One candidate is tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Donna Forga. Candidate information follows official Haywood County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
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).
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, Donna Forga, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.
North Carolina › Haywood County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1
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.
Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1 in 2026?
One candidate is tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Donna Forga. Candidate information follows official Haywood County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 43, Seat 1 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 Haywood 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 Haywood County and state election office filings, last verified October 2, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Haywood County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
20 tracked races in Haywood County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.