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North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one North Carolina Supreme Court justice will expire on December 31, 2026. The one seat is up for partisan election on November 3, 2026.
Ballotpedia analyzed past North Carolina Supreme Court election fundraising since 2008, and tracked how it has changed since then. To read that analysis, click here.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for partisan election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Anita Earls' seat
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for North Carolina Supreme Court
Incumbent Anita Earls and Sarah Stevens are running in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Anita Earls (D) | ||
| Sarah Stevens (R) | ||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in North Carolina
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Campaign finance
Historical fundraising data
In elections going back to 2008, Democratic candidates raised, on average, $1.3 million compared to the average Republican candidate's $610,000. In total, Democratic candidates raised $20 million compared to Republicans’ $11 million.
The total amount of funds raised increased from 2008 to 2016. Except for 2014, which had four races on the ballot, the total funds raised averaged $1.3 million. Since 2018, the first year when elections became officially partisan, the total funds raised averaged $5.9 million. The total raised for 2026, as of September 25, 2025, has already surpassed that of all pre-2018 elections except 2014.
Additionally, the average amount spent per vote went up for candidates of both parties. In 2008, the Democratic and Republican candidates, Suzanne Reynolds (D) and Robert Edmunds (R), both spent $0.21 per vote received. In 2024, Allison Riggs (D) spent $1.87 for every vote compared to Jefferson Griffin’s (R) $0.76 per vote. The number of voters changed as well. In 2008, 3.1 million voters voted compared to 5.5 million in 2024.
In the 15 elections held during this period, the candidate who raised the most money won seven times (47%) and lost eight (53%) times. If the candidate who raises the most money wins in 2026, it would be evenly split, while a loss would decrease the winning percentage to 44%.
About the North Carolina Supreme Court
- See also: North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court and is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices has varied from time to time.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Paul Martin Newby | Elected in 2004 | |
| ■ Anita Earls | Elected in 2018 | |
| ■ Richard Dietz | Elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Phil Berger Jr. | Elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Tamara Barringer | Elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Trey Allen | Elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Allison Riggs | Appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D) in 2023. |
Selection
The seven justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court are chosen through partisan elections. Justices are elected to eight-year terms and must face re-election if they wish to serve again.[1]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a person must be licensed to practice law in North Carolina. There is a mandatory retirement age of 72 years.[2]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is elected by voters to serve in that capacity for an eight-year term.[3]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a successor to serve until the next general election which is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. The governor must select an appointee from a list of three recommendations provided by the executive committee of the political party with which the vacating justice was affiliated.[4] An election is then held for a full eight-year term.[5][1]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | School of Government, "History of North Carolina Judicial Elections," August 2020
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Judicial Qualifications Summary," September 28, 2016
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," accessed September 20, 2021
- ↑ Ballotpedia Election Administration Legislation Tracker, "North Carolina S382," accessed December 19, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina Constitution - Article IV," accessed September 20, 2021 (Section 19)
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina