New filings add challengers to Burke County 2026 election races as deadline closes

UPDDATED FRIDAY DEC. 19, 3:45 p.m.

Burke County voters now have a clearer picture of the 2026 election ballot as additional candidates filed Dec. 18-19, expanding several local and state races as the filing period closed.

Candidate filing for most 2026 contests opened at noon Dec. 1 and ended at noon Friday, Dec. 19. The primary election is scheduled for March 3, with the general election set for Nov. 3.

All county, state, and federal races on the 2026 ballot will be decided countywide, unlike municipal elections where only town residents vote.

Dec. 18 filings included Democrat Kyle Whisnant for the N.C. Senate District 46 seat, Democrat Wesley Hendrix for the N.C. House District 86 seat, and Republican Tony Padgett and Republican Shawn Freeman filed on Friday for the Burke County Board of Commissioners.

Senate District 46 is currently held by Republican Sen. Warren Daniel, who filed earlier this month. The district includes all of Burke County, along with McDowell County and part of Buncombe County.

In the N.C. House, Republican Rep. Hugh Blackwell, who has represented District 86 since 2015, previously filed for reelection and will now face a Democratic challenger Hendrix in the general election.

At the county level, Padgett and Freeman join a growing field for the Burke County Board of Commissioners, where two seats are up for election. Republican incumbents Randy Burns and Phil Smith have filed for reelection, along with Democrat Steve Starnes, who entered the race earlier this month.

Several other incumbents have also filed to retain their offices, including Burke County Sheriff Banks Hinceman and Clerk of Superior Court Crystal Carpenter, both Republicans.

School board races are also shaping up. Democrat Mark Smith has filed for the Central District seat, where Republican incumbent Tiana Beachler is seeking another term. Republican incumbents Leslie Ritchie Taylor and Aaron Johnson have filed in the Eastern and Western districts, respectively.

Burke County Board of Elections Director Kenny Rhyne said registered Democrats and Republicans may vote only in their party’s primary, while unaffiliated voters may choose which party’s primary they wish to participate in.

Town elections in Hildebran and Rutherford College will not open for filing until July, and filing for soil and water conservation supervisor seats begins in June 2026.

U.S. Senate

• Roy Cooper (Dem.)
• Daryl Farrow (Dem.)
• Marcus Williams (Dem.)
• Orrick Quick (Dem.)
• Justin Dules (Dem.)
• Robert Colon (Dem.)
• Shannon Bray (Lib.)
• Elizabeth Temple (Rep.)
• Donald Brown (Rep.)
• Michael Whatley (Rep.)
• Margot Dupre (Rep.)
• Thomas Johnson (Rep.)
• Michele Morrow (Rep.)
• Richard Dansie (Rep.)

U.S. House of Representatives, District 14

• Brent Caldwell (Dem.)
• Lakesha Womack (Dem.)
• Ahmid Kargbo (Dem.)
• Tim Moore (Rep.)
• Kate Barr (Rep.)

N.C. Supreme Court, Associate Justice Seat 01

• Anita Earls (Dem.)
• Sarah Stevens (Rep.)

N.C. Court of Appeals, Seat 01

• John Arrowood (Dem.)
• Matt Smith (Rep.)
• Michael Byrne (Rep.)

N.C. Court of Appeals, Seat 02

• Tobias Hampson (Dem.)
• George Bell (Rep.)

N.C. Court of Appeals, Seat 03

• James Whalen (Dem.)
• Christine Walczyk (Dem.)
• Craig Collins (Rep.)

N.C. Senate, District 46

• Warren Daniel (Rep.)
• Kyle Whisnant (Dem.)

N.C. House of Representatives, District 86

• Hugh Blackwell (Rep.)
• Wesley Hendrix (Dem.)

N.C. Superior Court Judge, District 36, Seat 01

• Dale Hamby (Rep.)
• Tim Rooks (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 01

• David Aycock (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 02

• Wes Barkley (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 03

• Matthew Cabe (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 04

• Robert Mullinax (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 05

• Amber Crouch (Rep.)
• Gregory Hayes (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 06

• Scott Lippert (Rep.)

N.C. District Court Judge, District 36, Seat 07

• Mark Killian (Rep.)

District Attorney, District 36

• Mitch Walker (Rep.)
• Taylor Rockett (Rep.)

Burke County Board of Commissioners

• Randy Burns (Rep.)
• Phil Smith (Rep.)
• Tony Padgett (Rep.)
• Shawn Freeman (Rep.)
• Steve Starnes (Dem.)

Burke County Board of Education, Central District

• Tiana Beachler (Rep.)
• Mark Smith (Dem.)

Burke County Board of Education, Eastern District

• Leslie Ritchie Taylor (Rep.)

Burke County Board of Education, Western District

• Aaron Johnson (Rep.)

Burke County Clerk of Superior Court

• Crystal Carpenter (Rep.)

Burke County Sheriff

• Banks Hinceman (Rep.)

—AVN