SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Filing closed at noon on Friday for the midterm elections in 2026. Aside from federal and state seat races, there are commissioner and school board elections, as well as superior and district court judges, district attorney, sheriff, and more on the ballot next year in the tri-county region.
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Some races will have a primary, to be held in North Carolina on March 3, 2026. Absentee ballots for this election will be mailed Jan. 12, with a Feb. 17 deadline for absentee ballot requests. Primary Election Day is also the date all absentee ballots must be returned by 7:30 p.m. when the polls close.
The voter registration deadline is on Feb. 6. In-person early voting opens Feb. 12 and closes Feb. 28.
Below is a look at who filed in the tri-county region and for U.S. and N.C. races.
New Hanover County
The New Hanover County school board and commissioner races will have a primary election.
The New Hanover County Board of Education has four seats open next year, but six Democratic and five Republican candidates are vying to make it onto the final ballot. Thus both parties will have a primary election.
Democrats running include Brittnei LaRue, Nelson Beaulieu, Margie Gewirtzman, Wendy Dale, Rick Southerland and Jerry Jones Jr.
The Republican candidates are incumbents Pat Bradford, Melissa Mason, and Josie Barnhart; their colleague Pete Wildeboer did not seek re-election. They face off against Republican challengers Amy Dunning and Chris Sutton.
Also warranting a primary is the Democratic race for New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. Two seats are open this year, with four Democrats filing, including incumbent Rob Zapple, as well as current city council member Salette Andrews, current school board member Judy Justice and Seeds of Healing founder LeShonda Wallace.
Though the Republicans won’t have a primary, Commissioner Chair LeAnn Pierce is seeking re-election. Also running is Republican Richard Collier, who sought a city council seat last year but lost to JC Lyle, Chakema Clinton-Quintana and Cassidy Santaguida.
A lone Libertarian has entered the commissioner fold, too: Bob Drach — who has served as chair of the North Carolina Libertarian Party and ran for state auditor in 2024.
Elsewhere in the New Hanover County races, Sheriff Ed McMahon, who switched parties from Democrat to Republican earlier this year, does not face a challenger. McMahon has served the county for four four-year terms, having been elected first in 2010.
Though in 2024 Jason Smith won to finish out former District Attorney Ben David’s term, Smith is up for re-election to secure a full four-year term in 2026. He also doesn’t face competition.
The NHC County Clerk of Superior Court race for the general election will include incumbent Republican Jan Kennedy and Democrat Jennie Thomason.
Brunswick County
More primary elections will be held in neighboring Brunswick County as well — the district attorney, commissioner district 1 and 2, and sheriff races included.
Sheriff Brian Chism took over from former Sheriff John Ingram in May 2023 and will campaign for re-election this year. However, in the primary the Republican incumbent will face off against Tim Daniels, who worked for the state highway patrol for more than two decades. A Democrat did not file.
Republican Jenna Earley announced her run for district attorney last month, after being endorsed by current DA Jon David. David announced he would not seek re-election after serving more than a decade. Earley has been the assistant district attorney and will appear on the primary ballot against Republican James Kelly Somers, who has owned his own practice in Oak Island.
As well, the Brunswick County Commissioners race for district 1 has two Republican candidates: incumbent Randy Thompson hopes to keep his seat against challenger and current Brunswick County Planning Board Chair Clifton Cheek. Whomever wins will face off against Democratic candidate Gary Woods.
The district 2 commissioner race will include Democratic candidate Sara Singer. Her competitor, as determined during the primaries, will be either Republican incumbent Marty Cooke, currently the chair of the commission, or Republican Patti Hewett.
The Brunswick County Board of Education has district 3 and 5 candidates running next year. Democrat Susanne Duncan and Republican Paige Morgan are campaigning ahead of the general election for district 3, while district 5 Republican incumbent Steve Gainey faces off against Democrat Brian Rupp.
Pender County
In Pender County, there will be primaries in a few districts for the commissioners’ races and the board of education, plus the Clerk of Superior Court. Republican incumbent Elizabeth Craver is running for the latter against Republican Camille Costin Harrell in the primary election.
The Pender County District 1 Commissioner is currently Brad George, who did not file to re-run. Democratic challenger Tim Zizack, who lost his Topsail Beach commissioner seat last year, has thrown his name in the hat. He will face off against one of two Republicans who will battle in the primary: Shayne Frey and Joe Cina.
The Pender County District 2 Commissioner seat also will have a Republican primary with Chair Randy Burton vying to keep his seat against Ryan Collins. One will face Democrat Brookey Hardee in November’s election.
Since Jerry Groves also didn’t file to run for Pender County District 3 Commissioner, either Republican Andy Jessie DeVane or David Fallin will take the seat, depending on the primary outcome. The District 4 primary will have Republican Max Southworth-Beckwith taking on incumbent Jimmy Tate. Neither district has Democratic candidates.
The Pender County Board of Education also will have a primary in districts 1 and 2. Republican Jennifer Hansen is seeking re-election and will have a challenger in Sam Guidry in the primary. In District 2, Republican Beth Burns is not seeking re-election and in her stead are Republican candidates Kim McGahey and Jason Jordan, who will have a primary.
Jason Spivey has also filed to maintain his District 4 seat, but doesn’t face competition. There are no Democrats running for the school board in Pender.
Pender County Sheriff Alan Cutler, who has served two terms, also doesn’t face competition.
N.C., U.S. races
With Thom Tillis not seeking re-election, a lengthy list of candidates have filed to take his place in the U.S. Senate. Six are up for the Democratic primary and seven Republicans, while one Libertarian, Shannon Bray, has also filed.
Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, Daryl Farrow, Marcus W. Williams, Orrick Quick, Justin E. Dues and Robert Colon will appear on the Democratic primary ballot.
The Republican primary will include Elizabeth Temple, Donald Brown, Michael Whatley, Margot Dupre, Thomas Johnson, Michele Morrow — who ran for North Carolina Superintendent previously — and Richard Dansie. Whatley, former chair for the Republican National Committee and the NC Republican Party, has been endorsed by Trump.
In the U.S House seat District 7, incumbent Republican David Rouzer, who is currently serving his sixth term, will face off in a primary as well for the midterms. Republican David Buzzard has filed, with the winner going head-to-head against challengers Democrat Kim Hardy and Libertarian Maad Abu-Ghazalah at the polls in November.
As for state legislature, the North Carolina District 16 House race will see a Republican primary with incumbent Carson Smith against Joshua Patti. One will appear on the general election ballot against Democrat Jim Harris.
The District 17 House seat currently held and sought after again by Republican Frank Iler is being challenged by Republican Nia Moore in the primary. The winner will go against Democratic candidate Dennis Breen.
The District 18 House seat has Democratic incumbent Deb Butler against Republican challenger Latisha Grady, while Republican Charlie Miller will face Democrat Scott Nasiff for the District 19 House seat next fall.
Current New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise (R) is campaigning to fill Ted Davis’ District 20 seat after Davis announced earlier in the fall he would not run again. Scalise’s competitor is current New Hanover County School Board member Tim Merrick (D). Should either win, their respective parties will choose their replacements on their current boards.
In the North Carolina Senate District 7, Republican Michael Lee, also the current Senate Majority Leader, will have a competitor in Democratic candidate Jessica Bichler.
The District 8 seat, held by Republican incumbent Bill Rabon, has both a Democratic and Libertarian challenger in next fall’s general election. Rick Combes (D) and Tim White (L) are in the running.
A primary will be held for the Senate District 9 Republican candidates, including William Barbour and incumbent Brent Jackson. Democratic candidate Helen Bronson also filed.
There are also a few NC Court of Appeals judge seats being challenged this year in the primary. Filing for seat 1 are Republicans Matt Smith and Michael Byrne. The winner will be on the general election ballot with Democrat John Arrowood. A Democratic primary will be held for seat 3, too, sought by James Whalen and Christine Walczyk. The top vote-getter will face off against Republican Craig Collins.
The full list of candidates statewide can be accessed here.
[Ed. note: This has been updated to remove Bill Rivenbark’s name, as his term ends in 2028, not next year. PCD regrets the error.]
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