- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.

Creates new laws and passes the budget for your county.

2026 North Carolina General Election

North Carolina

Taxes

Public Health

Economy

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

County Commissioner

- The sheriff is responsible for enforcing the law, managing security in jails and courtrooms. They also oversee daily conditions of the jail and inmates in custody and serve legal documents such as warrants and eviction notices. Their ultimate responsibility is to protect the community. 

Responsible for enforcing the law and overseeing jails. 

New Hanover

Jail Management

Criminal Justice

Sheriff

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 

Member of the board that governs your county's public school system

Student Wellbeing

School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Teachers

School Curriculum

County Board of Education Member

The Clerk of Superior Court is elected in each county through a partisan election for a four-year term. The Clerk has five main responsibilities:
- Probate Judge: Handles 46 types of actions, including managing estates, guardianship proceedings, and appointing personal representatives.
- Court Administrator: Oversees the administration of the court.
- Record Keeper: Files, processes, and maintains all cases and documents submitted to the court.
- Financial Manager: Manages the collection, investment, and distribution of money from court fees and traffic citations.
- Employee Manager: Supervises a team ranging from 5 to over 200 employees.


Oversees the county's probate court, judicial administration, records, and finances.

Victim Assistance

Judicial Efficiency

Legal Experience

Judicial Administration

Budget

Clerk of Superior Court

- The Board of Education runs the public school system, and it is entirely independent from the rest of the city government. 
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and make decisions about the superintendent’s personnel recommendations.
- Members of the board must act as a unit based on majority rule. A member cannot make decisions or act independently.
- Board of Education members are elected to staggered four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.

Newton

City Board of Education Member

- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.

Jobs & Opportunity

Housing Costs

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

State Representative

- The Superior Court Judge hears both civil and criminal cases. Superior Court Judges try civil cases involving more than $10,000. Superior Court Judge hear appeals of misdemeanors and infraction cases that were first heard in the District Court,
- They make decisions on bail, meaning a Superior Court Judge could keep a non-dangerous person in jail before they are convicted by setting a high bail.
- In each district (except Wake County), the most senior judge in years of service is designated the senior resident superior court judge. They are responsible for various administrative duties, including appointing magistrates and some other court officials, and managing the scheduling of civil cases for trial.
- Superior court judges rotate among the districts within their divisions.  
- The Superior Court Judge is elected for 8-year terms. Elections are partisan.

Trial Judge who hears criminal and civil cases

Businesses

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Superior Court Judge

- Your U.S. representative represents the interests of your district in the U.S. House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. North Carolina currently has 14 U.S. representatives.
- U.S. representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become federal law.
- Representatives may serve on congressional committees. Committees focus on certain areas of policy, such as transportation, education, or labor. They may also run for higher positions within their party, such as the speaker of the house or majority/minority leader.
- Representatives are elected to two-year terms and there are no term limits. U.S. representatives are paid a salary of $174,000/year.
-  Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for seven years, and an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected. 

Your representative and federal lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Representative

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

2026 North Carolina candidates

Nash County Commissioner, District 7

1 candidate

How this impacts you

New Hanover Sheriff

1 candidate

New Hanover County Board of Education Member

8 candidates

How this impacts you

New Hanover Clerk of Superior Court

How this impacts you

Newton City Board of Education Member

2 candidate

North Carolina State Representative, District 63

2 candidates

How this impacts you

North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 17

1 candidate

How this impacts you

North Carolina U.S. Representative, District 9

How this impacts you

North Carolina State Senator, District 25

2 candidates

How this impacts you

North Carolina State Representative, District 64

2 candidates

How this impacts you