Did You Know? North Carolina’s 2026 Election Cycle Quietly Started at Noon on Monday

A slow moment on the calendar that changes the next 18 months of North Carolina politics

The start of an election cycle never arrives with fireworks. It arrives with a timestamp. In North Carolina, that moment was 12:00 p.m. on Monday, December 1, 2025, when the filing window opened for every statewide, legislative, judicial, and federal office appearing on the 2026 ballot. The window remains open until noon on December 19, a period long enough for clarity but short enough to pressure anyone still deciding whether to run.

Below is what actually happened and why it matters to Charlotte residents, written without urgency or breathlessness, because the most consequential choices in elections often happen long before a single yard sign appears.

What Filing Actually Means

Candidate filing is the simplest, least glamorous step in American democracy. It is also the one that creates the ballot itself. In North Carolina, prospective candidates must submit a Notice of Candidacy and pay the required filing fee with either their county board of elections or the State Board of Elections, depending on the office.

Nothing is official until the window closes at noon on December 19, when the state publishes the full list of certified candidates. Between now and then, the political landscape is fluid.

What’s on the Ballot in 2026

The 2026 ballot is unusually consequential for a midterm year. North Carolina voters will decide:

United States Senate

A full six-year term is on the ballot. Incumbent Thom Tillis is not seeking reelection, which means this becomes an open-seat race in a state that rarely produces dull Senate contests. An open Senate seat tends to attract major fundraising and national attention.

United States House

All 14 congressional districts will elect representatives under the current district lines.

State Legislature

Every seat in the North Carolina House and North Carolina Senate is up, as always, because both chambers run on two-year terms.

Judicial Offices

A significant lineup of judicial contests appears on the 2026 ballot, including:

• A seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court
• Several Court of Appeals seats
• A broad slate of District Court and Superior Court races across the state

Judicial contests rarely dominate headlines, but they shape the interpretation of state policy for years at a time.

Local and County Offices

At the county level, Mecklenburg residents will see:

• District Attorney
• County Commissioners (depending on district cycle)
• Local court seats
• Other statutory county and municipal positions

These offices determine daily life more than most federal positions, though they receive far less attention.

The Dates That Matter

Filing Window

December 1, 2025 — 12:00 p.m.
to
December 19, 2025 — 12:00 p.m.

Primary Election

March 3, 2026

General Election

November 3, 2026

For context: North Carolina is one of the earliest primary states in the country. That means the first burst of campaign noise will arrive shortly after New Year’s.

What Charlotte Should Watch

1. The Senate Field

Because the seat is open, this contest will likely become the most expensive race on the statewide ballot. Candidate decisions in the next two weeks will determine whether the field becomes crowded or consolidates early.

2. Judicial Filing Patterns

These races rarely gather immediate attention, but they directly influence decisions on redistricting, ballot rules, and state-level policymaking. Charlotte voters frequently encounter the effects of these decisions long before they notice the names on the ballot.

3. Competitive Legislative Races

The Mecklenburg delegation has become increasingly influential at the state level. The filing window will tell us whether sitting lawmakers face meaningful primary challengers, or whether retirements open up new political paths.

4. Local Offices

County-level justice, education, and administrative offices often carry significant policy consequences. Filing will clarify which roles remain unopposed and which become competitive.

Why This Quiet Window Matters

Elections don’t begin with ads or debates. They begin with paperwork.

In a state with closely divided politics, the filing period can be the most strategic moment in the entire cycle. A strong challenger filing on Day 1 can deter competitors. A quiet final week can signal consolidation. And late-hour filings often reshape the expected dynamics of a race.

Charlotte’s role in statewide elections continues to grow. The decisions made between now and December 19 will help shape the next two years of state governance.

About the Author

Jack Beckett writes about Charlotte’s civic machinery and drinks more coffee than any doctor recommends. When not sorting through meeting agendas, he can be found at the Einstein Bros. Bagels on South Boulevard pretending it counts as a “second office.”

At The Charlotte Mercury, you’ll find deeply reported stories on politics, housing, zoning, business, culture, and the decisions shaping life in Mecklenburg County. Explore the latest reporting at cltmercury.com, browse our city government coverage at cltmercury.com/city-council, revisit recent stories at cltmercury.com/news, and read our ongoing election reporting at cltmercury.com/politics. You can always message the newsroom on Twitter—yes, Twix—at x.com/queencityexp.

Creative Commons License

© 2025 The Charlotte Mercury / Strolling Ballantyne
This article, “Did You Know? North Carolina’s 2026 Election Filing Window Has Opened,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.

“Did You Know? North Carolina’s 2026 Election Filing Window Has Opened”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)