2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina House District 87 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Iris Bender and Destin Hall. Candidate information follows official Watauga County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Iris Bender (Democratic), Destin Hall (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Destin Hall 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, Destin Hall, is on the ballot.
North Carolina › Watauga County › North Carolina House District 87
Democratic
Per the campaign site.
Iris Bender is a Democrat running for North Carolina House District 87, covering Caldwell County and part of Watauga County. She is a longtime resident of Lenoir and a small business owner, per her campaign site.
Republican Incumbent
Per the campaign site.
Destin Hall is a Republican representing North Carolina House District 87, covering Caldwell and Watauga counties, and serves as Speaker of the House. He was first elected in 2016 at age 29 and is now serving his fifth term, per his campaign site. Hall is an attorney in general practice at Wilson, Lackey, Rohr and Hall in Lenoir and serves as school board attorney for Caldwell County Schools, per EdNC. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Appalachian State University in 2009 and a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2014, becoming the first college graduate in his family, per EdNC.
Who is running for North Carolina House District 87 in 2026?
2 candidates are tracked for North Carolina House District 87 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Iris Bender and Destin Hall. Candidate information follows official Watauga County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the North Carolina House District 87 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 Watauga 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 Watauga 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 Watauga County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
5 tracked races in Watauga County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.