The Candidate Filing Period Is Closed For 2024 Elections. Who's Running in Orange County?

The filing period for North Carolina’s 2024 election cycle is now closed, setting up hotly-contested statewide races and several intriguing races in Orange County.

This is a presidential election year, of course, but North Carolina will also see a closely-watched race for governor, as incumbent Roy Cooper is term-limited. Democratic attorney general Josh Stein and Republican lieutenant governor Mark Robinson are the frontrunners for their respective party nominations, though both will face high-profile primary challengers. Because Stein and Robinson are running for governor, though, North Carolina will also be electing a new lieutenant governor and a new attorney general — as well as a new state treasurer, with Republican incumbent Dale Folwell running for the gubernatorial nomination too.

There’s also one very critical statewide judicial race — featuring the State Supreme Court seat currently held by Allison Riggs, one of only two Democrats on the seven-member court.

In Orange County, there will be four open seats on the Board of County Commissioners. Amy Fowler, Jean Hamilton, Phyllis Portie-Ascott, and Anna Richards are the incumbents; Fowler, Hamilton, and Portie-Ascott are running for reelection, but Richards is not. Neither the at-large or District 1 elections drew challengers, although former Orange County Democratic Party Chair Marilyn Carter entered and is slated to assume Richards’ seat. Portie-Ascott will face a pair of Democratic primary challengers in Adam Beeman and Horace Johnson Jr. — with the winner of the March primary facing off against unopposed Republican candidate H. Nathan Robinson.

Also up for re-election in 2024 are U.S. House Representative Valerie Foushee; State Senator Graig Meyer; State House Representatives Allen Buansi and Renée Price; district court judges Joal Broun, Samantha Cabe, Sherri Murrell, and Hathaway Pendergrass; and Orange County School Board members Carrie Doyle, Bonnie Hauser, and Jennifer Moore. The March 5 primary is also the general election for the school board race, which is nonpartisan.

Which Candidates Are On The Ballot?

Below is a list of all the candidates who have filed to run for local office or have declared their intentions to file. Candidates are separated by party affiliation (when relevant) and listed alphabetically by last name. Candidates who have verbally committed to the election cycle are listed as such.

U.S. House – District 4

Eric Blankenburg (R)
Valerie Foushee (D – incumbent)
Mahesh (Max) Ganorkar (R)
Guy Meilleur (Libertarian)

State Senate – District 23

Graig Meyer (D – incumbent)
Laura Pichardo (R)

State House – District 50

Renée Price (D – incumbent)

State House – District 56

Allen Buansi (D – incumbent)
Jeffrey Hoagland (R)

North Carolina District Court 15B – Seat 02

Samantha Cabe (D – incumbent)

North Carolina District Court 15B – Seat 03

Hathaway Pendergrass (D – incumbent)

North Carolina District Court 15B – Seat 04

Sheri Murrell (D – incumbent)

North Carolina District Court 15B – Seat 05

Joal Broun (D – incumbent)

Orange County Commissioner District 1 (two seats)

Marilyn Carter (D)
Jean Hamilton (D – incumbent)

Orange County Commissioner District 2

Adam J. Beeman (D)
Horace H. Johnson, Jr. (D)
Phyllis Portie-Ascott (D – incumbent)
H. Nathan Robinson (R)

Orange County Commissioner At-Large

Amy Fowler (D – incumbent)

Orange County Board of Education (three seats)

Kevin Alston Jr.
Carrie Doyle (incumbent)
Bonnie Hauser (incumbent)
Michael N. Johnson
Jennifer Moore (incumbent)
Wendy Padilla
Cindy Shriner

Additional Chapelboro coverage on candidates can be found on the Local Elections page, as well as other updates in the races as the election cycle continues this spring and fall.

What Are Upcoming Dates to Know?

Voter registration for the local primary election cycle will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 9. Early voting then runs from February 15 to March 2, which is another opportunity to initially register to vote. Election Day itself is Tuesday, March 5.

Editor’s Note: A prior version of this article incorrectly said the filing period will end at 5 p.m. on December 15. It has since been updated to reflect the correct time.

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