Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Jena Culler
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
2011 - Present
2028
14
Jena Culler (Democratic Party) is a judge of the North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3. She assumed office in 2011. Her current term ends on December 31, 2028.
Culler (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Jena Culler received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law.[1] She began her legal career in private practice. In 2008, she was appointed to the 26th Judicial District but was defeated when she ran for the seat in the 2010 election. She was reappointed to the seat in March 2011 by Governor Bev Perdue.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (2024)
General election
General election for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3
Incumbent Jena Culler won election in the general election for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jena Culler (D) | 100.0 | 453,927 | |
| Total votes: 453,927 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Jena Culler advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Culler in this election.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (2020)
General election
General election for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3
Incumbent Jena Culler won election in the general election for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jena Culler (D) | 100.0 | 417,460 | |
| Total votes: 417,460 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Jena Culler advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina District Court District 26 Seat 3.
2016
North Carolina held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 15, 2016.[2] Incumbent Jena P. Culler ran unopposed in the North Carolina Judicial District 26 general election for the Culler seat.[3]
| North Carolina Judicial District 26 (Culler Seat), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Jena P. Culler Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 257,240 |
| Total Votes | 257,240 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Unofficial election results," accessed November 8, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The North Carolina District Courts utilize partisan elections in the selection of judges. District judges serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving. From 2002 through 2016, elections for district court judges were nonpartisan; however, on March 23, 2017, the North Carolina legislature changed the method of election to partisan elections by overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of HB 100. This change was effective with the 2018 district court elections.[4][5][6]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[4]
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- a district resident; and
- under the age of 72 (retirement at 72 is mandatory).
2012
- See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2012
Culler was elected to the 26th Judicial District on November 6, 2012, defeating Grant Smithson with 67.02% of the vote.[7][8]
Judicial candidate survey
The North Carolina Bar Association asked its members to rank incumbent judges with terms ending in 2012 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being "excellent." Below are Culler's ratings in five categories and overall:
|
|
Endorsements
- North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys[10]
2010
Culler was defeated by Donald Cureton, Jr. in her bid for re-election, receiving only 47.52% of the vote.[11] Though judges in the state do not run with party affiliation, Culler was endorsed by the North Carolina Democratic Party.[12]
- See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2010
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jena Culler did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Jena Culler did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpr - ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Election Calendar," accessed December 23, 2015
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official candidate list," accessed December 23, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ The News & Observer, "Veto override means voters will know judges’ party affiliations," March 23, 2017
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Bill 100," accessed May 5, 2017
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections: Official 2012 General Election Results
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing List," 2012 Scroll to p.60
- ↑ NC Bar Association: Judicial Performance Evaluation Survey, January 2012 Scroll to p.15
- ↑ North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys: 2012 endorsement announcement
- ↑ North Carolina Secretary of State, Unofficial General Election Results
- ↑ North Carolina Democratic Party, Democratic District Court Judges (dead link)
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
