Rutherford County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
9 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Rutherford County races, led by the North Carolina Senate District 48 contest.
Judges
North Carolina District Court Judge, District 41, Seat 1Robert K. Martelle (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Robert K. Martelle Republican Incumbent
Robert K. Martelle is the Chief District Court Judge for the district covering McDowell and Rutherford counties, originally appointed to the bench by Governor Pat McCrory in February 2013 and re-elected in 2014, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and his J.D. from the Campbell University School of Law, and was a partner at the firm of Williams & Martelle from 1995 to 2013. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Robert K. Martelle (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 41, Seat 1. Voters across McDowell and Rutherford 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 41, Seat 2Michelle McEntire (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Michelle McEntire Republican
Michelle McEntire was appointed District Court Judge for the judicial district serving McDowell and Rutherford counties by Governor Roy Cooper in July 2020, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Randy Pool, per a North Carolina Judicial Branch news release. McEntire was a sole practitioner at McEntire Law, PLLC and previously worked in the District Attorney's Office and as a clinical social worker, per the same release. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Michelle McEntire (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 41, Seat 2. Voters across McDowell and Rutherford 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 41, Seat 3Ellen M. Shelley (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Ellen M. Shelley Republican Incumbent
Ellen M. Shelley currently serves as a District Court Judge for District 41, covering Rutherford and McDowell counties, appointed by Governor Roy Cooper on April 1, 2019, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch directory. Shelley earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina and a J.D. from Samford University's Cumberland School of Law before becoming a partner at Evans & Shelley, and she was re-elected to the bench in 2022. Her judgeellenshelley.com site still shows a 2022 primary countdown and copyright date, so it is not linked. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Ellen M. Shelley (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 41, Seat 3. Voters across McDowell and Rutherford 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.
Rutherford County is split across 2 North Carolina House districts.
Find your districts by addressNorth Carolina House: 2 districtsDistricts 111, 113
North Carolina House District 111Jerry Blake (D) · Paul Scott (R)
Jerry Blake Democratic
Jerry Blake is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 111, covering parts of Cleveland and Rutherford counties. District 111 is Blake's first campaign for public office, per the Branch Politics candidate guide. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Paul Scott Republican Incumbent
Paul Scott is the Republican incumbent for North Carolina House District 111, covering Cleveland and Rutherford counties, per the North Carolina General Assembly. Scott is a pastor and is serving his first term in the House, per the North Carolina General Assembly. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Jerry Blake (Democratic), Paul Scott (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Paul Scott 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 113John Morgan (D) · Jake Johnson (R)
John Morgan Democratic
- Improving access to affordable health care
- Bringing schools up to current standards
- Incentives for landlords to increase affordable housing supply
Per the Henderson County Democratic Party.
About John Morgan
John Morgan is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 113, per his campaign site. He served 21 years in the United States Air Force, including flying aircraft that carried Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, per his campaign site. After retiring from the Air Force he worked as a captain and flight instructor at Atlas Air, and he served as a City Commissioner in Saluda, where he has lived since 1997, per his campaign site.
Jake Johnson Republican Incumbent
- Support a free-market economy with lower taxes and less regulation
- Support gun rights
- Support local control of public schools and recent teacher pay raises
Per the campaign site.
About Jake Johnson
Jake Johnson was born and raised in Polk County and served as chairman of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, per the campaign site. Johnson is running for North Carolina House District 113 and is described as a fiscal and social conservative, per the campaign site.
John Morgan (Democratic), Jake Johnson (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Jake Johnson 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 48Doyle G. Brown, Jr. (D) · Tim Moffitt (R)
Doyle G. Brown, Jr. Democratic
- Supports campaign finance reform limiting corporate political donations
- Calls for stronger oversight of rising utility rates
- Focuses on consumer protection amid rising insurance costs
Per the campaign site.
About Doyle G. Brown, Jr.
Brown is a small-business owner focused on affordable housing and other real estate ventures, and the first in his family to graduate college, per the campaign site. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and an MBA from Delaware State University, per the campaign site.
Tim Moffitt Republican Incumbent
Tim Moffitt represents North Carolina Senate District 48, covering Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford counties, per the NC General Assembly. He is serving his second term in the Senate after three prior terms in the state House. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Doyle G. Brown, Jr. (Democratic), Tim Moffitt (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Tim Moffitt 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 Rutherford County, North Carolina on November 3, 2026?
Rutherford County sample ballot 2026: who is running for north carolina district court judge, 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 Rutherford 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 →