2026 NC elections are set. Who’s running for Congress, state, Charlotte-area races?
The slate is set for the 2026 election in the Charlotte area, with competitive primaries and general election races for local, state and federal seats on the docket.
Every state House, state Senate and U.S. House seat is on the ballot, in addition to an open U.S. Senate seat. Voters, including those in Mecklenburg County, will also pick their county commissioners, district attorney, sheriff, superior and district court judges and clerk of superior court in 2026.
Both major parties’ presumptive favorites, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley, will go up against multiple primary challengers as they look to secure their parties’ nominations for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat. The general election race for the seat is predicted to be one of the most expensive and closely watched in the country in 2026.
Competitive state legislative races in Mecklenburg County include a three-person Democratic primary for House District 106, held for many years by state Rep. Carla Cunningham. The incumbent came under fire from some in her party earlier this year for siding with Republicans on a contentious veto override vote and controversial comments about immigration.
In south Mecklenburg’s House District 105, state Rep. Tricia Cotham faces a primary challenge from teacher Kelly VanHorn, who just recently registered as a Republican. The winner of that primary will face Democratic former Matthews Commissioner Ken McCool in the general election. Also in the southern part of the county, Democratic state Sen. Woodson Bradley will face Republican Stacie McGinn in a rematch of a 2024 race that went to a recount.
Locally, 10 Democrats will compete for three at-large seats on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. There will also be Democratic primary for the county board’s open north Mecklenburg seat, and a primary in west Charlotte’s District 2 between longtime incumbent Vilma Leake and veteran political strategist Monifa Drayton.
Despite criticism of the local courts system after high-profile crimes, District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and most Charlotte-area District and Superior Court judges will be unopposed in 2026. County Sheriff Garry McFadden will face multiple Democratic primary challengers.
Primary elections are scheduled for March, and the general election is Nov. 3. Voters can find the full list of every candidate who filed statewide at ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists.
Mecklenburg County 2026 candidates
Here’s who filed to run for office in 2026 in Mecklenburg County:
U.S. Senate
Elizabeth A. Temple (Republican)
Donald M. “Don” Brown (Republican)
Michael Whatley (Republican)
Roy Cooper (Democrat)
Daryl Farrow (Democrat)
Margot Dupre (Republican)
Marcus W. Williams (Democrat)
Thomas Johnson (Republican)
Orrick Quick (Democrat)
Shannon W. Bray (Libertarian)
Michele Morrow (Republican)
Justin E. Dues (Democrat)
Robert Colon (Democrat)
Richard Dansie (Republican)
U.S. House District 8
Kevin Clark (Democrat)
Colby Watson (Democrat)
Mark Harris (Republican, incumbent)
Jesse Oppenheim (Democrat)
U.S. House District 12
Alma Adams (Democrat, incumbent)
Monaca Maye Johnson (Democrat)
Jack Codiga (Republican)
Addul Ali (Republican)
U.S. House District 14
Brent Caldwell (Democrat)
Lakesha Womack (Democrat)
Tim Moore (Republican, incumbent)
Kate Barr (Republican)
Ahmid Kargbo (Democrat)
NC Superior Court Judge District 26C Seat 1
George Guise (Democrat)
Caleb Newman (Democrat)
NC Superior Court Judge District 26H Seat 1
Elizabeth Thornton Trosch (Democrat)
NC Superior Court Judge District 26F Seat 1
Karen Eady-Williams (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 20
Karen D. McCallum (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 21
Rhonda L. Patterson-Wrighten (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 16
Matt Newton (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 17
Paige McThenia (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 18
Habekah Cannon (Democrat)
Cecilia Oseguera (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 19
Samantha C. Mobley (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 15
Jennifer L. Fleet (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 14
Alyssa M. Levine (Democrat, incumbent)
NC District Court Judge District 26 Seat 13
Roderick G. Davis (Democrat, incumbent)
NC State Senate District 37
Vickie Sawyer (Republican, incumbent)
Raygan J. Angel (Democrat)
Precinda Bjorgen (Democrat)
NC State Senate District 38
Mujtaba A. Mohammed (Democrat, incumbent)
NC State Senate District 39
DeAndrea Salvador (Democrat, incumbent)
NC State Senate District 40
Joyce Waddell (Democrat, incumbent)
Bobbie Shields (Republican)
NC State Senate District 41
Kevin Gray (Republican)
Caleb Theodros (Democrat, incumbent)
NC State Senate District 42
Woodson Bradley (Democrat, incumbent)
Stacie McGinn (Republican)
NC House of Representatives District 88
Mary Belk (Democrat, incumbent)
Ray Craig (Republican)
NC House of Representatives District 92
Terry Brown (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 98
John Rhodes (Republican)
Beth Helfrich (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 99
Nasif Majeed (Democrat, incumbent)
Tucker Neal (Democrat)
Veleria M. Levy (Democrat)
NC House of Representatives District 100
Julia Greenfield (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 101
Carolyn G. Logan (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 102
Becky Carney (Democrat, incumbent)
Daniel Schmidt (Republican)
NC House of Representatives District 103
Laura Budd (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 104
Brandon Lofton (Democrat, incumbent)
Trina Boyd (Republican)
NC House of Representatives District 105
Ken McCool (Democrat)
Kelly Van Horn (Republican)
Tricia Cotham (Republican, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 106
Rodney Sadler (Democrat)
Carla D. Cunningham (Democrat, incumbent)
Vermanno Bowman (Democrat)
NC House of Representatives District 107
Aisha O. Dew (Democrat, incumbent)
NC House of Representatives District 112
Jordan Lopez (Democrat, incumbent)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners At-Large
Leigh Altman (Democrat, incumbent)
Arthur Griffin (Democrat, incumbent)
Felicia R. Thompkins (Democrat)
Olivia Scott (Democrat)
Yvette Townsend-Ingram (Democrat, incumbent)
Heather Morrow (Democrat)
Leslie Allen (Democrat)
Sharif R. Hannan (Democrat)
Nichel Dunlap (Democrat)
Toni Emehel (Democrat)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 1
Adam Pasiak (Democrat)
Aaron R. Marin (Republican)
Jessica Finkel (Democrat)
Morris “Mac” McAdoo (Democrat)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 2
Vilma D. Leake (Democrat, incumbent)
Monifa “Mo” Drayton (Democrat)
Angela White Edwards (Republican)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 3
Phil Carey (Democrat)
George Dunlap (Democrat, incumbent)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 4
Mark Jerrell (Democrat, incumbent)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 5
Charles DeLoach (Democrat)
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners District 6
Susan Rodriguez-McDowell (Democrat, incumbent)
District Attorney District 26
Spencer Merriweather (Democrat, incumbent)
Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court
Elisa Chinn Gary (Democrat, incumbent)
Mecklenburg County Sheriff
Rodney M. Collins (Democrat)
Ricky Ricardo Robbins (Democrat)
Garry L. McFadden (Democrat, incumbent)
Antwain Nance (Democrat)
This story was originally published December 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM.
