Pender County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
10 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Pender County races, led by the North Carolina Senate District 9 contest.
Judges
North Carolina District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 1Lindsey L. McKee (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Lindsey L. McKee Republican Incumbent
Lindsey L. McKee is a sitting District Court judge for Judicial District 5 (New Hanover and Pender counties), first elected in 2014, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch's judicial directory. She began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office after earning a J.D. at North Carolina Central University School of Law, per the same directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Lindsey L. McKee.
Lindsey L. McKee (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 1. Voters across New Hanover and Pender 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 District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 2Kurt B. Fryar (R) · James H. Faison III (D)
Kurt B. Fryar Republican
- Apply the law as written and respect the time of citizens and attorneys
- Address addiction-related cases while protecting public safety
Per the campaign site.
About Kurt B. Fryar
Kurt B. Fryar is a Wilmington native with 24 years of legal practice in New Hanover and Pender counties, spanning civil, criminal, real estate and estate planning matters, per his campaign site. He is a UNCW and UNC Chapel Hill School of Law graduate.
James H. Faison III Democratic Incumbent
- Uphold the law with honesty and integrity
- Ensure equal justice and respect for every person
Per the campaign site.
About James H. Faison III
James H. Faison III has served as a District Court Judge for New Hanover and Pender counties for more than 25 years, per his campaign site, after working as a staff attorney with Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear and as an Assistant District Attorney for the two counties. He has also served as a pastor since 1998.
Kurt B. Fryar (Republican) and James H. Faison III (Democratic) meet on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 2. Voters across New Hanover and Pender 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 District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 3Melinda H. Crouch (D) · Janelle L. Cline (R)
Melinda H. Crouch Democratic Incumbent
- Apply the law equally and treat every individual with dignity and respect
- Keep the courtroom a place where everyone can be heard, respected and treated fairly
Per the campaign site.
About Melinda H. Crouch
Melinda H. Crouch has served as a District Court Judge for New Hanover and Pender counties since 2007, presiding primarily over Family Court, per her campaign site. Licensed since 1984, she practiced law in Wilmington for more than two decades before joining the bench.
Janelle L. Cline Republican
Janelle Cline has worked as a prosecutor for the New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney's Office and later for the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, per her campaign site. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, holds a master's degree from the University of Maryland College Park and a juris doctor from the University of Arkansas Little Rock Bowen School of Law, per the same source. She lives in Wilmington.
Melinda H. Crouch (Democratic) and Janelle L. Cline (Republican) meet on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 3. Voters across New Hanover and Pender 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 District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 4Katherine Corpening (D) · Chad Hogston (R)
Katherine Corpening Democratic
- Fairness and accountability, with judges listening carefully and treating all people with dignity
- Bringing real-world community experience to the bench
Per the campaign site.
About Katherine Corpening
Katherine Corpening is an Assistant Public Defender in New Hanover County with more than a decade of experience representing indigent clients, per her campaign site. She helped establish Community Empowerment Court, a treatment-focused alternative to incarceration, and is a Wilmington native and Wake Forest and Campbell Law graduate.
Chad Hogston Republican Incumbent
Hogston has served 16 years on the district court bench and has 30 years of legal experience in New Hanover and Pender Counties, per the campaign site. Hogston grew up in Virginia, was the first in the family to attend college, and began legal practice in 1996, developing experience across a wide range of cases before becoming a judge. As a district court judge, Hogston hears criminal, family court, domestic violence, civil and mental health commitment matters.
Katherine Corpening (Democratic) and Chad Hogston (Republican) meet on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 6, Seat 4. Voters across New Hanover and Pender 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 9Brent Jackson (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Brent Jackson Republican Incumbent
Brent Jackson is a Republican representing North Carolina Senate District 9, covering Bladen, Duplin, Jones, Pender and Sampson counties, and is serving his eighth term, per the North Carolina General Assembly. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Brent Jackson (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Brent Jackson 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 16Carson Smith (R) · Jim Harris (D)
Carson Smith Republican Incumbent
Carson Smith is a retired Pender County sheriff, per his official legislative biography. He represents Onslow and Pender counties and is serving his 4th term in the North Carolina House. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Jim Harris Democratic
- Affordability
- Healthcare access and quality
- Strengthening public education
Per the campaign site.
About Jim Harris
Harris holds a finance degree from Michigan State University and an MBA from Wayne State University, and worked at IBM and Intel before relocating to Hampstead in 2017, per the campaign site. He serves as chairman of the Democratic Party of Pender County, per the campaign site.
Carson Smith (Republican), Jim Harris (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Carson Smith 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 Pender County, North Carolina on November 3, 2026?
Pender County sample ballot 2026: who is running for north carolina district court judge and north carolina house, 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 Pender 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