Franklin County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
7 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 4 Franklin County races, led by the North Carolina Senate District 11 contest.
Judges
North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 11, Seat 1John M. Dunlow (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
John M. Dunlow Republican Incumbent
John M. Dunlow serves as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in the judicial district that includes Franklin County, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
John M. Dunlow (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 11, Seat 1. Voters across Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren 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 Superior Court Judge, District 11, Seat 2Cindy Sturges (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Cindy Sturges Republican Incumbent
Cindy Sturges currently serves as a Superior Court Judge for Franklin County, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch directory. Sturges, whose full name is Cindy Lou King Sturges, was elected to the North Carolina Superior Court, winning the general election in November 2018, per The Franklin Times. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Cindy Sturges (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 11, Seat 2. Voters across Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren 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 11Gavin Bell (Libertarian) · Lisa Stone Barnes (R) · James D. Gailliard (D)
Gavin Bell Libertarian
No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Lisa Stone Barnes Republican Incumbent
- Support responsible government spending and growth in rural and suburban areas
Per the campaign site.
About Lisa Stone Barnes
Lisa Stone Barnes is a Republican representing North Carolina Senate District 11, covering Franklin, Nash and Vance counties, with three terms in the Senate and one term in the House, per the North Carolina General Assembly.
James D. Gailliard Democratic
- A criminal justice proposal he calls the Restoration and Reconciliation Act
- A housing down payment assistance proposal he calls the Homes and Hope Initiative
- Expanding broadband access through a proposal he calls the Digital Dignity Act
Per the campaign site.
About James D. Gailliard
James D. Gailliard is a Democrat running for North Carolina Senate District 11, covering Franklin, Nash and Vance counties. He serves as senior pastor of Word Tabernacle Church, a ministry spanning counties across North Carolina, per his campaign site. Gailliard is a former North Carolina House representative for District 25, where he was the first person of color elected to that seat, per his campaign site. He serves as a commissioner of MyFutureNC, involved in developing the state's educational attainment goals, per his campaign site.
Gavin Bell (Libertarian), Lisa Stone Barnes (Republican), James D. Gailliard (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Lisa Stone Barnes 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 7Cory Thornton (R) · Mark Speed (D)
Cory Thornton Republican
- Addressing the regional skilled labor shortage through apprenticeship and workforce training programs
Per the campaign site.
About Cory Thornton
Cory Thornton is a Republican running for North Carolina House District 7, covering Franklin County and part of Vance County. He has lived in the district since age six and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who enlisted at 17 and deployed to Japan, Thailand and Iraq, per his campaign site. Thornton is an entrepreneur with businesses in construction, real estate, entertainment and recycling and holds an MBA from the Jack Welch Management Institute, per his campaign site. He serves as a trustee for Vance Granville Community College and is a deacon at Cedar Rock Baptist Church, per his campaign site.
Mark Speed Democratic
- Fund public schools
- Improve public services
- Support small businesses and lower taxes for working families
Per the campaign site.
About Mark Speed
Mark Speed has served as a Franklin County Commissioner since 2017 and is running for North Carolina House District 7, per the campaign site. Speed's father, James D. Speed, previously represented the community for more than 30 years in the North Carolina General Assembly, per the campaign site.
Cory Thornton (Republican), Mark Speed (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Rep. Matthew Winslow (Republican), the sitting member per the General Assembly's roster, is not on the November ballot. 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 Franklin County, North Carolina on November 3, 2026?
Franklin County sample ballot 2026: who is running for north carolina superior court judge, with bios, priorities and campaign sites. 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 Franklin 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