North Carolina District Court Judge, District 10D, Seat 2

About this race

Amalia Mercedes Restucha (Democratic) and J. Brian Ratledge (Republican) meet on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 10D, Seat 2. This seat covers part of Wake County, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A; only voters in that part of the District Court district see this race. 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).

What this office does

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. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, J. Brian Ratledge, is on the ballot.