Less than a week out from Election Day, North Carolina has become a major player in the presidential race as a battleground state with 16 electoral votes up for grabs. But those registered to vote in Durham will also see a number of other important races on the ballot Nov. 5.
This election cycle, U.S. Senate seats representing North Carolina are not on the ticket, but spots in the U.S. House of Representatives, the N.C. General Assembly and some of the state’s courts and executive offices are.
The Chronicle gathered information on national and state-level candidates that Durham voters will be asked to weigh in on.
U.S. House
Durham County is located in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, which has been represented by Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee since 2023.
Foushee has a long history of public service. She first served on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board for several years before being elected commissioner of Orange County, later serving as a state representative and state senator. She prioritizes investment in education, environmental protection and government accountability.
Her current opponents are Republican Eric Blankenburg, an Air Force veteran and longtime executive in the computer industry whose campaign centers on economic issues and ending foreign wars, and Guy Meilleur, a former instructor at Duke.
N.C. governor
The N.C. gubernatorial race has gained national attention following resurfaced explicit comments allegedly written by Republican candidate, N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, which resulted in several of his top officials resigning. Robinson’s platform focuses on growing the economy, increasing teacher pay and reducing violent crime.
His current opponent is Democrat Josh Stein, North Carolina’s attorney general, whose platform is centered on investing in education, improving economic security and increasing affordable housing.
Although the two candidates were in a tight race prior to September, Robinson’s controversy has led Stein to a projected win by a 14-point lead, as of Tuesday.
The third-party candidates include Libertarian Mike Ross and Wayne Turner, representing the Green Party.
See our full guide to the N.C. gubernatorial race, including third-party candidates, here.
Lieutenant governor
There is no incumbent in the lieutenant governor race, as Robinson, the current lieutenant governor, is running for governor this election cycle.
Democratic candidate Rachel Hunt currently serves in the N.C. State Senate, and if she wins, she will be the second woman to fill the role of lieutenant governor in the state’s history.
The Republican candidate, Hal Weatherman, served as the chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick.
Third party candidates include Wayne Jones, representing the Constitution Party, and Libertarian Shannon Bray.
State attorney general
The N.C. attorney general heads the Department of Justice, represents the state in legal matters and provides legal opinions to the General Assembly, governor and other public officials. Stein, the current attorney general, is running as the Democratic candidate in the N.C. gubernatorial race, so there is no incumbent in this year’s race.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, NC-14, is running as the Democratic candidate. He prioritizes bipartisanship, tackling the opioid crisis and protecting veterans and seniors from fraud. He has been a champion of increasing government transparency, notably having amassed over 2 million followers on TikTok since taking office and using his platform to educate his viewers on state and national politics.
His opponent is U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, NC-08. His website does not include information on his policy priorities, though he does charge “Democrats like Roy Cooper and Josh Stein” with “abusing the state’s top law enforcement office by turning it into a stepping stone for higher office and a platform to spread liberal propaganda.”
The race is expected to be close, as Stein won by a less than one-point margin in 2020.
State auditor
The state auditor heads the Office of the State Auditor, which conducts all financial audits and investigations of state government entities.
Incumbent and Democratic candidate Jessica Holmes is running for the role again. She was appointed by Cooper in December 2023 to replace the previous state auditor, Beth Wood, following her resignation.
On the Republican ticket is Dave Boliek, who previously worked as an attorney. In his campaign, he has highlighted his ability to “root out government corruption” and his service as former chair of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees, where he “led the fight … to eliminate woke diversity and equity policies.”
Bob Drach is running as the Libertarian Party candidate.
State commissioner of agriculture
The state commissioner of agriculture heads the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, oversees regulation of the industry and works to ensure that the state is able to provide an adequate food supply to its residents.
Republican Steve Troxler, the incumbent, has held the position since 2005. He is the founder, owner and operator of Troxler Farms and has worked to expand N.C. agricultural markets and protect the state’s food supply since taking office.
His opponent, Democrat Sarah Taber, has worked on family farms since childhood and supports strategic investment in profitable crops, supporting underrepresented farmers and creating “on-ramps to ownerships.”
Sean Haugh is running as the Libertarian Party candidate.
State commissioner of insurance
The state commissioner of insurance heads the N.C. Department of Insurance and acts as the State Fire Marshall. Through the two positions, the commissioner is responsible for regulating the insurance industry and handling related complaints, as well as overseeing the training of firefighters and awards equipment grants to fire and rescue departments.
Republican Mike Causey, the incumbent, is running for reelection. He first assumed the position in 2017, becoming the first Republican to hold the office in state history. Causey is a U.S. Army veteran who prioritizes increasing competition in the insurance industry and combating insurance fraud to lower consumer rates.
His opponent, Democratic Sen. Natasha Marcus, Law ‘94, currently represents District 41 in the state Senate. She advocates for lowering rate hikes, promoting fair coverage and supporting North Carolinians through natural disasters.
State labor commissioner
The labor commissioner heads the state’s Department of Labor, monitors workplace conditions and administers health and safety inspections across the state.
Braxton Winston II, who previously served as an at-large member and mayor pro tempore of the Charlotte City Council, is running as the Democratic candidate. He aims to address North Carolina’s reputation as a highly-ranked state for business but poorly-ranked state for workers by supporting a safe working environment, fair pay and a fully staffed workforce. Winston has been endorsed by several labor unions throughout the state.
Luke Farley is running as the Republican candidate. He is campaigning on increasing workplace safety by streamlining the inspection process and promoting workforce development through investment in vocational and technical education programs. He has been endorsed by former labor commissioner Cherie Berry.
Secretary of state
The North Carolina secretary of state oversees the state’s economic operations, primarily working to register local businesses and trademarks, protect North Carolinians from fraud and ensure transparency from businesses and corporations.
Democratic candidate Elaine Marshall is the incumbent, having served in the position since 1997 — the first woman ever elected to a statewide, executive branch office in North Carolina. Marshall has worked to promote child welfare, women’s issues and economic development over her 27-year tenure.
Running against her is Republican candidate Chad Brown, whose platform includes securing elections, promoting small business growth and protecting consumers from fraud and identity theft.
The race is expected to be close, after the 2020 race was decided by only a two-point margin.
Superintendent of public instruction
The superintendent of public instruction oversees the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education, advocating for the interests of the state’s public school systems.
The race has gained national traction following years of controversial comments from Republican candidate Michele Morrow. In a series of tweets, she called for the public execution of multiple Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
The former president commented on Morrow’s call for his execution at a Harris-Walz rally in Charlotte last Friday, asserting that “we can't have somebody saying just crazy stuff running your school system, purchasing textbooks [and] allocating resources for our kids.”
Morrow has also promoted Q-Anon conspiracy theories and espoused anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, and she was present at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. She is a former nurse who homeschools her five children.
Her current opponent is Democrat Mo Green, who served as superintendent for Guilford County Schools — the state’s third-largest district — for over seven years and was endorsed by Obama. Until his retirement last year, he was the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, an educational nonprofit.
State treasurer
The treasurer is the state’s chief financial officer and official banker who manages health care and retirement programs for state employees, as well as funds, bonds and debt issuances across the state.
Current state treasurer Dale Folwell is not running again after failing to earn the Republican Party’s nomination for the gubernatorial ticket.
The current candidates for the role are Democrat Wesley Harris and Republican Brad Briner. Harris prioritizes long-term thinking to maintain financial solvency, and Briner is running on better governance to increase the state’s retirement system, which he argues has historically underperformed.
Supreme Court associate justice
North Carolina’s Supreme Court is the state’s highest court, and one of its seven seats is up for election this year.
The incumbent, Democrat Justice Allison Riggs, is running for reelection. She was appointed by Cooper in 2023 to replace Justice Michael Morgan following his resignation. She previously served on the N.C. Court of Appeals.
The Republican candidate is Jefferson Griffin, a judge on the N.C. Court of Appeals. He is currently a Duke Law student expected to receive his Master of Laws in June 2026.
The N.C. Supreme Court currently has a 5-2 Republican majority after the party won two seats in 2022.
Constitutional amendment
In addition to two bond referenda, this year’s ballot will ask Durham voters to consider a citizen-only voting amendment to the state’s constitution.
Voters will be asked if they are in favor of or opposed to approving an amendment “to provide that only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote at any election in this state.”
The existing statute allows for all citizens — whether born in the U.S. or naturalized — to vote in state elections.
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Halle Vazquez is a Trinity sophomore and an associate news editor for the news department.