District 16, Seat 6 Durham County District Attorney Durham County Sheriff See all 17 Durham County races

Candidate profiles

Dorothy Hairston Mitchell, full profile Official North Carolina election office