North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
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| 2026 North Carolina House Election |
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Elections for the North Carolina House of Representatives will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is March 3, 2026, and the primary runoff is May 12, 2026. The filing deadline was December 19, 2025.
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2026. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
The News & Observer's Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi said the elections "could be complicated by a group of candidates running in the upcoming primary election who switched political parties last year."[1] According to Guinassi, 26 legislative candidates switched party affiliations ahead of the elections. [1]
That includes six teachers, all previously Democrats or unaffiliated, whom the group NC Educators on the Ballot recruited to run against current and former Republican incumbents in the Republican primaries.[1][2] Group organizer Patricia Saylor said, "With the way our state is carved up into voter districts in a lot of places, the decision about who is going to Raleigh doesn’t happen in the November general election. It happens in the March primary. And so if that’s where it’s going to happen, then that’s where these people are entering the conversation and entering the race.”[2]
On its website, the group described itself as "a statewide, grassroots effort to give voters across the state a choice to support educators on the ballot in Republican-held districts, keeping the needs of students and public schools at the center of the conversation."[3] The state GOP said in a statement to the News and Observer, "NC Educators on the Ballot is led by a registered Democrat to interfere and mislead voters in Republican primaries. Republicans have led on education policy for years, from improving classroom performance to expanding school choice for every family."[2]
Heading into the elections, Republicans are one seat shy of a supermajority in the House and hold a 30-20 supermajority in the Senate. Nine House seats are open, meaning no incumbent filed to run, the fewest in the chamber since 2014. Twenty-nine Republican House incumbents face primary challenges, the most for the party since 2010.
Of the 39 contested Republican primaries, Ballotpedia designated 21 as battlegrounds. Ballotpedia makes battleground designations for state legislative primaries based on electoral competitiveness and political context. Criteria include open seats, incumbents' prior electoral performance, and the presence of organized or experienced challengers.
Click here to read more about the battleground Republican primaries for North Carolina House in 2026.
Party control
| As of January 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Members | |
| Democratic | 49 | |
| Republican | 71 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 120 | |
Candidates
Primary
Democratic
RepublicanGeneral election
Voting information
- See also: Voting in North Carolina
Battleground primaries
- See also: Battlegrounds
Ballotpedia identified the battleground elections below based on electoral competitiveness and political context. Criteria include open seats, incumbents' prior electoral performance, and the presence of organized or experienced challengers. Click on the tabs to view the candidates running, a brief description of the race, an explanation of each district's battleground characteristics, and Candidate Connection survey responses.
Battleground primaries include:
- Primaries for open seats
- Primaries featuring an incumbent who won less than 55% of the vote in their last primary
- Primaries drawing special media attention
- Primaries featuring an incumbent with a credible challenger, meaning the challenger...
- Has run before
- Is a former or current officeholder
- Received major endorsements
- Is a notable public or local figure, or
- Raised a large amount of campaign funds
Of the 21 battleground districts, Republican incumbents are running in 16, and five are open. The map below highlights each battleground Republican primary.
Battleground districts
Click the tabs below to read more about each battleground district.
Candidates and election results
Democratic primary election
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 1
Candidate | ||
 | Ed Goodwin | |
 | John Spruill  | |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
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Race information
Incumbent Ed Goodwin (R) assumed office in 2019. John Spruill (R) has a background in criminal justice and construction management.[4]
District information
- District 1 was designated a battleground Republican primary because it features an incumbent with a credible challenger. Spruill is a Washington County Commissioner and volunteer fire chief.[4]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
John Spruill (R)
Public Safety and First Responder Support; As a fire chief, I will fight for better equipment, training, and benefits for firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement, and work to strengthen emergency services across Eastern North Carolina.
Economic Growth and Infrastructure Investment; I will advocate for smart infrastructure spending, job creation, and support for small businesses to help our rural communities grow and thrive without unnecessary government red tape.
John Spruill (R)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Incumbents retiring
Nine incumbents did not file for re-election in 2026.[34] The average number of retiring North Carolina House incumbents each election from 2010 to 2024 was 15.5. Those incumbents are:
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in North Carolina. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
| North Carolina state legislative competitiveness, 2016-2026 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Districts/ offices |
Seats | Open seats | Candidates | Possible primaries | Contested Democratic primaries | Contested Republican primaries | % of contested primaries | Incumbents in contested primaries | % of incumbents in contested primaries | ||||
| 2026 | 170 | 170 | 10 | 376 | 340 | 21 | 39 | 17.6% | 39 | 24.4% | ||||
| 2024 | 170 | 170 | 21 | 363 | 340 | 19 | 24 | 12.6% | 19 | 12.8% | ||||
| 2022 | 170 | 170 | 30 | 386 | 340 | 29 | 44 | 21.5% | 33 | 22.9% | ||||
| 2020 | 170 | 170 | 26 | 401 | 340 | 29 | 30 | 17.4% | 24 | 16.7% | ||||
| 2018 | 170 | 170 | 19 | 435 | 340 | 34 | 41 | 22.1% | 39 | 25.5% | ||||
| 2016 | 170 | 170 | 20 | 337 | 340 | 27 | 34 | 17.9% | 31 | 20.7% | ||||
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in North Carolina in 2026. Information below was calculated on Jan. 8, 2026, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Ten seats are open in North Carolina’s state legislative elections in 2026, meaning no incumbents filed. That is the fewest open seats since 2010 and means newcomers could represent as little as 6% of the legislature next year. The average number of open seats each cycle from 2010 to 2024 was 24.
Thirty-nine incumbents face primary contests in North Carolina’s state legislative elections in 2026, tying 2010 and 2018 for the most since 2010.
Ten of the contested incumbents are Democrats, and 29 are Republicans. For Democrats, that is up 25% from eight in 2024. Contested Republican incumbents are up 164% from 11 in 2024.
North Carolina has 60 contested state legislative primaries in 2026, up from 43 in 2024. The average number of contested primaries in North Carolina each cycle from 2010 to 2024 was 67.
Twenty-one of the 2026 primaries are for Democrats, up 11% from 19 in the preceding cycle, and 39 are for Republicans, up 63% from 24 the preceding cycle.
In total, 376 major party candidates filed to run—195 Democrats and 181 Republicans. All 120 House seats and all 50 Senate seats are up for election.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the North Carolina House from 2010 to 2026.[35] It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.
| Open Seats in North Carolina House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2026 | 120 | 9 (8 percent) | 111 (92 percent) |
| 2024 | 120 | 15 (13 percent) | 105 (87 percent) |
| 2022 | 120 | 20 (17 percent) | 100 (83 percent) |
| 2020 | 120 | 15 (13 percent) | 105 (87 percent) |
| 2018 | 120 | 11 (9 percent) | 109 (91 percent) |
| 2016 | 120 | 14 (12 percent) | 106 (88 percent) |
| 2014 | 120 | 9 (8 percent) | 111 (92 percent) |
| 2012 | 120 | 33 (28 percent) | 87 (72 percent) |
| 2010 | 120 | 10 (8 percent) | 110 (92 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
For partisan candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 106 of the North Carolina General Statutes
A partisan candidate must be registered as an affiliate of the party with which he or she intends to campaign. A partisan candidate must also do the following:[36]
- file a notice of candidacy with the appropriate board of elections (state or county-level)
- file a felony conviction disclosure form
- provide for payment of required filing fees
Filing fees for primary elections are established by Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 107, of the North Carolina General Statutes. Filing fees formulas are summarized in the table below.[37]
| Filing fees | |
|---|---|
| Office | How the fee is determined |
| Governor | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| Lieutenant governor | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| State executive offices | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| United States Senator | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| United States Representative | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| State senator | 1% of the office's annual salary |
| State representative | 1% of the office's annual salary |
For independent candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 122 of the North Carolina General Statutes
An unaffiliated candidate must file the same forms and pay the same filing fees as partisan candidates. In addition, the candidate must petition to appear on the ballot. Signature requirements are as follows (additional petition requirements are discussed below).[38][39]
| Signature requirements for independent candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office | Signature requirement formula |
| Governor, United States Senator, and other statewide offices | 1.5% of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for governor (must include at least 200 signatures from each of three congressional districts) |
| United States Representative | 1.5% of the total number of registered voters in the district as of January 1 of the election year |
| State legislative seats (including those that cover more than one county) | 4% of the total number of registered voters in the district as of January 1 of the election year |
For write-in candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 123 of the North Carolina General Statutes
To be certified, a write-in candidate must submit a declaration of intent and petition. Signature requirements are as follows (additional petition requirements are discussed below).[40]
| Signature requirements for write-in candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office | Required number of signatures |
| Governor, United States Senator, and other statewide offices | 500 |
| United States Representative; state house and state senate seats for districts that cover more than one county | 250 |
| State house and state senate seats for districts that lie within one county | If there are 5,000 or more registered voters in the district, 100 signatures; if fewer than 5,000, 1% of the number of registered voters |
Petitions are due on noon 90 days before the general election.[41] Write-in candidates do not have to pay filing fees.[41]
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution states: Each Representative, at the time of his election, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[42] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $13,951/year | $104/day |
When sworn in
North Carolina legislators assume office on January 1 the year after their election.[43]
North Carolina political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2026
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 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | R |
Presidential politics in North Carolina
2024
- See also: Presidential election, 2024
Presidential election in North Carolina, 2024
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
||
| ✔ |
 
| Donald Trump/J.D. Vance (R) |
50.9
|
2,898,423 | 16 |
 
| Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz (D) |
47.6
|
2,715,375 | 0 | |
 
| Jill Stein/Butch Ware (G) |
0.4
|
24,762 | 0 | |
 
| Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat (L) |
0.4
|
22,125 | 0 | |
 
| Cornel West/Melina Abdullah (Justice for All) |
0.2
|
12,099 | 0 | |
 
| Randall Terry/Stephen E. Broden (Constitution Party) |
0.1
|
6,863 | 0 | |
| Other write-in votes |
0.3
|
19,494 | 0 | ||
 |
Total votes: 5,699,141 |
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in North Carolina, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
||
| ✔ |
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
49.9
|
2,758,775 | 15 |
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
48.6
|
2,684,292 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
0.9
|
48,678 | 0 | |
 
| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (G) |
0.2
|
12,195 | 0 | |
 
| Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party) |
0.1
|
7,549 | 0 | |
 | Jade Simmons (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
119 | 0 | |
| Other write-in votes |
0.2
|
13,196 | 0 | ||
|
Total votes: 5,524,804 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, North Carolina, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 46.2% | 2,189,316 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
49.8% | 2,362,631 | 15 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 2.7% | 130,126 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 1.3% | 59,491 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 4,741,564 | 15 | |||
| Election results via: North Carolina State Board of Elections | |||||
North Carolina presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 18 Democratic wins
- 14 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
On October 25, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted new legislative district boundaries.[44] The legislation adopting the new Senate districts passed the state Senate by a vote of 28-17 and the State House by a vote of 63-40.[45] The legislation adopting the new House districts passed the state Senate by a vote of 27-17 and the State House by a vote of 62-44.[46] All four votes were strictly along party lines with all votes in favor by Republicans and all votes against by Democrats.[47][48][49][50] WUNC's Rusty Jacobs wrote that Catawba College Prof. Michael "Bitzer said Republicans have drawn maps that have a strong chance of preserving their veto-proof super majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Bitzer noted that constitutional provisions, like requiring legislators to keep counties whole when drawing state legislative districts, make it more difficult for lawmakers to gerrymander these maps more aggressively."[51]
2026 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2026 battleground elections include:
- Illinois' 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 (March 17 Democratic primary)
- California's 22nd Congressional District election, 2026
- Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 30 Democratic primary)
See also
| North Carolina | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 News & Observer, "More than 100 NC candidates switched parties. Here’s what they say about why," January 11, 2026
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 News & Observer, "NC teachers to run in GOP primary for state legislature. Will it have an impact?" December 31, 2025
- ↑ NC Educators on the Ballot, "FAQ: NC Educators on the Ballot," accessed January 21, 2026
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Albemarle Observer, "John Spruill Outlines Vision for Eastern North Carolina at Edenton Meet-and-Greet," September 5, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sandhills News, "Harnett: Bill Morris launches campaign for NC House," September 2, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Joshua Patti 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ The Sampson Independent, "Newcomer Jackson files for House seat," December 8, 2025
- ↑ NC Educators on the Ballot, "Pamela Ayscue," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 NC Educators on the Ballot, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ NC Educators on the Ballot, "Dr. Michele Joyner-Dinwiddie," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Linkedin, "Clarence Goins Jr," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ [https://rantnc.com/2025/12/15/taylor-laudate-file-for-office/ The Rant, "Government, Lee County, Politics Taylor, Laudate file for office," December 15, 2025]
- ↑ Sherry Womack 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Clancy Baucom 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Richard T. Miller 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Linkedin, "John Kenneth Powell, Jr.," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ WFDD, "Conservative activist remains on ballot for a seat in N.C. House of Representatives for now," accessed January 10, 2024
- ↑ WFMY, "Seth Woodall filed to run for the General Assembly in Rockingham County," December 21, 2025
- ↑ NC Newsline, "NC GOP candidate with alleged neo-Nazi connections allowed to stay on the ballot," January 16, 2024
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 The Pilot, "Mark Dutton to Run for NC House Seat," September 30, 2025
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Darren Armstrong 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Josh Byrne 2026 campaign website, "home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ NC Educators on the ballot, "Pamela Zanni," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ NC Educators on the ballot, "Lisa Deaton Koperski," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ [https://www.paulbarker4nchouse90.com/meet_paul Paul Barker 2026 campaign website, "Meet Paul," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ A.J. Daoud 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ The Mount Airy Press, "Veteran trooper, former party chair Kiger seeks House seat," November 25, 2025
- ↑ Linkedin, "A.J. Daoud," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Iredell Free News, "Kubiniec launches campaign for 95th District seat in N.C. House," December 19, 2025
- ↑ NC Educators on the Ballot, "Kelly VanHorn," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Mike Hager 2026 campaign website, "About Mike," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ NC Educators on the Ballot, "Dr. Christopher Lamar Wilson," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Jimmy Rogers 2026 campaign website, "Meet Jimmy," accessed January 26, 2026
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 106," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 107," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 122," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Senate Bill 656," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 123," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Write-in Candidate Petitions," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina Constitution, "Article II, Section 9," accessed February 12, 2021
- ↑ The Carolina Journal, "New state House, Senate, and congressional maps finalized," October 25, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Bill 758 / SL 2023-146," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Bill 898 / SL 2023-149," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #614," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #499," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #504," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #604," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ WUNC, "New district maps show signs of GOP partisan gerrymandering," October 24, 2023
