Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that three seats on the Cumberland County Board of Education will be on 2026 ballots. The third seat is currently held by Greg West.
The filing period for the 2026 midterm elections kicks off today, less than a month after the 2025 elections.
During the 2026 election, voters in Cumberland County will cast ballots for races including the U.S. Senate and House, state Senate and House and Cumberland County Board of Commissioners.
The filing period starts at noon Monday, Dec. 1, and runs through noon Friday, Dec. 19, according to a news release from the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
Voter turnout for midterm elections is typically lower than in years with a presidential race. In the last midterm elections, in 2022, 84,327 Cumberland County voters out of a total of 210,817 cast a ballot, according to N.C. Board of Elections data. In 2024, the last presidential election year, 140,941 voters out of 223,529 cast ballots, the data shows.
The primary for the 2026 election is March 3, and Election Day is Nov. 3. For more information about the election, including filing fees, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/elections or call 910-678-7733.
These are the races on the ballot in Cumberland County, along with the current officeholders.
U.S. Senate
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis currently holds the seat but announced earlier in 2025 that he would not seek reelection. Former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and Republican Michael Whatley, the chair of the Republican National Committee, have said they will run for the Senate seat.
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.
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Seventh Congressional District: The seat is currently held by Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican who was first elected in 2014.
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Ninth Congressional District: The seat is currently held by Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican who was first elected in 2012.
State Supreme Court associate justice
One of the seven seats on North Carolina’s highest court will be on 2026 ballots.
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Justice Anita Earls, a Democrat, was first elected in 2018.
State Court of Appeals judges
Three of North Carolina’s 15 Court of Appeals seats will be on statewide ballots.
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Judge John S. Arrowood, a Democrat, was appointed in 2017 to replace the retiring Judge Douglas McCullough. Arrowood was elected to his first full term in 2018.
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Judge Allegra Collins, a Democrat, was first elected in 2018.
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Judge Toby Hampson, a Democrat, was first elected in 2018.
North Carolina State Senate
Cumberland County is split into two state Senate districts.
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District 19: Represented by Democratic Sen. Val Applewhite, who was first elected in 2022.
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District 21: Represented by Republican Sen. Tom McInnis, who was first elected in 2014.
North Carolina House of Representatives
Cumberland County is split into four state House districts.
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District 42: Represented by Rep. Mike Colvin, a Democrat who was first elected in 2024.
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District 43: Represented by Rep. Diane Wheatley, a Republican who was first elected in 2020.
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District 44: Represented by Rep. Charles Smith, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022.
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District 45: Represented by Rep. Frances Jackson, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022.
Cumberland County Superior Court judges
Two Superior Court seats will be on Cumberland County ballots.
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District 12A: Held by Judge Stephen Stokes, a Democrat who was appointed in spring 2025 to fill the seat of retiring Judge Claire Hill.
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District 12C: Held by Judge Jim Ammons, a Democrat who was first elected to the seat in 1998.
Cumberland County District Court judges
Seven of the county’s 10 District Court judges are up for reelection.
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Judge Cheri Siler-Mack, a Democrat who was first elected in 2014.
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Judge Rosalyn Hood, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022.
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Judge Frances McDuffie, 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.
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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.
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Judge David Hasty, a Democrat who was first elected in 2006.
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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.
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Judge Caitlyn Evans, a Democrat who was first elected in 2018.
Cumberland County District Attorney
The office is held by Democrat Billy West, who was first elected in 2010.
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.
Cumberland County Sheriff
The office is held by Sheriff Johnathan Morgan, a Democrat who was appointed to replace Sheriff Ennis Wright upon Wright’s retirement earlier in 2025.
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners
Four of the county’s seven seats are on the ballot in 2026.
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District 1: Represented by Democrat Glenn Adams, who was first elected in 2014.
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District 1: Represented by 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.
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At-large: Represented by Democrat Marshall Faircloth, who is serving his fifth nonconsecutive term since 1992.
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At-large: Represented by Democrat Veronica Jones, who was first elected in 2022.
Cumberland County Board of Education
Three nonpartisan at-large seats will be on 2026 ballots.
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Judy Musgrave, who was first elected in 2014.
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Jacquelyn Brown, who was first elected in 2022.
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Greg West, who was first elected in 2002.
Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
Two of the three seats on the nonpartisan board are up for reelection in 2026.
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Monique McMillan, who was first elected in 2018.
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Ellison L. Ellison, who was first elected in 2022.
News Director Beth Hutson can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: When does filing start for the 2026 elections in Cumberland County?
