2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jennifer (Jenny) Wells and Kyle Jones. Candidate information follows official Gates County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Jennifer (Jenny) Wells (Democratic) and Kyle Jones (Republican) meet on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, Seat 4. Voters across Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties vote on this seat, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A. This seat covers the remainder of an unexpired term. 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.
North Carolina › Gates County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, Seat 4
Democratic
Jennifer (Jenny) Wells' campaign site describes her as serving as a District Court Judge in North Carolina's First Judicial District, which includes Camden County, per her campaign site. Wells is a graduate of Dare County Public Schools and Tulane University, earned her law degree from Campbell University School of Law, and served for 11 years as a Public Defender in the First Judicial District, per the same source.
Republican
Kyle Jones is an Assistant District Attorney and former Perquimans County Commissioner who served three terms on that county's Board of Commissioners until 2024, per the Island Free Press. He is running to fill the seat of District Court Judge Edgar Barnes, who retired after a 28-year career on the bench. Jones began his career as a prosecutor in 2013 and has handled tens of thousands of cases across the First Judicial District's seven counties, per his campaign site.
Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, Seat 4 in 2026?
2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jennifer (Jenny) Wells and Kyle Jones. Candidate information follows official Gates County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 1, 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 Gates 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 Gates County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Gates County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
7 tracked races in Gates County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.