Do you know who is on your ballot? This is a guide to the platforms of federal and judicial candidates based on local reporting from Blue Ridge Public Radio, Smoky Mountain News, WUNC and other media organizations, as well as the Voter 411 guide by The League of Women Voters.
If you have questions on how to vote check out BPR's Frequently Asked Questions.
There is one race on the ballot for the U.S. Senate and one seat for WNC’s representative in Congress. Below is what you need to know about both.
Senate
Cheri Beasley(D) Voter 411 guide
Tedd Budd (R) Smoky Mountain News, Voter 411 guide
Shannon W. Bray (L) Voter 411 guide
Matthew Hoh (G) Voter 411 guide
After longtime Republican Senator Richard Burr announced his retirement, the race has been on to fill his seat. The national conversation around the seat has focused on the fundraising efforts of Democratic candidate and former NC Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley and Republican candidate Tedd Budd. Budd has been endorsed by former President Trump and is campaigning with him. Green Party candidate Matthew Hoh has faced an uphill battle to get on the ballot. The party faced fraud allegations during the petition process, but election board staff determined the party exceeded its target number of valid signatures by more than 1,600. The NC Democratic party also filed an emergency motion in August saying that allowing the Greens on the ballot would undermine the state’s political process. Ultimately, a federal court denied this challenge and the Green Party candidates, including Hoh, will be on the ballot.
Beasley and Budd participated in one live debate on Spectrum News. The News and Observer published a factcheck of the debate.
Beasley and Budd both spoke to The Smoky Mountain News about their positions on inflation, abortion, education and climate change.
Congress – NC District 11
Chuck Edwards (R) – Smoky Mountain News
Jasmine Beach-Ferrara (D) – Blue Ridge Public Radio
David Coatney (L) – Blue Ridge Public Radio
Blue Ridge Public Radio and the Smoky Mountain News hosted a forum on August 31st for all three candidates: Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Libertarian David Coatney and Republican Chuck Edwards. Edwards declined the invitation and explained in August that he would only be taking part in one debate. Edwards did appear with Beach-Ferrara in one debate on WLOS. Coatney was not invited to that debate.
Former Congressman Mark Meadows and current Congressman Madison Cawthorn (who lost the primary to Edwards) have continued to loom large in the conversation, explains the Smoky Mountain News.
There are also seats for the NC Supreme Court and the NC Court of Appeals on the ballot. Below are the details about the candidates and what's at stake.
NC Supreme Court Associate Justice
There are two associate justice seats open on the seven-person Supreme Court. Right now, Democrats control four of the seven seats, so the party needs to win both elections to maintain that advantage, reports the Smoky Mountain News. The story includes profiles of all four candidates. North Carolina is one of seven states to run partisan judicial elections. Here’s BPR and SMN’s coverage of the Republican primary for Seat 5.
For more information on candidates for the N.C. Supreme Court, see the State Board’s Judicial Voter Guide 2022: Midterm General Election.
Seat 3
Lucy Inman (D) Smoky Mountain News, Voter 411
Richard Dietz (R) Smoky Mountain News, Voter 411
Seat 5
Sam Ervin* (D) Smoky Mountain News, Voter 411
Trey Allen (R) Smoky Mountain News, Voter 411
NC Court of Appeals Seats 8, 9, 10, 11
The balance of power on the NC Court of Appeal is on the ballot during this election. Republicans hope to pick up four more seats on the 15-member state Court of Appeals. In 2020, Republicans swept the eight statewide judicial races in North Carolina — three for the Supreme Court and five for the Court of Appeals, according to WUNC.
For more information on candidates for N.C. Court of Appeals, see the State Board’s Judicial Voter Guide 2022: Midterm General Election.
Seat 8
Julee Tate Flood (R) Voter 411
Carolyn Jennings Thompson (D) Voter 411
Seat 9
Brad A. Salmon (D) Voter 411
Donna Stroud (R) Voter 411
Seat 10
John M. Tyson (R) Voter 411
Gale Murray Adams (D) Voter 411
Seat 11
Darren Jackson (D) Voter 411
Michael J. Stading (R) Voter 411
