Democratic Party primaries in North Carolina, 2026
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← 2024
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| Democratic Party primaries, 2026 |
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| Primary Date |
| March 3, 2026 |
| Primary Runoff Date |
| May 12, 2026 |
| Federal elections |
| Democratic primaries for U.S. House |
| State party |
| Democratic Party of North Carolina |
| State political party revenue |
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that will take place in North Carolina on March 3, 2026.
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Carolina utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.[1]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
A Democratic Party primary takes place on March 3, 2026, in North Carolina to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the state's general election on November 3, 2026.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina
Roy Cooper, Justin Dues, and Orrick Quick are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Roy Cooper | |
 | Justin Dues | |
| Orrick Quick | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Wiley Nickel (D)
U.S. House
District 1
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
- Donald Davis (Incumbent)
District 2
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 3
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 4
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 5
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 6
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 7
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 8
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 9
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 10
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 11
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 12
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
- Alma Adams (Incumbent)
District 13
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
District 14
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
State elections
State Senate
North Carolina State Senate elections, 2026 |
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Kandie Smith (i) |
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House of Representatives
State supreme court
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. The primary is March 3, 2026, and a primary runoff is May 12, 2026. The filing deadline is December 19, 2025.
Anita Earls' seat
Democratic primary candidates
Note: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
State court of appeals
Seat 1
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Seat 2
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Seat 3
Democratic primary candidatesNote: The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in North Carolina
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Context of the 2026 elections
North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2025
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State party overview
Democratic Party of North Carolina
- See also: Democratic Party of North Carolina
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Six of 100 North Carolina counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Bladen County, North Carolina | 9.39% | 1.97% | 2.07% | ||||
| Gates County, North Carolina | 9.07% | 4.11% | 5.22% | ||||
| Granville County, North Carolina | 2.49% | 4.54% | 6.58% | ||||
| Martin County, North Carolina | 0.43% | 4.65% | 4.64% | ||||
| Richmond County, North Carolina | 9.74% | 2.95% | 1.50% | ||||
| Robeson County, North Carolina | 4.27% | 17.41% | 13.78% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina with 49.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, North Carolina voted Democratic 53.5 percent of the time and Republican 25 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina voted Republican all five times with the exception of the 2008 presidential election.[2]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in North Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[3][4]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 40 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 44 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 80 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 76 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 39.07% | 59.75% | R+20.7 | 32.23% | 64.86% | R+32.6 | R |
| 2 | 45.36% | 53.77% | R+8.4 | 41.98% | 55.70% | R+13.7 | R |
| 3 | 39.50% | 59.71% | R+20.2 | 37.03% | 60.71% | R+23.7 | R |
| 4 | 34.52% | 64.80% | R+30.3 | 32.81% | 65.32% | R+32.5 | R |
| 5 | 66.40% | 33.04% | D+33.4 | 60.73% | 37.68% | D+23.1 | D |
| 6 | 41.31% | 57.70% | R+16.4 | 37.74% | 59.79% | R+22 | R |
| 7 | 61.12% | 38.34% | D+22.8 | 59.67% | 38.69% | D+21 | D |
| 8 | 44.59% | 54.67% | R+10.1 | 44.25% | 53.51% | R+9.3 | R |
| 9 | 43.79% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 44.05% | 52.81% | R+8.8 | R |
| 10 | 32.61% | 66.71% | R+34.1 | 31.37% | 66.58% | R+35.2 | R |
| 11 | 62.10% | 35.81% | D+26.3 | 65.41% | 29.85% | D+35.6 | D |
| 12 | 57.29% | 42.15% | D+15.1 | 53.64% | 44.58% | D+9.1 | D |
| 13 | 31.14% | 67.96% | R+36.8 | 28.23% | 69.48% | R+41.2 | R |
| 14 | 39.87% | 59.05% | R+19.2 | 35.26% | 61.20% | R+25.9 | R |
| 15 | 34.90% | 63.92% | R+29 | 28.94% | 67.59% | R+38.7 | R |
| 16 | 36.25% | 62.86% | R+26.6 | 31.07% | 66.35% | R+35.3 | R |
| 17 | 36.26% | 62.94% | R+26.7 | 32.62% | 65.00% | R+32.4 | R |
| 18 | 62.39% | 36.46% | D+25.9 | 56.14% | 40.55% | D+15.6 | D |
| 19 | 40.85% | 57.94% | R+17.1 | 41.19% | 55.45% | R+14.3 | R |
| 20 | 39.49% | 59.33% | R+19.8 | 40.58% | 55.60% | R+15 | R |
| 21 | 65.25% | 34.32% | D+30.9 | 62.68% | 35.99% | D+26.7 | D |
| 22 | 43.73% | 55.60% | R+11.9 | 39.83% | 58.67% | R+18.8 | D |
| 23 | 62.89% | 36.74% | D+26.2 | 60.17% | 38.60% | D+21.6 | D |
| 24 | 74.47% | 25.04% | D+49.4 | 72.60% | 25.66% | D+46.9 | D |
| 25 | 38.23% | 60.96% | R+22.7 | 35.91% | 61.84% | R+25.9 | R |
| 26 | 38.98% | 59.91% | R+20.9 | 37.76% | 59.07% | R+21.3 | R |
| 27 | 66.33% | 33.28% | D+33 | 62.75% | 36.15% | D+26.6 | D |
| 28 | 32.52% | 66.58% | R+34.1 | 28.54% | 69.16% | R+40.6 | R |
| 29 | 85.11% | 14.02% | D+71.1 | 88.12% | 9.63% | D+78.5 | D |
| 30 | 70.85% | 28.07% | D+42.8 | 77.30% | 19.61% | D+57.7 | D |
| 31 | 82.65% | 16.65% | D+66 | 83.75% | 14.17% | D+69.6 | D |
| 32 | 65.02% | 34.58% | D+30.4 | 61.76% | 36.76% | D+25 | D |
| 33 | 81.34% | 17.53% | D+63.8 | 81.09% | 15.94% | D+65.2 | D |
| 34 | 62.78% | 35.76% | D+27 | 67.28% | 28.80% | D+38.5 | D |
| 35 | 44.44% | 54.51% | R+10.1 | 47.51% | 49.16% | R+1.7 | R |
| 36 | 44.86% | 53.90% | R+9 | 50.19% | 45.86% | D+4.3 | R |
| 37 | 42.89% | 55.76% | R+12.9 | 44.58% | 51.08% | R+6.5 | R |
| 38 | 78.90% | 20.26% | D+58.6 | 78.47% | 19.01% | D+59.5 | D |
| 39 | 57.12% | 41.74% | D+15.4 | 57.85% | 38.85% | D+19 | D |
| 40 | 46.18% | 52.52% | R+6.3 | 52.39% | 43.60% | D+8.8 | D |
| 41 | 50.04% | 48.63% | D+1.4 | 57.26% | 38.74% | D+18.5 | D |
| 42 | 73.16% | 26.19% | D+47 | 71.85% | 25.66% | D+46.2 | D |
| 43 | 67.66% | 31.73% | D+35.9 | 64.79% | 32.77% | D+32 | D |
| 44 | 51.66% | 47.45% | D+4.2 | 50.97% | 45.97% | D+5 | D |
| 45 | 43.67% | 55.55% | R+11.9 | 39.47% | 57.82% | R+18.3 | R |
| 46 | 42.45% | 56.86% | R+14.4 | 35.55% | 63.04% | R+27.5 | R |
| 47 | 58.64% | 40.32% | D+18.3 | 45.40% | 52.38% | R+7 | D |
| 48 | 67.88% | 31.42% | D+36.5 | 60.08% | 38.08% | D+22 | D |
| 49 | 46.75% | 52.19% | R+5.4 | 54.02% | 42.19% | D+11.8 | D |
| 50 | 57.85% | 40.99% | D+16.9 | 58.33% | 38.67% | D+19.7 | D |
| 51 | 40.42% | 58.52% | R+18.1 | 36.86% | 60.20% | R+23.3 | R |
| 52 | 36.18% | 63.11% | R+26.9 | 34.94% | 62.15% | R+27.2 | R |
| 53 | 40.43% | 58.68% | R+18.2 | 37.83% | 59.61% | R+21.8 | R |
| 54 | 52.55% | 46.52% | D+6 | 53.78% | 43.36% | D+10.4 | D |
| 55 | 39.63% | 59.55% | R+19.9 | 33.67% | 64.12% | R+30.5 | R |
| 56 | 76.58% | 21.93% | D+54.7 | 81.22% | 15.78% | D+65.4 | D |
| 57 | 73.72% | 25.56% | D+48.2 | 73.89% | 23.97% | D+49.9 | D |
| 58 | 77.83% | 21.42% | D+56.4 | 78.39% | 19.21% | D+59.2 | D |
| 59 | 40.94% | 58.07% | R+17.1 | 43.10% | 54.02% | R+10.9 | R |
| 60 | 78.79% | 20.56% | D+58.2 | 77.66% | 20.26% | D+57.4 | D |
| 61 | 41.22% | 57.90% | R+16.7 | 43.79% | 53.30% | R+9.5 | R |
| 62 | 43.41% | 55.66% | R+12.2 | 46.55% | 50.23% | R+3.7 | R |
| 63 | 43.77% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 43.91% | 53.48% | R+9.6 | R |
| 64 | 41.50% | 57.66% | R+16.2 | 40.64% | 56.88% | R+16.2 | R |
| 65 | 39.24% | 59.93% | R+20.7 | 34.18% | 63.90% | R+29.7 | R |
| 66 | 50.14% | 49.07% | D+1.1 | 44.86% | 52.75% | R+7.9 | D |
| 67 | 31.16% | 67.81% | R+36.6 | 25.66% | 72.18% | R+46.5 | R |
| 68 | 36.03% | 63.07% | R+27 | 36.68% | 59.73% | R+23.1 | R |
| 69 | 36.47% | 62.53% | R+26.1 | 34.32% | 62.55% | R+28.2 | R |
| 70 | 25.89% | 73.02% | R+47.1 | 22.47% | 75.21% | R+52.7 | R |
| 71 | 73.71% | 25.48% | D+48.2 | 72.37% | 24.90% | D+47.5 | D |
| 72 | 70.87% | 28.46% | D+42.4 | 72.50% | 24.96% | D+47.5 | D |
| 73 | 25.05% | 73.49% | R+48.4 | 19.25% | 78.41% | R+59.2 | R |
| 74 | 39.29% | 59.69% | R+20.4 | 40.06% | 56.70% | R+16.6 | R |
| 75 | 42.46% | 56.51% | R+14.1 | 44.27% | 52.43% | R+8.2 | R |
| 76 | 32.63% | 66.25% | R+33.6 | 26.49% | 71.30% | R+44.8 | R |
| 77 | 37.74% | 61.25% | R+23.5 | 32.03% | 65.52% | R+33.5 | R |
| 78 | 24.09% | 74.93% | R+50.8 | 19.67% | 78.28% | R+58.6 | R |
| 79 | 33.69% | 65.34% | R+31.7 | 33.43% | 63.34% | R+29.9 | R |
| 80 | 26.50% | 72.43% | R+45.9 | 22.95% | 74.61% | R+51.7 | R |
| 81 | 31.87% | 67.00% | R+35.1 | 25.84% | 71.60% | R+45.8 | R |
| 82 | 41.86% | 57.06% | R+15.2 | 43.08% | 53.51% | R+10.4 | R |
| 83 | 40.29% | 58.67% | R+18.4 | 38.03% | 59.11% | R+21.1 | R |
| 84 | 34.47% | 64.56% | R+30.1 | 29.74% | 68.05% | R+38.3 | R |
| 85 | 29.12% | 69.71% | R+40.6 | 22.21% | 75.83% | R+53.6 | R |
| 86 | 38.15% | 60.64% | R+22.5 | 30.31% | 67.09% | R+36.8 | R |
| 87 | 31.49% | 67.12% | R+35.6 | 23.47% | 74.16% | R+50.7 | R |
| 88 | 45.63% | 53.22% | R+7.6 | 54.80% | 40.57% | D+14.2 | D |
| 89 | 32.82% | 66.05% | R+33.2 | 26.16% | 71.32% | R+45.2 | R |
| 90 | 30.65% | 68.17% | R+37.5 | 23.14% | 74.57% | R+51.4 | R |
| 91 | 35.21% | 63.69% | R+28.5 | 28.79% | 68.75% | R+40 | R |
| 92 | 52.61% | 46.42% | D+6.2 | 55.42% | 40.77% | D+14.7 | D |
| 93 | 42.77% | 55.22% | R+12.5 | 41.58% | 54.48% | R+12.9 | R |
| 94 | 29.16% | 69.58% | R+40.4 | 22.48% | 75.35% | R+52.9 | R |
| 95 | 34.05% | 64.95% | R+30.9 | 30.76% | 66.16% | R+35.4 | R |
| 96 | 36.56% | 62.36% | R+25.8 | 33.21% | 63.78% | R+30.6 | R |
| 97 | 30.07% | 68.92% | R+38.9 | 24.95% | 72.61% | R+47.7 | R |
| 98 | 43.13% | 55.96% | R+12.8 | 47.37% | 48.84% | R+1.5 | R |
| 99 | 82.32% | 17.15% | D+65.2 | 80.97% | 16.82% | D+64.1 | D |
| 100 | 73.70% | 25.10% | D+48.6 | 73.96% | 22.47% | D+51.5 | D |
| 101 | 74.92% | 24.37% | D+50.6 | 75.11% | 22.40% | D+52.7 | D |
| 102 | 83.35% | 15.90% | D+67.4 | 80.04% | 16.78% | D+63.3 | D |
| 103 | 44.46% | 54.49% | R+10 | 47.72% | 49.05% | R+1.3 | R |
| 104 | 43.47% | 55.67% | R+12.2 | 52.29% | 43.74% | D+8.5 | R |
| 105 | 42.40% | 56.77% | R+14.4 | 49.86% | 46.71% | D+3.1 | R |
| 106 | 85.84% | 13.48% | D+72.4 | 84.91% | 13.08% | D+71.8 | D |
| 107 | 80.29% | 18.93% | D+61.4 | 78.80% | 18.56% | D+60.2 | D |
| 108 | 38.42% | 60.50% | R+22.1 | 34.04% | 63.24% | R+29.2 | R |
| 109 | 40.80% | 58.27% | R+17.5 | 37.73% | 59.48% | R+21.7 | R |
| 110 | 35.30% | 63.74% | R+28.4 | 30.10% | 67.87% | R+37.8 | R |
| 111 | 35.81% | 63.24% | R+27.4 | 29.81% | 68.35% | R+38.5 | R |
| 112 | 32.80% | 66.12% | R+33.3 | 24.47% | 73.43% | R+49 | R |
| 113 | 37.58% | 61.29% | R+23.7 | 34.83% | 62.59% | R+27.8 | R |
| 114 | 73.38% | 25.18% | D+48.2 | 73.93% | 23.07% | D+50.9 | D |
| 115 | 48.12% | 50.52% | R+2.4 | 47.29% | 49.54% | R+2.2 | D |
| 116 | 43.61% | 55.12% | R+11.5 | 44.41% | 52.24% | R+7.8 | D |
| 117 | 36.77% | 62.07% | R+25.3 | 35.57% | 61.42% | R+25.8 | R |
| 118 | 41.50% | 57.02% | R+15.5 | 32.52% | 64.60% | R+32.1 | R |
| 119 | 47.93% | 50.40% | R+2.5 | 40.80% | 55.45% | R+14.7 | R |
| 120 | 30.12% | 68.56% | R+38.4 | 23.73% | 73.79% | R+50.1 | R |
| Total | 48.48% | 50.53% | R+2 | 46.76% | 50.46% | R+3.7 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163–119," accessed October 21, 2025
- ↑ 270towin.com, "North Carolina," accessed June 1, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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