The North Carolina Supreme Court is hearing arguments this month in cases that could affect people throughout our state. At the same time, North Carolinians are preparing to elect a justice to serve on the Court for the next eight years.
These events are connected. The cases before the Court demonstrate why judicial elections deserve the public’s attention.
A recent Public News Service article highlighted calls from North Carolina organizations for the public to learn more about the Court, the cases it considers, and the candidates seeking to serve on it.
Melissa Price Kromm, executive director of North Carolina For The People, explained that court cases are not simply abstract legal disagreements. Their outcomes become real consequences for North Carolina families.
Court decisions can determine whether voters are fairly represented, whether children receive the education promised by the state Constitution, whether communities can seek accountability for contaminated water, and whether public employees receive the benefits they were promised.
Understanding these consequences is the first step toward making an informed decision in a judicial election.
What does the North Carolina Supreme Court do?
The North Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in our state. It consists of one chief justice and six associate justices.
The Court reviews certain decisions made by the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Business Court, and lower courts. It also interprets the North Carolina Constitution and determines how state laws apply to the cases before it.
Supreme Court justices do not write laws. Their responsibility is to interpret the Constitution and laws, review legal arguments, and decide whether lower courts and other state institutions applied the law correctly.
Those decisions can establish legal rules that affect people in every North Carolina county.
Court decisions become everyday consequences
It can be difficult to see how an appellate court case connects to daily life. Many cases involve complicated legal questions, lengthy court filings, and arguments that may take years to resolve.
However, the consequences are often deeply personal.
Public education
The long-running Leandro case established that every child in North Carolina has a constitutional right to the opportunity to receive a sound basic education.
Decisions in that case have addressed school funding, access to qualified teachers and principals, early childhood education, and the state’s responsibility to students.
For families experiencing teacher shortages or inadequate school resources, these decisions are not theoretical. They affect the quality and consistency of the education children receive.
Learn more about how North Carolina courts shape Education Access.
Voting and political representation
State courts hear cases involving voting rules, election administration, ballot eligibility, and redistricting.
In 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed its previous decision concerning partisan gerrymandering. The ruling allowed the General Assembly to draw new congressional and legislative maps.
Those maps influence which communities are placed together, which communities are divided, and whether voters can translate their votes into meaningful representation.
North Carolina’s governor does not have the authority to veto redistricting maps. This makes the courts especially important when voters challenge maps they believe violate state or federal law.
Learn more about Redistricting and Voting and Democracy.
Drinking water and environmental protection
Cases involving PFAS contamination and other forms of pollution can determine whether communities can hold polluters accountable, what evidence affected residents must present, and who may be responsible for cleanup costs.
For North Carolinians living near contaminated waterways, the outcome can affect the safety of their drinking water, their health, and the financial burden placed on their communities.
Learn more about the relationship between the courts and Environmental Justice.
Health care and economic security
The Court also hears disputes involving health care benefits, workplace protections, contracts, and decisions made by state agencies.
One long-running case involves retired state employees who argue that North Carolina failed to provide health coverage they were promised after completing the required years of public service.
Cases like this can affect retirement security, household expenses, and access to medical care for thousands of people.
Other appellate cases involving utility rates can influence which expenses utility companies may recover from customers and how those costs are reflected in monthly bills.
These cases demonstrate that the decisions made by the Court can reach directly into family budgets.
What is on the 2026 ballot?
One North Carolina Supreme Court associate justice seat is on the ballot in the 2026 general election.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections Judicial Voter Guide lists two candidates for the seat:
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- Anita Earls, Democrat
- Sarah Stevens, Republican
The winner will serve an eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Why Judges Matter NC does not support or oppose candidates. Our purpose is to help North Carolinians understand the role of the courts, learn about the people seeking judicial office, and make informed decisions based on credible information.
Voters should review each candidate’s education, legal experience, professional record, public statements, and approach to the responsibilities of the office. The State Board’s judicial voter guide includes candidate information submitted by each campaign.
How North Carolinians can engage
Public engagement with the courts should not begin and end on Election Day.
North Carolinians can:
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- Learn how the state court system works.
- Follow important cases before the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
- Read court opinions and reliable reporting about their consequences.
- Research every judicial candidate appearing on their ballot.
- Discuss judicial elections with family, friends, and community members.
- Make a plan to vote in the 2026 general election.
According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the voter registration deadline is October 9 at 5 p.m. In-person early voting will run from October 15 through October 31. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
Voters can find their registration information, polling place, and sample ballot through the State Board’s Voter Search tool.
Your ballot. Your courts. Your voice.
Judicial elections can receive less attention than races for president, governor, Congress, or the General Assembly. That does not make them less important.
North Carolina Supreme Court justices serve eight-year terms and decide cases that can shape the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of people throughout our state.
The public has a responsibility to understand that power and evaluate the candidates seeking to exercise it.
As the Court considers cases affecting North Carolina communities and voters prepare for the 2026 election, now is the time to learn more, ask questions, and pay attention.
Your schools. Your representation. Your drinking water. Your health care. Your economic security.
These are all reasons why judges matter in North Carolina.
