Johnston County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
32 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 18 Johnston County races, led by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners District 3 contest.
County offices
Board of Commissioners District 3Mike Rose (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Mike Rose (Republican) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Johnston County Board of Commissioners District 3.
Mike Rose Republican Incumbent
Michael "Mike" Rose serves on the Johnston County Board of Commissioners representing District 3, per the board's official roster; his current term expires in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Michael "Mike" Rose won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Per johnstonnc.gov/meetcommissioners, Rose is the sitting District 3 commissioner (term expires 2026), so he is running for re-election.
Full race pageBoard of Commissioners District 5Patrick Harris (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Patrick Harris (Republican) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Johnston County Board of Commissioners District 5.
Patrick Harris Republican Incumbent
Patrick E. Harris serves as Chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners representing District 5, per the board's official roster; his current term expires in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Patrick E. Harris, the board's chairman, is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for a new term. Per johnstonnc.gov/meetcommissioners, Harris is the sitting District 5 commissioner (term expires 2026).
Full race pageBoard of Commissioners District 7R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. (Republican) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Johnston County Board of Commissioners District 7.
R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. Republican Incumbent
R.S. "Butch" Lawter, Jr. serves as Vice-Chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners representing District 7, per the board's official roster; his current term expires in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
R.S. "Butch" Lawter, Jr., the board's vice-chairman, is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for a new term. Per johnstonnc.gov/meetcommissioners, Lawter is the sitting District 7 commissioner (term expires 2026).
Full race pageClerk of Superior CourtMichelle Creech Ball (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Michelle Creech Ball Republican
Michelle Ball serves as Clerk of Superior Court for Johnston County, per the NC Judicial Directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Michelle Creech Ball is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for a new term. Per Johnston County's official website, she is the sitting Clerk of Superior Court, first sworn in December 2014.
Full race pageSheriffSteve Bizzell (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Steve Bizzell Republican
Steve Bizzell is the sitting Johnston County sheriff, first elected in 1998 and now the longest-serving sheriff in county history, per the sheriff's office website. He is a lifelong resident of the Pine Level/Princeton area.
Steve Bizzell won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary over Randy Ackley, 75.4%-24.6%, and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. He is the sitting sheriff, first elected in 1998.
Full race pageDistrict Attorney District 13Jason Waller (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Jason Waller Republican Incumbent
Jason Waller serves as District Attorney for North Carolina's Prosecutorial District 13, per the NC Judicial Directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Jason Waller is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for a full term. Prosecutorial District 13 covers Johnston County, per NC General Statute 7A-60. Governor Josh Stein appointed Waller District Attorney in July 2025 following Susan Doyle's retirement.
Full race pageRegister of DeedsCraig Olive (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Craig Olive Republican
- Cost reduction and financial stewardship in the Register of Deeds office
- Digitizing historical records and modernizing the office's public-facing technology
Per the campaign site.
About Craig Olive
Olive has served as Johnston County Register of Deeds for six terms, per the campaign site. Olive is running for re-election to the Johnston County Register of Deeds, per the campaign site.
Craig Olive (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Johnston County Register of Deeds, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate listing (the office is on the 2026 ballot in 24 counties).
Full race pageSchool board
Board of Education District 1Michelle Antoine (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Michelle Antoine Republican Incumbent
- Accountability and transparency in district spending and curriculum decisions
- Emphasizing foundational literacy and numeracy skills
- Parental rights over classroom materials and health decisions
Per the campaign site.
About Michelle Antoine
Michelle Antoine is the sitting District 1 member of the Johnston County Board of Education, per the district's official board page. She runs a local family business and holds teaching licenses from California and Wisconsin, per her campaign site.
Michelle Antoine is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Per the school district's official Board of Education page, she is the sitting District 1 member (member since 2022/2024, term expiring 2026).
Full race pageBoard of Education District 2Terry Tippett (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Terry Tippett Republican Incumbent
Terry Tippett has served on the Johnston County Board of Education since 2022, per the district's official board directory; his current term expires in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Terry Tippett is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Per the school district's official Board of Education page, he is the sitting District 2 member (member since 2022, term expiring 2026).
Full race pageBoard of Education District 5Kevin Donovan (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Kevin Donovan Republican Incumbent
Kevin Donovan serves as Vice-Chair of the Johnston County Board of Education and has been a member since 2022, per the district's official board directory; his current term expires in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Kevin Donovan is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Per the school district's official Board of Education page, he is the sitting District 5 member (member since 2022, term expiring 2026).
Full race pageJudges
North Carolina District Court Judge, District 12, Seat 1Joy A. Jones (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Joy A. Jones Republican Incumbent
Joy A. Jones serves as District Court Judge for Judicial District 12, per the NC Judicial Directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Joy A. Jones (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 12, Seat 1. Voters across Harnett, Johnston and Lee counties vote on this seat, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A. State law limits who may run for this seat to a resident of Johnston County, but every voter in the district still elects it. 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 12, Seat 2Travis N. Wheeler (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Travis N. Wheeler Republican Incumbent
Travis N. Wheeler serves as District Court Judge for Judicial District 12, per the NC Judicial Directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Travis N. Wheeler (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 12, Seat 2. Voters across Harnett, Johnston and Lee counties vote on this seat, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A. State law limits who may run for this seat to a resident of Johnston County, but every voter in the district still elects it. 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 12, Seat 3Jason P. Kimble (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Jason P. Kimble Republican Incumbent
Jason Kimble serves as District Court Judge for Judicial District 12, per the NC Judicial Directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Jason P. Kimble (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 12, Seat 3. Voters across Harnett, Johnston and Lee 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 pageDistricts and boards
Soil and Water Conservation District SupervisorNonpartisan race · Caitlin Marsh · Travis Allen Floyd · Gracie Chamblee · Brad A. Barefoot · Joe David Austin · Luke Smith · Christine A. Livingston · John Michael Langdon
Caitlin Marsh Nonpartisan
- Supporting the Voluntary Agricultural District program to keep working farms in production
- Expanding conservation practices that reduce erosion and runoff into the Neuse River and local streams
- Investing in youth environmental education programs like Envirothon and the mobile soils classroom
Per the campaign site.
About Caitlin Marsh
Caitlin Marsh is the founder of Marsh Strategic Consulting LLC and a former North Carolina State Senate candidate, per her campaign site. She comes from a Bladen County farming family and is a longtime Johnston County resident raising three children in the area.
Travis Allen Floyd Nonpartisan
Travis Allen Floyd is a candidate for Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
Gracie Chamblee Nonpartisan
A Johnston County resident since 1989 and a retiree from local government with experience in the budget process, per a profile on the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Foundation's Boards and Commissions program page. The Johnston County Democratic Party lists her as its candidate for Johnston County Soil & Water Supervisor, per the party's 2026 candidates page. No campaign website was found as of September 29, 2026.
Brad A. Barefoot Nonpartisan
Brad A. Barefoot is a candidate for Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
Joe David Austin Nonpartisan
Joe David Austin is a candidate for Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
Luke Smith Nonpartisan
- Preserve family farms, productive farmland and Johnston County's agricultural heritage as the county grows
- Protect clean water, with regular water quality monitoring, transparency and infrastructure improvements where needed
- Improve soil health through proven conservation and regenerative practices such as cover crops, composting and biochar
Per the campaign site.
About Luke Smith
A generational Johnston County farmer who has led grassroots field operations across more than 25 states, per his campaign site.
Christine A. Livingston Nonpartisan
Christine A. Livingston is a candidate for Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
John Michael Langdon Nonpartisan
John Langdon serves as Chairman of the Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District's Board of Supervisors, an elected seat, per the district's official roster. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Dewitt Hardee Nonpartisan
A Johnston County native who served as the first Farmland Preservation Director for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2006 until he retired in 2021, per NCDA&CS. He sits on the Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District board and owns a family farm north of Benson that has been in the family since before the Civil War, per the district's news page. No campaign website was found as of September 29, 2026.
Nine candidates filed for two seats on the November 3, 2026 nonpartisan ballot: Travis Allen Floyd, Gracie Chamblee, Brad A. Barefoot, Joe David Austin, Luke Smith, Caitlin Marsh, Christine A. Livingston, John Michael Langdon, and Dewitt Hardee. Results are unofficial until certified.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Johnston County is split across 3 North Carolina House districts.
Find your districts by addressNorth Carolina House: 3 districtsDistricts 26, 28, 53
North Carolina House District 26Donna McDowell White (R) · L'Bertrice Solomon (D)
Donna McDowell White Republican Incumbent
Donna McDowell White has served North Carolina House District 26 since 2016, chairing the Health Committee and the Appropriations Committee for Health and Human Services, per the campaign site. White is a registered nurse who previously served 12 years on the Johnston County Board of Education, per the campaign site.
L'Bertrice Solomon Democratic
- Maintaining rural hospital operations and affordable, accessible healthcare
- Addressing food insecurity and housing affordability
- Full public school funding and smaller class sizes
Per the campaign site.
About L'Bertrice Solomon
L'Bertrice Solomon is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 26 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list. L'Bertrice Solomon is a public health leader who serves as Chief Public Health Officer for Docs On Da Block Community Mobile Public Health Clinic, per her campaign site. She is also a minister from Johnston County, per the same source.
Donna McDowell White (Republican), L'Bertrice Solomon (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Donna McDowell White 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 28D. Matthew Bailey (D) · Larry C. Strickland (R)
D. Matthew Bailey Democratic
D. Matthew Bailey is a candidate for North Carolina House District 28. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
Larry C. Strickland Republican Incumbent
Larry C. Strickland works as a real estate appraiser and farmer, per his official legislative biography. He represents Johnston County and is serving his 5th term in the North Carolina House. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
D. Matthew Bailey (Democratic), Larry C. Strickland (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Larry C. Strickland 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 53Kevin G. Thurman (D) · Christopher Sessions (Libertarian) · Howard L. Penny, Jr. (R)
Kevin G. Thurman Democratic
- Economic recovery
- Quality public education for all
- Equal access to healthcare
Per the campaign site.
About Kevin G. Thurman
Kevin G. Thurman has worked at Research Triangle Institute and Blue Cross NC on healthcare policy issues, per his campaign site. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Duke University and a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, per the same source.
Christopher Sessions Libertarian
Christopher Sessions is a candidate for North Carolina House District 53. No campaign website was found as of September 28, 2026.
Howard L. Penny, Jr. Republican Incumbent
Howard L. Penny, Jr. is retired from agribusiness and serves as House Deputy Majority Whip, per the NC General Assembly. He represents House District 53, covering Harnett and Johnston counties. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Kevin G. Thurman (Democratic), Christopher Sessions (Libertarian), Howard L. Penny, Jr. (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Howard L. Penny, Jr. 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 Senate District 10Kevin Terrett (Libertarian) · Benton Sawrey (R) · Pat LeGrand (D)
Kevin Terrett Libertarian
- Greater education opportunities for students and families, including school choice
- Stronger economic potential for businesses through reduced regulation
- Better healthcare options for patients and providers
Per the campaign site.
About Kevin Terrett
Kevin Terrett has lived in North Carolina for 35 years and works in the transportation industry, per his campaign site. He previously ran as the Libertarian candidate for NC House District 26 in 2024. In a 2024 party candidate survey, Terrett said he supports expanding school choice, reducing business regulation and cutting state taxation.
Benton Sawrey Republican Incumbent
- Reduce North Carolina's income tax rate on families, small businesses and farmers
- Support farmland preservation and conservation easements
- Reduce overregulation and control government spending
Per the campaign site.
About Benton Sawrey
Benton Sawrey has served in the North Carolina Senate representing Johnston County since 2023, per the campaign site. Sawrey is an attorney who previously served two terms on the Board of Trustees at Johnston Community College, per the campaign site.
Pat LeGrand Democratic
LeGrand had a career in information technology, including computer operations and technical project management, and later worked for Bayer Corporation and Grifols in North Carolina before retiring, per the campaign site. LeGrand holds a bachelor's degree from San Diego State University and a master's degree in counseling psychology from National University, per the campaign site.
Kevin Terrett (Libertarian), Benton Sawrey (Republican), Pat LeGrand (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Benton Sawrey 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 Johnston County, North Carolina on November 3, 2026?
Johnston County sample ballot 2026: see where the board of commissioners and board of education candidates stand on health care, schools and agriculture. 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 Johnston 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 →
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Johnston County11 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Sep 29, 2026 from official election sources.