Get the list of candidates on Cumberland County ballots in 2026 elections

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

Less than two months after the 2025 elections, the filing period for the 2026 midterm elections has closed and things are looking interesting for the March primaries.

The filing period, which started Dec. 1, ended at noon Dec. 19. The primary is set for March 3, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

Voters in Cumberland County are set to cast ballots for races including the U.S. Senate and House, state Senate and House, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and Cumberland County sheriff during the 2026 elections.

The race to replace retiring Sen. Thom Tillis has a crowded field of candidates, with 14 candidates filing, including, as expected, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley. On Dec. 18, Republican Michele Morrow , who was unsuccessful in her 2024 bid to lead North Carolina's public schools, threw her hat in the ring, too.

The race for four of the seven seats on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners will be another one to watch, with some familiar faces joining the fray.

Former Fayetteville City Council member Mario Benavente, who lost his bid for mayor of Fayetteville during the primary earlier this year, filed to run for one of the two at-large seats on the board, as did former commissioners Charles Evans and Toni Stewart. And longtime Cumberland County Board of Education member Greg West, whose term is up in 2026, has also filed to run for one of the two at-large seats, currently held by Marshall Faircloth and Veronica Jones, both of whom filed for reelection.

The two Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 1 seats on the ballot this year are held by Glenn Adams, who has filed for reelection, and longtime Commissioner Jeannette Council, who is not running again. Former Fayetteville City Council member Larry Wright will be among Adams' challengers in 2026.

Here are all the races that will be on the ballot in Cumberland County, along with the current officeholders and the candidates who have filed to run in 2026.

U.S. Senate

The following candidates have filed to run for the office being vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced earlier in 2025 that he would not seek reelection.

Democrats

• Robert Colon of Rocky Point

• Roy Cooper of Raleigh

• Justin E. Dues of Concord

• Daryl Farrow of Jacksonville

• Orrick Quick of High Point

• Marcus W. Williams of Wilmington

Libertarian

• Shannon W. Bray of Angier

Republicans

• Donald M. (Don) Brown of Waxhaw

• Richard Dansie of Durham

• Margot Dupre of Charlotte

• Thomas Johnson of Garner

• Michele Morrow of Cary

• Elizabeth A. Temple of Smithfield

• Michael Whatley of Gastonia

U.S. House of Representatives

North Carolina's Republican-controlled General Assembly approved a new congressional map in October aimed at giving the GOP an additional seat in Congress, but the changes won't affect Cumberland County voters. The county remains split into the same two congressional districts.

Here's who filed to run for seats that include Cumberland County:

• Seventh Congressional District:The seat is currently held by Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican who was first elected in 2014. Rouzer, of Wilmington, is running for reelection and will face David Buzzard of Wilmington in the March Republican primary. The winner of that race will face Democrat Kimberly Hardy of Fayetteville and Libertarian Maad Abu-Ghazalah of Wilmington in the November election.

• Ninth Congressional District:The seat is currently held by Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican who was first elected in 2012. Hudson, of Southern Pines, is running for another term and will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the November election. The Democrats who will face off in the March primary election are Loren Bibler of Raleigh, Nigel W. Bristow of Hamlet, Lent C. Carr of Raeford and Richard N. Ojeda II of Aberdeen. Bibler does not live in the Ninth Congressional District, but under the Constitution, he's only required to live in North Carolina .

State Supreme Court associate justice

One of the seven seats on North Carolina's highest court will be on 2026 ballots.

• Justice Anita Earls of Durham, a Democrat who was first elected in 2018, will face a challenge from Republican Sarah Stevens of Mount Airy.

State Court of Appeals judges

Three of North Carolina's 15 Court of Appeals seats will be on statewide ballots.

• Seat 1:Judge John S. Arrowood of Raleigh, a Democrat, was appointed in 2017 to replace retiring Judge Douglas McCullough. Arrowood was elected to his first full term in 2018 and is seeking another term. He will face the winner of the Republican primary in the November election. The Republicans seeking office are Matt Smith of Monroe and Michael C. Byrne of Raleigh.

• Seat 2:Judge Toby Hampson, a Raleigh Democrat, was first elected in 2018. He will face a challenge from Republican George Cooper Bell of Cornelius in November.

• Seat 3:Judge Allegra Collins, a Democrat, was first elected in 2018. She announced earlier in 2025 that she would not seek reelection. James Weldon Whalen of Raleigh will face Christine Marie Walczyk of Raleigh in the Democratic primary. The winner in that contest will face Republican Craig Collins of Gastonia in November.

North Carolina State Senate

Cumberland County is split into two state Senate districts.

• District 19is represented by Democratic Sen. Val Applewhite of Fayetteville, who was first elected in 2022. Applewhite will face a challenge from Republican Venus de la Cruz of Fayetteville.

• District 21is represented by Sen. Tom McInnis, a Pinehurst Republican who was first elected in 2014. He is seeking another term and will face Ray Daly of Carthage in the March Republican primary. The winner of that contest will face the lone Democrat, Paul Taylor of Spring Lake, in the November election.

North Carolina House of Representatives

Cumberland County is split into four state House districts.

• District 42is represented by Rep. Mike Colvin of Fayetteville, a Democrat who was first elected in 2024. Colvin has no challengers.

• District 43is represented by Rep. Diane Wheatley of Linden, a Republican who was first elected in 2020. She will face Clarence Goins Jr. of Eastover in the March Republican primary. The Democrats running for the District 43 seat are Janene Ackles and Ronald Pittman, both of Fayetteville.

• District 44is represented by Rep. Charles Smith, a Democrat from Fayetteville who was first elected in 2022. He will face Republican Jackie Weyhenmeyer of Fayetteville in November.

• District 45is represented by Rep. Frances Jackson, a Fayetteville Democrat who was first elected in 2022. She will face Democrat QuDerrick R. Covington of Hope Mills in the March primary. There are no Republican candidates.

Cumberland County Superior Court judges

Three Superior Court seats will be on Cumberland County ballots.

• District 14Ais held by Judge Stephen Stokes, a Democrat who was appointed in spring 2025 to fill the seat of retiring Judge Claire Hill. He faces a challenge from Republican Rob Hasty.

• District 14Bis held by Judge Alicia Marks Flowers, a Democrat who was appointed in December to serve out the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gale Adams. Flowers is seeking her first full term and faces no challengers.

• District 14Cis held by Judge Jim Ammons, who is unaffiliated and was first elected to the seat in 1998. He is not seeking reelection. District Court Judge Lou Olivera, a Democrat, is seeking to replace him. He has no challengers.

Cumberland County District Court judges

Seven of the county's 10 District Court judicial seats are up for election.

• Seat 1is held by Judge Toni S. King, a Democrat who was appointed to the seat in 2009 to fill the vacancy created by Justice Cheri Beasley's election to the state Court of Appeals. King was elected to her first full term in 2010. She is seeking another term and faces no challengers.

• S eat 2is held by Judge Frances McDuffie Britt, a Democrat who was appointed to the seat in 2020 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert Stiehl. McDuffie was elected to her first full term in 2022. She is seeking another term and faces no challengers.

• Seat 3is held by Judge David Hasty, a Democrat who was first elected in 2006 and is not seeking reelection. Tyran Jamail George and Sherry Miller will face each other in the March Democratic primary election. The winner of the primary will become the de facto winner, as there are no Republican challengers.

• Seat 4is held by Judge Tracey Henderson, a Democrat who was appointed in spring 2025 to fill Judge Stephen Stokes' term after Stokes was appointed to the Superior Court. She is seeking her first full term and faces no challengers.

• Seat 5is held by Judge Cheri Siler-Mack, a Democrat who was first elected in 2014. She is seeking another term and will face fellow Democrat Brenee Wynett Orozco in the March primary. The winner of that contest will face Republican Jonathan Strange in the November election.

• Seat 6is held by Judge Rosalyn Hood, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022. She is seeking another term and faces no challengers.

• Seat 7is held by Judge Caitlyn Evans, a Democrat who was first elected in 2018. She is seeking another term and faces no challengers.

Cumberland County District Attorney

The office is held by Democrat Billy West, who was first elected in 2010. He faces no challengers.

Cumberland County Clerk of Superior Court

The office is held by Lisa Scales, a Democrat who was appointed to the office after former Clerk Kim Tucker retired in 2017. Scales was elected to her first full term in 2018. She has no challengers.

Cumberland County Sheriff

The office is held by Sheriff Johnathan T. Morgan, a Democrat who was appointed to replace Sheriff Ennis Wright upon Wright's retirement earlier in 2025. Morgan is seeking election to the office and will face the following Democrats in the March primary.

• Joe Bailer of Hope Mills

• Former Spring Lake Police Chief Troy A. McDuffie

• Demetrio Perez of Fort Liberty

The winner of the March primary will face Republican LaRue Windham in the November election.

Cumberland County Board of Commissioners

Four of the county's seven seats are on the ballot in 2026.

District 1:The two District 1 seats on the board are represented by Democrat Glenn Adams, who was first elected in 2014 and is seeking another term, and Democrat Jeannette Council, who was first appointed to the board in 2000 after the death of Thomas Bacote. She was elected to her first full term in 2002 and is not seeking reelection.

There are no Republican challengers, so the top two vote-getters in the March Democratic primary will be the de facto winners of the District 1 seats. Adams will be joined by the following candidates:

• Sheila Cuffee

• Garry (Moe) Murray

• Terri S. Thomas

• Former Fayetteville City Council member Larry O. Wright Sr.

At-large:The two at-large seats on the board are represented by Democrat Marshall Faircloth, who is serving his fifth nonconsecutive term since 1992, and Democrat Veronica Jones, who was first elected in 2022.

Faircloth and Jones will be joined by the following candidates in the March Democratic primary:

• Former Fayetteville City Council member Mario BE Benavente

• Former Commissioner Charles Evans

• Former Commissioner Toni Stewart

• William (Toonk) Wesley

The top two vote-getters in that primary will face Republicans Greg West, who currently serves on the Cumberland County Board of Education, and Ron Ross in the November election.

Other races

In addition to the races listed above, three seats on the nonpartisan Cumberland County Board of Education and two seats on the nonpartisan Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District board will be on 2026 ballots. The filing period for those races isn't until later in 2026.

News Director Beth Hutson can be reached at bhutson@fayobserver.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Here's who is running for election in Cumberland County in 2026