The primary election is already underway. Do you know who is on your ballot?
Primary election turnout is usually lower than the general election because of national issues but many races - especially at the local level - are won and lost during the primary.
Find information about voting and your sample ballot by clicking on your county below. See the candidates who are competing in your area.
Here are the dates that you need to know for the primary:
- Feb. 15, 2024: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
- Feb. 27, 2024: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
- March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
- March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day.
- March 5, 2024: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).
On the federal primary ballot is the Republican Presidential candidate spot and the battle for which Republican candidate will vie to serve in in Congress.
Information on statewide races
Governor: Who will lead the state? Find information on all the candidates here.
Lieutenant Governor: With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeking higher office, a crowded field of hopefuls compete for one of the least powerful roles in state government. Find more on the candidates here.
Attorney General: Two former Congressman are among the four people hoping to become the state's next Attorney General. Read about all the candidates here.
Council of State: The Council of State races include Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary State. Find details on all the candidates here.
Judicial races:
Supreme Court: Two Democrats - incumbent Allison Riggs and challenger Lora Cubbage- are competing to challenge Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the state's highest court. Riggs is a former Court of Appeals judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court in September of last year to replace Michael Morgan who is making a bid for governor. Riggs graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree, masters degree and law degree. She was an an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice where she argued several of the state's redistricting challenges. Cubbage is a Superior Court judge from Greensboro. She graduated from NC A&T and earned her law degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She previously worked as an assistant attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice.
Court of Appeals: Republicans Chris Freeman and Hunter Murphy face off in the primary, and the winner will face Buncombe County Democrat Martin Moore in the general election. Freeman has served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. He graduated from High Point University and obtained his law degree from Regent University. Murphy won the seat since 2016, after he ran unsuccessfully in 2014. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and earned his law degree at University of the Pacific. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice.
Information for your primary races by county
Buncombe County Commission Regional Guide
Henderson, McDowell, Polk Regional Guide
Haywood, Transylvania and Madison Regional Guide
Macon, Jackson and Swain Regional Guide
Cherokee, Clay, and Graham Regional Guide
Print a sample ballot to mark your choices before you head to the polls.
- Cherokee County – sample ballots
- Clay County – sample ballots
- Macon County – sample ballots(Scroll left sidebar)
- Graham County – sample ballots
- Swain County – sample ballots
- Jackson County – sample ballots
- Haywood County – sample ballots (Under Quick Links on left sidebar)
- Transylvania County – sample ballots
- Buncombe County – sample ballots
- Henderson County – sample ballots
- McDowell County – sample ballots (Scroll to bottom left)
- Madison County – sample ballots
- Polk County – sample ballots
