2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina House District 16 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Carson Smith and Jim Harris. Candidate information follows official Pender County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
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.
State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.
This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Carson Smith, is on the ballot.
North Carolina › Pender County › North Carolina House District 16
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.
Democratic
Per the campaign site.
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.
Who is running for North Carolina House District 16 in 2026?
2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina House District 16 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Carson Smith and Jim Harris. Candidate information follows official Pender County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the North Carolina House District 16 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 Pender 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 Pender 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 Pender County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
6 tracked races in Pender County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.