2020 North Carolina judicial elections

Last updated

Three justices of the seven-member North Carolina Supreme Court and five judges of the 15-member North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 3, 2020, concurrently with other state elections. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. These elections were conducted on a partisan basis.

Contents

Incumbent Court of Appeals Judges Linda McGee and Wanda Bryant (both Democrats) did not reopen their campaign accounts with the State Board of Elections, indicating they would not run for re-election, [1] and they did not file for re-election by the time filing closed on Dec. 20, 2019. [2]

Only one candidate from each party filed for each seat, meaning that no party primary elections would be necessary.

In the general election, Republican candidates won all of the races. [3] The results of the Chief Justice race were only confirmed after a lengthy recount process, because of the narrow margin. [4] [5]

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court elections
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2018 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03) 2022  

3 seats of the Supreme Court of North Carolina
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election52
Seats before61
Seats won03
Seats after43
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 2Increase2.svg2

Supreme Court

Chief Justice

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2014 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)2028 
  3x4.svg Cheri Beasley HBCU The Road To Justice Tour 2.png
Candidate Paul Newby Cheri Beasley
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote2,695,9512,695,550
Percentage50.004%49.996%

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice election results map by county.svg
County results
Newby:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Beasley:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Chief Justice before election

Cheri Beasley
Democratic

Elected Chief Justice

Paul Newby
Republican

Chief Justice Mark Martin, a Republican, announced his resignation in 2019, triggering an election for his seat in 2020. Governor Roy Cooper appointed Associate Justice Cheri Beasley, a Democrat, to become Chief Justice through 2020. [6]

Beasley requested a recount on Nov. 17, 2020. [7] After the recount found the margin between the candidates to be 401 votes, Beasley called for a second recount in a sampling of precincts statewide, as allowed by law. [8] Beasley then conceded the election to Newby on Dec. 12. [9]

Candidates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Cheri
Beasley (D)
Paul
Newby (R)
Undecided
Cardinal Point Analytics (R) [12] October 27–28, 2020750 (LV)± 3.6%45%44%11%
Meeting Street Insights (R) [13] October 24–27, 2020600 (LV)± 4%49%44%4%
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [14] October 22–25, 2020504 (LV)± 4.4%49%40%11%
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [15] September 17–20, 2020612 (LV)± 3.96%44%38%18%
Hypothetical polling

with Generic Democrat and Generic Republican

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Generic
Democrat
Generic
Republican
Other/Undecided
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [15] September 17–20, 2020612 (LV)± 3.96%43%43%14% [b]
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [16] August 6–10, 2020600 (LV)± 4%38%40%≈22%-23% [c]
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [17] April 5–7, 2020500 (LV)± 4.4%39%36%25% [d]
Harper Polling/Civitas (R) [18] Released March 17, 2019 [e] 36%34%30% [f]

Results

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Paul Martin Newby 2,695,951 50.004%
Democratic Cheri Beasley (incumbent)2,695,55049.996%
Total votes5,391,501 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

Seat 2

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 2 election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2012 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)2028 
  3x4.svg Lucy Inman 4131 (cropped).png
Candidate Phil Berger Jr. Lucy Inman
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote2,723,7042,652,187
Percentage50.67%49.33%

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 2 Election Results.svg
County results
Berger:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Inman:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Associate Justice before election

Paul Newby
Republican

Elected Associate Justice

Phil Berger Jr.
Republican

The seat held by Associate Justice Paul Martin Newby was up for election in 2020. Newby announced that he would run for Chief Justice instead, leaving his Associate Justice seat open. [11]

Candidates

  • Phil Berger Jr. (Republican), incumbent judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals [20]
  • Lucy Inman (Democratic), incumbent judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals [21]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Phil
Berger Jr. (R)
Lucy
Inman (D)
Undecided
Meeting Street Insights (R) [13] October 24–27, 2020600 (LV)± 4%43%47%7%

Results

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 2 election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Phil Berger Jr. 2,723,704 50.67%
Democratic Lucy Inman 2,652,18749.33%
Total votes5,375,891 100.00%
Republican hold

Seat 4

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 4 election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  2014 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)2028 
  State Senator Tamara Barringer (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Tamara Barringer Mark A. Davis
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote2,746,3622,616,265
Percentage51.21%48.79%

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 4 Election Results.svg
County results
Barringer:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Davis:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Associate Justice before election

Mark A. Davis
Democratic

Elected Associate Justice

Tamara Barringer
Republican

Beasley's elevation to the position of Chief Justice made her Associate Justice seat vacant, which also triggered a 2020 election. Governor Cooper appointed Court of Appeals Judge Mark A. Davis to fill the vacancy as an associate justice. [22]

Candidates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Mark A.
Davis (D)
Tamara P.
Barringer (R)
Undecided
Meeting Street Insights (R) [13] October 24–27, 2020600 (LV)± 4%50%42%6%

Results

2020 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 4 election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Tamara P. Barringer 2,746,362 51.21%
Democratic Mark A. Davis (incumbent)2,616,26548.79%
Total votes5,362,627 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

Court of Appeals

Seat 4

Candidates

Declared

Results

Results by county

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Wood
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Shields
50-60%
60-70%
70-80% 2020 North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 4 Election Results.svg
Results by county
  Wood
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Shields
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 4 election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican April C. Wood 2,767,469 51.78%
Democratic Tricia Shields2,577,01348.22%
Total votes5,344,482 100.00%

Seat 5

Candidates

Declared

Results

Results by county

Gore
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Cubbage
50-60%
60-70%
70-80% 2020 North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 5 Election Results.svg
Results by county
  Gore
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Cubbage
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 5 election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Gore 2,735,952 51.27%
Democratic Lora Christine Cubbage2,600,63248.73%
Total votes5,336,584 100.00%

Seat 6

Candidates

Declared

  • Chris Dillon (Republican), incumbent Court of Appeals Judge
  • Gray Styers (Democrat), attorney [1]

Results

Results by county

Dillon
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Styers
50-60%
60-70%
70-80% 2020 North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 6 Election Results.svg
Results by county
  Dillon
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Styers
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 6 election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Chris Dillon (incumbent) 2,769,020 51.95%
Democratic Gray Styers2,561,09048.05%
Total votes5,330,110 100.00%

Seat 7

Judge Reuben Young, a Democrat, was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to fill a vacancy, through the end of 2020, and was eligible to run for a full term.

Candidates

Declared

Results

Results by county

Carpenter
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Young
50-60%
60-70%
70-80% 2020 North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 7 Election Results.svg
Results by county
  Carpenter
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Young
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 7 election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeff Carpenter 2,747,109 51.59%
Democratic Reuben Young (incumbent)2,578,03548.41%
Total votes5,325,144 100.00%

Seat 13

Judge Christopher Brook, a Democrat, was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to fill a vacancy, through the end of 2020, and was eligible to run for a full term.

Candidates

Declared

Results

Results by county

Griffin
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
Brook
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90% 2020 North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 13 Election Results.svg
Results by county
  Griffin
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Brook
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 13 election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jefferson G. Griffin 2,720,503 51.16%
Democratic Christopher Brook (incumbent)2,597,57348.84%
Total votes5,318,076 100.00%

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. "Neither" with 1%; "Other" with 0%; Undecided with 13%
  3. Undecided with 21%; "Neither" with 1%; "Other Party" with <1%
  4. Undecided with 20%; "Neither/other/independent" with 5%
  5. Not yet released
  6. Undecided with 20%; "Neither/other/independent" with 10%

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 News & Observer
  2. 1 2 3 4 State Board of Elections: State candidate list by county
  3. "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  4. "§ 163-182.7. Ordering recounts". www.ncleg.gov. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  5. Battaglia, Danielle (November 13, 2020). "NC chief justice candidates swap leads back and forth as vote counting continues". The News & Observer . Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  6. "Cheri Beasley Announced as First Black Female Chief Justice in NC History". Spectrum News. February 12, 2019.
  7. ABC 11/WTVD
  8. Cheri Beasley on Twitter
  9. ABC11/WTVD: Paul Newby wins North Carolina Supreme Court race as incumbent Cheri Beasley concedes
  10. Bonner, Lynn; Thompson, Elizabeth (March 10, 2019). "Who's running in North Carolina's 2020 statewide races?". The News & Observer.
  11. 1 2 "Newby to seek Chief Justice seat in 2020". North State Journal. January 25, 2019.
  12. Cardinal Point Analytics (R)
  13. 1 2 3 Meeting Street Insights (R) Archived 2020-10-31 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Harper Polling/Civitas (R)
  15. 1 2 Harper Polling/Civitas (R)
  16. Harper Polling/Civitas (R)
  17. Harper Polling/Civitas (R) Archived 2020-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Harper Polling/Civitas (R) Archived 2020-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "11/03/2020 Official Local Election Results - Statewide". er.ncsbe.gov.
  20. Doran, Will (January 28, 2019). "Phil Berger Jr., son of powerful Republican lawmaker, wants seat on NC Supreme Court". The News & Observer. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  21. Doran, Will (January 30, 2019). "Democratic judge Lucy Inman announces 2020 campaign for NC Supreme Court seat". The News & Observer. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  22. "Gov. Cooper Names Supreme Court Associate Justice". North Carolina Governor. March 11, 2019.
  23. Doran, Will (February 5, 2019). "Former state senator Tamara Barringer of Cary to seek NC Supreme Court seat". The News & Observer. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  24. "Cooper elevates Court of Appeals judge to Supreme Court". WCTI 12. Associated Press. March 11, 2019.