The super-last-minute 2016 Charlotte voters guide: A quick look at every race on the ballot

Tomorrow’s the big day: Election Day 2016. Many of you may have already voted early. That’s awesome. Give yourself a pat on the back for being ahead of the game.

But if you’re like me and haven’t voted yet and plan to do it tomorrow, this one’s for you.

Below, you’ll find a quick break down of each race. Each candidate’s name will link to his/her website (unless I couldn’t find it), and I’ll also link to other stories in the description if I think it’s relevant. It’s worth following all of these links to learn even more about the candidates.

Also helpful: Here are endorsements from various publications around town: Charlotte Observer, The Charlotte Post and QNotes.

Finally, make sure you’re registered to vote and find your polling place here. You don’t need your ID to vote in this year’s election.

Alright, buckle up — here we go.

President

– Donald Trump: Republican. Real estate mogul and reality TV star. No elected experience.

– Hillary Clinton: Democrat. Former U.S. secretary of state (2009-2013), U.S. senator (2001-2009) and First Lady of the U.S. (1993-2001).

– Gary Johnson: Libertarian. Headed construction companies in New Mexico, former governor of New Mexico.

(Green Party candidate Jill Stein is not on the ballot, but she is a legal write-in candidate in N.C., so a vote for her would count.)

U.S. Senate

– Richard Burr: Republican. Incumbent, serving in the U.S. Senate since 2005. Also served in the U.S. House from 1995-2005.

– Deborah Ross: Democrat. Former state director of the American Civil Liberties Union and served in the N.C. House of Representatives from 2003-2013.

– Sean Haugh: Libertarian. Former Chair and Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of N.C. Pizza delivery driver.

U.S. House of Representatives: District 9

– Robert Pittenger: Republican. Incumbent. Served in the U.S. House since 2012. Previously served in the U.S. Senate (2003-08) and ran unsuccessfully for N.C. lieutenant governor in 2008. (Our story: A Q&A with Robert Pittenger.)

– Christian Cano. Democrat. According to website: Worked as a hotel manager and hospitality consultant for the past 20 years, currently developing a line of natural pet products.

U.S. House of Representatives: District 12

– Alma Adams: Democrat. Incumbent. Retired art professor, served in the U.S. House since 2014. Before that, served in the N.C. House from 1994-2014, Greensboro City Council from 1987-1994, and Greensboro school board 1984-1986. (Our story: Trying on hats with Alma Adams.)

– Leon Threatt: Republican. Pastor at Christian Faith Assembly. Previously ran for the 12th District in 2014. (Our story: A Q&A with Leon Threat.)

If you live in another U.S. House district outside of Charlotte, go here to learn more about that race. 

N.C. Governor

– Pat McCrory: Republican. Incumbent. Mayor of Charlotte for seven terms and finishing his first term as N.C. governor. Held human resources and economic development positions at Duke Energy.

– Roy Cooper: Democrat. Served as N.C. Attorney General since 2001. Formerly N.C. Senate (1991-2001) and N.C. House (1987-91).

– Lon Cecil: Libertarian. Retired Registered Professional Engineer, Vietnam veteran, ran for U.S. Congress District 12 in 2010.

N.C. Lieutenant Governor

– Dan Forest: Republican. Incumbent. Served as Lieutenant governor since 2013, only the second Republican to be elected to the office since 1897. Architect and UNC Charlotte grad.

– Linda Coleman: Democrat. Former director of the Office of State Personnel. Formerly on the Wake County Board of Commissioners (1998-2002) and served in the state House of Representatives from 2005-09.

– Jacki Cole: Libertarian. No website that I could find, but you can look through her Facebook page here.

N.C. Attorney General

– Buck Newton: Republican. Attorney in Wilson. State Senator since 2010 and chairs the Senate judiciary committees. Sponsor of HB2 as it moved through the Senate.

– Josh Stein: Democrat. Attorney and former N.C. senior deputy attorney general under Roy Cooper. State senator from Wake County since 2009.

N.C. Auditor

– Beth Wood: Democrat. Incumbent. Served as N.C. State Auditor for eight years. 28 years as a CPA, with 18 years concentrating on governmental auditing and accounting.

– Chuck Stuber: Republican. New to politics. Was a special agent for the FBI for 28 years, specializing in white collar crime and corruption cases.

N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture

– Steve Troxler: Republican. Incumbent. Has been in the role since 2005. Was a full-time farmer in Guilford County from 1974-2005.

– Walter Smith: Democrat. Worked for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture for more than 30 years, administering federal farm programs and working directly with farmers. Owns and operates a small farm. Served on town council and as mayor of Boonville, N.C.

N.C. Commissioner of Insurance

– Wayne Goodwin: Democrat. Incumbent. First elected for this role in 2008. Hasn’t been shy in his criticism of Obamacare, and his belief that it needs to do more to help insurers. Believes eliminating the N.C. Rate Bureau would result in premiums going up.

– Mike Causey: Republican. Former Greensboro insurance agent making his fifth attempt for this job. Running in part because he thinks the N.C. Rate Bureau, which sets the rates that insurance companies can charge in the state, limits insurance competition.

N.C. Commissioner of Labor

– Cherie Berry: Republican. Incumbent. Has been in this role since January 2001. Also served for eight years in the N.C. House of Representatives. Founder and former co-owner of a company that made spark plug wires.

– Charles Meeker: Democrat. Former mayor of Raleigh (2001-2011) and city council member (1985-1989, 1991-1995). Attorney with trial court and administrative experience.

N.C. Secretary of State

– Elaine Marshall: Democrat. Incumbent. Became the first woman elected statewide in N.C. in 1997.

– Michael LaPaglia: Republican. Consulting firm owner. Never held elected office, but worked on former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson’s campaign.

N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction

– June Atkinson: Democrat. Incumbent. Been in this role since August 2005. Administrator at DPI since 1976, and a former teacher in Charlotte and Virginia.

– Mark Johnson: Republican. Elected to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education in 2014. In-house lawyer for a technology firm. Taught science for two years at West Charlotte High with Teach for America.

N.C. Treasurer

– Dan Blue III: Democrat. Experience in healthcare, dealing with electronic patient records and training healthcare professionals. Also a former investment banker at Bear Stearns. Chair of the Wake County Democratic Party (2011-2015).

– Dale Folwell: Republican. Certified public accountant. Served on the Winston Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education (1993-2000), in the N.C. House of Representatives (2004-2012 — Speaker Pro Tem 2010-2012) and as N.C. Assistant Secretary of Commerce (2013-15).

N.C. Legislature

We covered these races in depth in a story last week titled “Who voted for HB2? Where local candidates stand on key issues.” Go there for an in-depth look at each N.C. House and Senate race involving Mecklenburg County.

Mecklenburg County Commissioner (At-Large)

You’ll choose three on this one.

– Pat Cotham: Democrat. Incumbent. County commissioner since 2012. Previously worked as an employment advocate for people with criminal records. Retired corporate recruiter and small business owner.

– Trevor Fuller: Democrat. Incumbent. County commissioner since 2012 and owner of The Fuller Law Firm.

– Ella Scarborough: Democrat. Incumbent. County commissioner since 2014. Before that, spent 10 years on Charlotte City Council. Retired manager at Duke Energy.

– Jeremy Brasch: Republican. First run for public office. A financial systems analyst at Compass Group North America.

Mecklenburg County Commissioner: District 5

– Matthew Ridenhour: Republican. Incumbent. Risk analyst for FIS Risk and Security. Been county commissioner since 2012. Ran for Charlotte City Council in 2009.

– Marc Friedland: Democrat. Retired entrepreneur. Ran for Charlotte City Council in 2009.

Judges

N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice

(Race is nonpartisan, so parties won’t be listed.)

– Robert H. (Bob) Edmunds: Republican. Incumbent. Elected to N.C. Supreme Court in 2000 and reelected in 2008. Elected to N.C. Court of Appeals in 1998.

– Michael R. (Mike) Morgan: Democrat. Wake County Superior Judge since 2005. Formerly District Court judge and administrative law judge for 15 years.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (DIETZ)

– Richard Dietz: Republican. Incumbent. Appointed by McCrory in 2014. Has been a Wake County District Court judge for most of the past 10 years following five years as a prosecutor. Board certified specialist in appeals, and has personally argued in the U.S. Supreme Court.

– Vince Rozier: Democrat. Wake County District Court judge and formerly a prosecutor. Appointed by Cooper to serve as the first ombudsman to the State Bureau of Investigation for the N.C. Department of Justice.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (GEER)

– Hunter Murphy: Republican. Runs his own law firm in Waynesville.

– Margaret Eagles: Democrat. Daughter of Sid Eagles, former chief judge on the N.C. Court of Appeals. Wake County District Court Judge since 2009.

– Donald Ray Buie: Unaffiliated.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (HUNTER)

– Bob Hunter: Republican. Incumbent. Judge or justice in the Appellate Division since 2009. Worked in private practice in Greensboro from 1974-2009.

– Abe Jones: Democrat. 35 years of experience as an associate, private defense attorney, Superior Court Judge and more. Wake County Commissioner from 1990-1994.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (STEPHENS)

– Linda Stephens: Democrat. Incumbent. Court of Appeals judge since 2006. Formerly Deputy Commissioner at N.C. Industrial Commission (1980-1984), and partner at Teague, Campbell Dennis & Gorham LLP (1984-2006).

– Phil Berger Jr.: Republican. Son of N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger. Administrative law judge and former Rockingham County district attorney.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (ZACHARY)

– Valerie Zachary: Republican. Incumbent. Appointed by McCrory last year. Worked in Charlotte before starting her own firm in Yadkinville. Practiced in District and Superior Court.

– Rickye McKoy-Mitchell: Democrat. Mecklenburg’s longest-serving District Court Judge.

Mecklenburg District Court (Unopposed)

The following judges are running unopposed for N.C. District Court Judge in District 26:

– Kimberly Best-Staton

– Ron Chapman

– Jena Culler

– Karen Eady-Williams

– Ty Hands

– Gary L. Henderson

– Donnie Hoover

– Elizabeth Thornton Trosch

– Louis A. Trosh

Mecklenburg District Court (Hewett v. Blake)

– Tracy Hewett: Been a public defender in Charlotte since 2004, handling cases in District Court and Superior Court. Worked in DWI and drug-treatment courts and volunteered as a guardian ad litem.

– Aretha Blake: Grew up poor on Johns Island near Charleston, did a civil litigation at Parker Poe. Started her own law firm and was an assistant dean at Charlotte School of Law (2011-2015). Some experience in District Court.

Mecklenburg District Court (Mann v. Bell)

– Christy Mann: Incumbent. Appointed to the bench in 2005 and been elected twice since. 20 years in private practice and serves as the senior family court judge.

– George Bell: Huntersville lawyer. Runs his own firm, primarily practicing criminal and DWI defense. No judicial experience.

Mecklenburg District Court (Strickland v. Thalheimer)

– David Strickland: Incumbent. Seeking second term. Lead juvenile court judge in Mecklenburg. Previously owned his own firm doing criminal and juvenile work.

– Ben Thalheimer: Former judge, defeated by Bill Belk in 2008, now in private practice.

Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor

Find a great breakdown of this race over at WFAE.org.

– Vonnie Brown: Active participant in Mecklenburg advocacy organizations and non-profits, including the local Sierra Club chapter.

– Brad Johnson: Assistant professor of environmental studies at Davidson College, appointed to the current board mid-term.

– Eric Erickson: Domestic Violence Officer at the Department of Public Safety.

– Doug Hanks: His Vote411 profile reads, “Keep your drinking water safe from terrorist attacks!”

– Lisa Carol Rudisill: Vote411 profile: With increasing population, “we must strive together to protect and preserve water, soil, and wildlife from growing stress.”

Bonds

There are three on the ballot: Transportation, Housing and Neighborhood Improvements. Read a detailed breakdown of the bonds and what they would do in this CharlotteFive story from last month.

Information in this story mostly came from the Charlotte Observer’s voters guide, but also from the candidates’ websites, the Observer editorial board endorsements and Vote411. Did we miss any races, or get anything wrong? Send Corey an email. 

This story was originally published November 6, 2016 at 9:27 PM with the headline "The super-last-minute 2016 Charlotte voters guide: A quick look at every race on the ballot."