2024 voter guide: Who's running in Charlotte and beyond

• The Nov. 5 general election could determine whether this swing state turns red, Axios Raleigh reports. North Carolina will vote for a new governor this year. Plus, the entire legislature is up for re-election.
• Republicans currently hold a supermajority in the General Assembly and have the power to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

The primary election is March 5.

• Find an early voting polling place here and your sample ballot here.

Not registered yet? You can register during the early voting period the same day you cast your ballot. You'll need to provide proof of where you live. More on that here.

Don't forget: You now need a photo ID to vote. Check this list for what types of IDs are acceptable.

• If you don't have a Photo ID, you can cast a provisional ballot. More details.

Federal

United States House of Representatives

North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District

The district’s current Republican Congressman Dan Bishop is running for N.C. attorney general.

• John Bradford (R) is a House representative from Mecklenburg County. He’s one of Mecklenburg County’s few Republican representatives.
• Don Brown (R)
• Mark Harris (R) was at the center of the 9th District voter fraud scandal.
• Chris Maples (R)
• Leigh Brown (R)
• Allan Baucom (R)
• Justin Dues (D)

North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District

• Alma Adams (D) is currently serving her fifth term in Congress.
• Addul Ali (R)

North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District

• Pam Genant (D)
• Brendan K. Maginnis (D)
• Tim Moore (R) is the North Carolina House speaker. He’s had a series of scandals this year, including a lawsuit alleging a sexual relationship with a state government employee and scrutiny over his campaign funds.
• Jeff Gregory (R)
• Lillian Joseph (R)

State

Governor

Gov. Cooper has reached his term limit.

Democrats

• Josh Stein is the attorney general. His office has been involved in the $26 billion opioid settlement, and he made North Carolina the first state to sue the e-cigarette company Juul in 2019.

[Go deeper: Governor hopeful Josh Stein wants to take on more “big fights” for North Carolina]

• Gary Foxx
• Chrelle Booker is mayor pro tempore in the North Carolina town of Tryon.

• Mike Morgan is a former state Supreme Court justice.
• Marcus W. Williams

Republicans

• Mark Robinson is the current lieutenant governor. He’s gained notoriety for backing conservative education issues, including expanding charter school vouchers and criticizing critical race theory.
• Dale Folwell, the state treasurer, received a Sunshine Award from the North Carolina Open Government Coalition for his transparency.
• Bill Graham is endorsed by Sen. Thom Tillis. He’s a lawyer from Salisbury and former aide to Sen. Jesse Helms.

Green

• Wayne Turner

Libertarian

• Shannon Bray, who previously ran for U.S. Senate, was arrested in August for assault and charged with growing marijuana, WRAL reported.

Lieutenant Governor

Lt. Gov. Robinson is looking for a promotion to governor, leaving this race open.

• The lieutenant governor position is similar to the vice president. Their job is to preside over the Senate and sit on several boards, including the North Carolina Board of Education.

Democrats

• Rachel Hunt is a state senator and the daughter of former Gov. Jim Hunt.
• Ben Clark is a former state senator from Fayetteville.
• Mark H. Robinson is not to be confused with the sitting lieutenant governor who has the same name.

Republicans

• Rivera Douthit
• Deanna Ballard is a former state senator from Blowing Rock.
• Jeffrey Elmore is a six-term House representative for Alexander and Wilkes counties.
• Hal Weatherman runs a nonprofit for election integrity. He was chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, the campaign website states.
• Marlenis Hernandez Novoa
• Allen Mashburn
• Peter Boykin
• Seth Woodall
• Sam Page is the Rockingham County sheriff.
• Jim O’Neill

Libertarian

• Dee Watson

Attorney General

The attorney general is like the in-house counsel for government departments, but they can also institute court proceedings on behalf of the state. AG Stein recently joined a lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company’s social media platforms are harmful and addicting to young people.

• Dan Bishop (R) of Charlotte is a North Carolina congressman and one of the state’s most prominent Republicans. He was the architect of House Bill 2 — the since-repealed state law that restricted transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
• Jeff Jackson (D), also from Charlotte, is a TikTok-famous congressman, known for explaining what happens in Washington in layman’s terms. He announced he was running for attorney general instead of Congress the day after new maps passed that put him in a Republican-leaning district.
• Tim Dunn (D)
• Satana Deberry (D) is the Durham County district attorney.

Auditor

The auditor examines records, can investigate financial affairs and will call out shady spending. Former State Auditor Beth Wood resigned after a grand jury indicted her on misdemeanor charges over a hit-and-run with her state vehicle. 

• Jessica Holmes (D) is the current auditor. Gov. Cooper appointed her to replace Wood.
• Bob Drach (L)
• Charles Dingee (R) is the former Wake County Young Republicans chair.
• Jack Clark (R)
• Jim Kee (R) was once a Greensboro City Council member.
• Jeff Tarte (R) is the former Cornelius mayor.
• Anthony Wayne Street (R) faced charges of stalking, threats and assault during his 2020 campaign for auditor, the News and Observer reported.
• Dave Boliek (R)

Agriculture Commissioner

This office oversees North Carolina’s main food and drug safety agency and is in charge of protecting and maintaining the state’s food supply, among other responsibilities.

• Steve Troxler (R) is a farmer and current agriculture commissioner.
• Sarah Taber (D)
• Colby (Bear) Hammonds (R)
• Sean Haugh (L)

Commissioner of Insurance

The insurance commissioner is the State Fire Marshal and is tasked with regulating the insurance industry.

• Mike Causey (R) is the current insurance commissioner.
• C. Robert Brawley (R) is a former state representative from Mooresville. He ran for governor in 2016. He served 15 days in jail for contempt of court.
• Andrew Marcus (R)
• David Wheeler (D)
• Natasha Marcus (D) is a state senator from Mecklenburg County.

Commissioner of Labor

The N.C. Department of Labor promotes the “health, safety, and general well-being” of North Carolina workers.

The commissioner is the person whose headshot you stare at while standing in a North Carolina elevator. (That’s how the longtime commissioner Cherie Berry earned the title of “elevator lady.”) The current commissioner, Josh Dobson, recently nixed the photos because he said it put too much attention on just him, but candidates have said they’d bring them back.

• Braxton Winston (D) is Charlotte’s former mayor pro team. Winston rose to prominence as a protestor after the 2016 police killing of Keith Lamont Scott.
• Luke Farley (R) is endorsed by Berry.
• Travis Wilson (R)
• Jon Hardister (R) is endorsed by the sitting commissioner, Josh Dobson.
• Chuck Stanley (R)

Secretary of State

They oversee the office charged with strengthening the economy, handling the creation of new companies and keeping tabs on charitable donations.

• Elaine Marshall (D) is the incumbent secretary of state.
• Jesse Thomas (R) is a retired health care executive.
• Chad Brown (R)
• Christine Villaverde (R)

Superintendent of Public Instruction

This is the superintendent of all the public schools in North Carolina. They sit on the state board of education.

• Catherine Truitt (R) is the incumbent.
• Michele Morrow (R)
• C.R. Katie Eddings (D)
• Kenon Crumble (D)
• Mo Green (D)

Treasurer

Folwell’s run for governor leaves this race for the state’s chief banker wide open.

• Wesley Harris (D) is a state representative from Mecklenburg County.
• Gabe Esparza (D)
• A. J. Daoud (R) is a former North Carolina GOP District chairman and state senate and secretary of state candidate.
• Rachel Johnson (R)
• Brad Briner (R)

North Carolina Senate

District 37

• Vickie Sawyer (R) wants another term representing Iredell and Mecklenburg counties.
• Kate Compton Barr (D)

District 41

The sitting representative, Sen. Marcus, is running for state labor commissioner after she was drawn out of District 41.

• Robert E. Bruns (D)
• Caleb Theodros (D) was chair of the Black Political Caucus.
• Kendrick Cunningham (D)
• Lucille Puckett (D) previously ran for Charlotte mayor.

District 42

District 42 will get a new representative since Sen. Hunt is running for lieutenant governor.

• Woodson Bradley (D)
• Jaime Daniell (R)
• Stacie McGinn (R)

North Carolina House of Representatives

District 98

Rep. Bradford is not seeking re-election in District 98 since he’s running for Congress.

• Beth Gardner Helfrich (D) is a former teacher from a family of teachers, her campaign website states.
• Lisa Jewel (D) has served as a precinct chair and volunteer on presidential campaigns for the Democratic party.
• Melinda Bales (R) is the former Huntersville mayor.

District 99

• Nasif Majeed (D) is an incumbent and on his third term.
• Isaiah Payne (R)
• Rob Yates (L)

District 103

• Laura Budd (D) is seeking her second term.
• Joshua Niday (R)

District 104

• Brandon Lofton (D) is the incumbent and has served three terms.
• Krista Bokhari (R) is the wife of Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari.

District 105

• Tricia Cotham (R) is the incumbent. She was elected as a Democrat but switched parties in the middle of the legislative season this year. The move gave Republicans a veto-proof majority, empowering lawmakers to tighten abortion restrictions in North Carolina.
• Yolanda Holmes (D)
• Nicole Sidman (D)
• Terry Lansdell (D)

District 106

• Carla Cunningham (D) is seeking a seventh term.
• Vermanno Bowman (D)

Local

Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners

At-Large

All residents in Mecklenburg County will vote for three at-large commissioners to represent the entire county.

• Leigh Altman (D) was first elected in 2020. She serves on the Metropolitan Transit Commission and has been an outspoken voice this past year in trying to reform the way the Charlotte Area Transit System is governed.
• Pat Cotham (D) is a longtime commissioner, first elected in 2012. She’s the mother of Rep. Cotham.
• Arthur Griffin, Jr. (D) served on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education for 17 years and was elected to his commissioner’s seat in 2022.
• Yvette Townsend-Ingram (D) would be a newcomer to the board if elected. She previously ran in 2022.
• Blake Van Leer (D) would be a fresh face, if elected, as well.

District 1

• Elaine Powell (D) is seeking a fourth term.
• Aaron R. Marin (R) is the owner and president of a mortgage brokerage.

District 2

• Vilma D. Leake (D) was first elected as commissioner in 2008 and served the school board for 11 years, starting in the ’90s.
• Charles Osborne (D) is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer turned business owner.
• Angela White Edwards (R) has run for county office three times before.

District 3

• George Dunlap (D), a board member since 2008, serves as the current chair.
• Felicia R. Thompkins (D)

District 5

• Laura Meier (D) was elected to the board in 2020.
• Arthur McCulloch (R)

District 6

• Susan Rodriguez-McDowell (D), a commissioner since 2018, is the county’s economic development chair.
• Jim Marascio (R)