As North Carolina looks ahead to the 2026 elections, candidates have already begun filing for races ranging from U.S. Senate to local county offices. Here’s a comprehensive look at who has entered the race so far, according to the NC Board of Elections. You skim through our story or skip to the end to download or check out the PDF of the latest filings, as of Thursday, from the NC BOE website.

Our story will be updated as soon as the NC BOE updates its list.

Filing information

Filing fees are 1% of the starting salary for the office sought. However, the filing fee for both NC House and NC Senate is based on Statute.  Filing fees are acceptable only by check or money order.  

Since filing is for the 2026 March Partisan Primary,  no person shall be permitted to file as a candidate in a primary unless that person has been affiliated with that party for 90 days at the time of filing . Also, a person registered as Unaffiliated shall not be eligible for a role as a candidate in a party primary election.

The following parties in North Carolina will have a party primary in 2026: the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Republican Party.  The Green Party will not have a party primary in 2026.

The deadline to file is noon Dec. 19. We will provide a follow-up story after the deadline passes.

The primary election will be held on March 3.

How Primary Winners Are Determined: According to NC General Statutes 163-111, primary results are determined by substantial plurality. If an insufficient number of candidates receive a substantial plurality, a second primary is held. This provision is particularly relevant given that multiple Republicans have filed for various races across the state.

NOTE: This list of candidates was provided by the state board of Elections and may not reflect the most recent filings.

Federal Races

U.S. Senate

U.S. Senate has attracted four candidates spanning both major parties. On the Democratic side, former governor Roy Cooper III has filed to run. The Republican field includes three contenders: Elizabeth Anne Temple of Smithfield, Donald Mitchell Brown Jr. of Waxhaw, and Michael David Whatley of Gastonia.

U.S. House of Representatives

• District 1 — Republicans: Robert Hanig of Powells Point and Eric Rouse of Kinston

State Legislative Races

North Carolina State Senate

• District 1 — Republican: John Roger Lane III of Elizabeth City, Jerry Reginald Tillett of Manteo
• District 2 — Republican: Norm Sanderson of Minnesott Beach

North Carolina House of Representatives

• District 1 — Republican: John Spruill of Roper
• District 5 — Republican: William Ward of Elizabeth City
• District 23 — Democrat: Patricia Smith of Williamston and Shelly Willingham of Rocky Mount; Republican: Brent Roberson of Williamston
• District 79 — Republican: Keith Kidwell of Chocowinity and Darren Armstrong of Belhaven

Judicial Races

District Attorney

• District 1 — Republican: Jeffrey Cruden of Kill Devil Hills
• District 2 — Republican: Tom Anglim of Washington
• District 7 — Democrat: Kim Gourriet Scott of Murfreesboro

North Carolina Supreme Court

• Associate Justice Seat 1 — Democrat: Anita Earls of Durham; Republican: Sarah Stevens of Mount Airy

North Carolina Court of Appeals

• Seat 1 — Democrat: John Arrowood of Charlotte; Republican: Matthew Smith of Monroe and Michael Byrne of Cary
• Seat 2 — Democrat: Tobias Hampson of Raleigh
• Seat 3 — Democrat: Christine Walczyk of Raleigh and James Whalen of Raleigh; Republican: Craig Collins of Gastonia

North Carolina Superior Court

• District 1, Seat 2 — Democrat: Eula Reid of Elizabeth City; Republican: Robert Trivette of Kitty Hawk
• District 2, Seat 1 — Democrat: Regina Parker of Williamston; Republican: Shannon Jarvis of Washington and Lloyd Williams of Scranton

North Carolina District Court

• District 1, Seat 1 — Republican: Kris Felthousen of Southern Shores
• District 1, Seat 2 — Republican: Jeffrey Moreland of Hertford
• District 1, Seat 4 (unexpired) — Republican: Kyle Jones of Hertford

Local County Elections

Across the northeastern North Carolina counties, dozens of candidates have filed for local offices including county commissioners, clerks of superior court, registers of deeds, and sheriffs.

Bertie County

• Board of Commissioners, District 5 — Democrat: Ronald Roberson of Windsor and Aaron Rascoe of Windsor
• Clerk of Superior County — Democrat: Angela Jernigan Todd of Colerain
• Sheriff — Democrat: Tyrone Ruffin of

Camden County

• Clerk of Superior Court — Republican: Jennifer Gray of Camden
• Sheriff — Republican: J. Kevin Jones of Camden

Chowan County

• Board of Commissioners, District 1, Seat 2 — Republican: Lisa Perry of Tyner
• Clerk of Superior Court — Unaffiliated: Dwayne Goodwin (Since he is unaffiliated, he will not be on the primary ballot.)
• Sheriff — Republican: Scooter Basnight of Edenton

Currituck County

• Board of Commissioners, District 3 — Republican: Mike Payment of Grandy
• Clerk of Superior Court — Republican: Ray Matusko of Maple
• Sheriff — Republican, Jeffrey Walker of Moyock

Dare County

• Board of Commissioners, at large — Republican: Ervin Bateman of Kitty Hawk
• Board of Commissioners, District 1 — Republican: David Tiwddy of Manteo and Edgar L. Barnes of Manteo, Mike Burrus of Wanchese
• Board of Commissioners, District 2 — Republican: Robert Ross of Nags Head, Christian Thomas Hayman of Kill Devil Hills
• Board of Education District 1 — Democrat: Kelleta Govan of Manteo; Republican: Dwight Nichols of Manteo and Shannon Walters of Stumpy Point
• Board of Education District 2 — Republican: Ron Payne of Nags Head
• Board of Education District 3 — Republican: Richard Shope
• Clerk of Superior Court — Republican: Dean Martin TOlson of Manteo
• Register of Deeds — Republican: Cheryl House of Southern Shores
• Sheriff — Republican: Jimmy Pierce of Southern Shores, Teddy Daniels of Manteo, Rodney Rawls of Kitty Hawk and Jeff Deringer of Manteo

Gates County

• Board of Commissioner, Gates District — Democrat: Brian Rountree
• Clerk of Superior Court — Democrat: Monica Horton-Wiggins
• Board of Education, District 5 — Kevin Briggs

Hertford County

• Board of Commissioners, District 1 — Democrat: Leroy Douglas II of Woodland
• Board of Commissioners, District 1 — Democrat: Shirley Gatling Johnson of Murfeesboro
• Sheriff — Democrat: Dexter A. Hayes of Ahoskie

Hyde County

• Clerk of Superior Court — Democrat: Brandy Cahoon Pugh of Swan Quarter
• Sheriff — Democrat: Carl (Guire) Cahoon Jr. of Swan Quarter

Pasquotank County

• Board of Commissioners, at-large — Democrat: Charles Jordan of Elizabeth City
• Board of Commissioners, Southern inside — Democrat: Cliffod Shaw of Elizabeth City
• Clerk of Superior Court — Republican: Jennifer S. Thompson of ELizabeht City
• Sheriff — Republican: Tommy Wooten of Elizabeth City

Perquimans County

• Board of Commissioners — Republican: Tim Corprew of Hertford, James William Ward of Hertford and Wallace Nelson of Hertford
• Clerk of Superior Court — Republican: Todd Tilley of Hertford
• Sheriff — Republican: Shelby White of Hertford
• Board of Education — Matt Winslow of Belvidere and Anne White of Hertford

Tyrrell County

• Board of Comissioners — Republican: Jordan Davis of Columbia
• Clerk of Superior Court — Democrat: Andie Ethridge Sexton of Columbia
• Sheriff — Democrat: R. Kevin Sawyer of Columbia

Washington County

• Board of Commissioners, District 3 — Democrat: Tracey A. Johnson of PLymouth
• Board of Education, at-large — Democrat: Carlos Riddick of Plymouth
• Board of Education, District 1 — Democrat: Gregory Boston of Plymouth and Khandus Jackson of Plymouth
• Board of Education, District 2 — Democrat: Lois Clark of Roper
• Clerk of Superior Court — Democrat: Brian Keith Phelps of Plymouth
• Sheriff — Democrat: Arlo Norman of Roper

Related election news

In election-related news, State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes recently sent a follow-up letter to North Carolina Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Paul Tine, renewing the State Board’s request for specific data needed to help ensure the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls.

In the letter, Hayes asks the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) to provide full Social Security numbers for registered voters who are also NCDMV customers. This information would allow election officials to match voter records more precisely against other government databases, identify duplicate registrations, and verify voter eligibility.

Hayes said the request is increasingly important as the State Board prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.

At its November 25 meeting, the State Board voted to begin entering into a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to use the federal government’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. When finalized, this agreement will allow the State Board to verify citizenship status in limited circumstances, consistent with state and federal law.

In other matters, the Chowan County Board of Elections will meet at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 16, 2025, in the Elections Offices, 730 N. Granville St. Suite D, Edenton.

The Board will vote on the early voting schedule for the March 3, 2026 Primary.  Members will also talk about Early Voting Official Appointments, which will occur at the next Board meeting on Jan. 30, 2026. 

As the 2026 election cycle continues to develop, more candidates are expected to file before the state’s filing deadlines. These early entries provide North Carolina voters with their first glimpse of the choices they’ll face at the ballot box.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​