2012 North Carolina judicial elections

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One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and three judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the elections for President, U.S. House, Governor, Council of State, State Senate, State House, and other offices. North Carolina judicial elections are non-partisan. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. In three of the four races, incumbents were re-elected to their seats, but incumbent Court of Appeals Judge Cressie Thigpen (who had never been elected but rather was appointed to fill a vacancy on the court) was defeated by Chris Dillon. [1]

Contents

2012 North Carolina Supreme Court election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2010 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014  

1 seats of the Supreme Court of North Carolina
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election43
Seats won10
Seats after43
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg

Supreme Court (Seat 2)

2012 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2004 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2020  
  3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Candidate Paul Martin Newby Sam Ervin IV
Popular vote1,821,5621,688,463
Percentage51.90%48.10%

Associate Justice before election

Paul Martin Newby

Elected Associate Justice

Paul Martin Newby

Associate Justice Paul Martin Newby ran for re-election for a second 8-year term. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Sam Ervin IV challenged Newby in the general election. [2]

Justice at Stake estimated that total spending by Newby, Ervin, and outside groups in this contest surpassed $4.4 million, breaking North Carolina records for spending in judicial elections. One group, Americans for Prosperity, spent $250,000 in support of Newby, more than the group had ever spent on any judicial election. [3]

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Paul
Newby
Sam
Ervin IV
Undecided
Public Policy Polling [4] October 29–31, 2012730± 3.6%35%39%26%
Public Policy Polling [5] October 12–14, 20121,084± 3.0%24%32%44%
Public Policy Polling [6] September 27–30, 20121,084± 3.0%23%31%46%
Paul Martin Newby

Federal officials

Political parties

Organizations

Sam Ervin IV

Political parties

Organizations

North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 2) general election, 2012 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Paul Martin Newby (incumbent) 1,821,562 51.90%
Nonpartisan Sam Ervin IV 1,688,46348.10%
Total votes3,510,025 100%

Court of Appeals (Seat 4)

Judge Linda McGee ran for re-election to a third full term. [15] She was challenged by attorney David S. Robinson. [16] McGee won re-election with 61.2 percent of the vote. [17]

North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 4) general election, 2012 [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Linda McGee (incumbent) 2,097,791 61.19%
Nonpartisan David S. Robinson1,330,26038.81%
Total votes3,428,051 100%

Court of Appeals (Seat 5)

Judge Wanda Bryant was the incumbent and ran for re-election. She was challenged by District Court Judge Marty McGee. [19] Bryant won re-election with 56.5 percent of the vote. [20]

North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 5) general election, 2012 [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Wanda Bryant (incumbent) 1,926,333 56.55%
Nonpartisan Marty McGee1,480,23243.45%
Total votes3,406,565 100%

Court of Appeals (Seat 6)

Judge Cressie Thigpen, who was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by former Judge Barbara Jackson's election to the Supreme Court, ran for a full term. He was challenged by attorney/bank executive Chris Dillon, who ran for a seat on the Court of Appeals in 2010. [22] Dillon defeated Thigpen and won the seat with 52.8 percent of the vote. [23]

North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 6) general election, 2012 [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Chris Dillon 1,779,906 52.74%
Nonpartisan Cressie Thigpen (incumbent)1,594,79947.26%
Total votes3,374,705 100%

References

  1. Charlotte Observer Archived 2013-01-02 at archive.today
  2. "Morganton News Herald: Ervin announces N.C. Supreme Court candidacy". Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  3. ""The New Politics of Judicial Elections, 2011-12" (Justice at Stake Campaign), chapter 1". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  4. Public Policy Polling
  5. Public Policy Polling
  6. Public Policy Polling
  7. 1 2 3 4 "'Most Important Election in N.C.' – Supreme Court Race, Includes Guide for Three N.C. Court of Appeals Contests". High Country Press. October 29, 2012.
  8. 1 2 Axtell, Nathaniel (November 2, 2012). "Parties make final push for local votes". Times-News .
  9. "NC Chamber's PAC endorses Newby for high court". NC Lawyers Weekly. August 28, 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Supreme Court candidates trade jabs on experience as money waits in the wings". WRAL . September 27, 2012.
  11. Comer, Matt (September 26, 2012). "Statewide candidate endorsements announced". QnotesCarolinas.
  12. "2012 NCPBA Endorsed Candidates". sspba.org. May 4, 2012.
  13. "NC Sierra Club Endorses Sam Ervin IV for N.C. Supreme Court, He Served 10 Years on N.C. Utilities Commission". High Country Press. October 29, 2012.
  14. "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections .
  15. News & Observer: Veteran appeals court judge running again
  16. NC State Board of Elections: Candidate filing list Archived 2013-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
  17. State of North Carolina Nov. 6, 2012 General Election
  18. "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  19. Concord judge seeks Court of Appeals seat
  20. State of North Carolina Nov. 6, 2012 General Election
  21. "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  22. WRAL/Associated Press: NC voters choosing four appeals court judges
  23. State of North Carolina Nov. 6, 2012 General Election
  24. "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 1, 2025.