The polls are open across North Carolina for early in-person voting for the 2026 primaries. Voters will decide who they want to see on the ballot this November, including a high-profile race to fill the U.S. Senate seat Republican Thom Tillis is vacating.
Some races around the region and state are expected to be competitive and consequential. In many cases, especially for Mecklenburg County, the primary winner is effectively the overall winner, with no challengers in the November general election.
In Mecklenburg County, voters will decide whether to keep incumbent Sheriff Garry McFadden or choose one of his multiple challengers, seizing the stacking controversies surrounding the sheriff. Voters will also decide the fate of two Democratic incumbents who are facing backlash for veto overrides, siding with Republicans in the general assembly: Reps. Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed. Gov. Josh Stein backs a challenger in Cunningham’s race.
There’s also the Mecklenburg County Commission race, filled with challengers for three at-large seats and a trio of district seats.
Around the state, other standout races have gathered attention. In Rockingham and northern Guilford counties, a few thousand GOP voters will decide if longtime Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page can knock off state Senate leader Phil Berger — it’s the first serious challenger Berger has faced in a primary.
There’s also the elephant in the room — former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Whatley. A win for the front-runners would signal the next phase in what is expected to be one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive, Senate races in U.S. history.
On today’s episode, we discuss some key races to watch for, how certain races could shift power in North Carolina and what to keep in mind as you head to the polls.
GUESTS:
Colin Campbell, capitol bureau chief and political reporter for WUNC
Steve Harrison, politics reporter for WFAE
