The only statewide race in 2026 is the U.S. Senate seat left open by the retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is running for the seat and is the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Seven candidates are vying for the Republican nomination, including Michael Whatley, who is the former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Michele Morrow, who ran for state superintendent of public instruction in 2024.

See the full list of candidates for the Democratic and Republican primaries here.

All 120 seats in the North Carolina House and all 50 seats in the North Carolina Senate are on the ballot this year. One closely watched contest is the Republican primary in Senate District 26, currently represented by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger of Rockingham County.

Berger faces a challenge from Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. The candidates differ notably on school choice policy. Berger supports what he calls universal school choice, while Page advocates for accountable school choice with guardrails to ensure it benefits all families, according to his campaign website. A Page victory would signal a significant shift in legislative leadership and power.

Educators on the ballot

NC Educators on the Ballot (NCEOB) is backing six candidates for North Carolina House seats, all of whom are current or former teachers. The districts span parts of eight counties: Catawba, Davidson, Granville, Henderson, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Vance, and Wake.

According to the group’s website, NC Educators on the Ballot is a grassroots effort to place educators and public education supporters on Republican primary ballots across the state. Some Republicans have criticized the effort as misleading, a claim the group denies. The organization argues that because Republicans hold a supermajority in the General Assembly, running educators in Republican primaries brings new voices into education policy debates and gives voters more meaningful choices.

See a list of those candidates here.