Voters Will Select Appellate Judges

By John Hood

RALEIGH — In North Carolina, voters select our state judges. Should we? That’s an interesting question. Today is not the day to debate it, however. Whatever the merits of judicial elections, they are deeply embedded in our political culture. Changing to some kind of appointive system would require a vote of the people to alter their constitution, a vote I doubt most North Carolinians are inclined to cast.

Voters across the state are about to select an associate justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court and three judges on the court of appeals. I recommend you join them — after doing your homework. The right to vote comes bundled with the duty not to cast an uninformed vote.

I’ll help. What follows are brief descriptions and websites for all eight candidates. I also recommend reading the judicial-candidate guide published by the State Board of Elections. It offered candidates the opportunity to submit the statements I am about to quote.

In the supreme-court race, incumbent Democrat Anita Earls faces Republican challenger Sarah Stevens, a longtime member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Before her election to the state’s highest court in 2018, Earls was a civil-rights attorney and the executive director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. “All North Carolinians should have a fair and independent court that protects their personal freedoms,” she wrote, “no matter their race, gender or how much money they have in their pockets.” Her website is Earls4Justice.com.

Before her election to the state house in 2008, Stevens practiced law in Surry County. She spent 14 years chairing a judiciary committee, six years as chair of the Court Commission, and eight years as speaker pro tem. “I believe in following the law as written and a strict following of the constitution,” Stevens wrote. “I believe in the neutral application of the law.” Her website is SarahStevensNC.com.

Of the 15 seats on the court of appeals, three are up for election in 2026. Incumbent Democrat John Arrowood was elected in 2018 after being appointed to the court in 2017 and, in an earlier stint, for 2007-08. He previously served as a superior-court judge and on the Banking Commission and Rules Review Commission. “No member of or candidate for the court brings my depth of legal and real-life experiences,” Arrowood wrote. His website is KeepJudgeArrowood.com. Running against Arrowood is Michael Byrne, who has served as an administrative law judge for six years and previously as an attorney in private practice. In his statement, Byrne describes his philosophy as “a fair judge for everyone — and get the law right.” He also cited endorsements from law-enforcement groups. Byrne’s website is MB4NC.com.

Another Democratic incumbent, Tobias Hampson, is seeking his second term after being elected to the court in 2018. He was formerly an attorney in private practice and clerked at the court of appeals. “I am committed to defending the rule of law, upholding your rights, and making sure our judicial system works for the people,” he wrote. His website is JudgeTobyHampson.com. His Republican opponent is George Bell, who has served on the superior court in Mecklenburg County since 2018 and previously practiced criminal law. “As a judge, I have held criminals accountable,” he wrote. “I will continue to administer justice to make sure that our local communities are safe from violent crime.” His website is JudgeGeorgeBell.com.

The third court-of-appeals race pits Democrat Christine Walczyk against Republican Craig Collins. Both currently serve as judges, Walczyk on the district court in Wake County and Collings on the superior court in Gaston County. “I am focused on protecting the individual liberties enshrined in our Constitution, promoting equal access to justice, and forging a stronger, independent judiciary that serves the people,” Walczyk wrote. Her website is JudgeChristine.org. “Our rights are essential, and I have a proven track record of protecting them daily,” Collins wrote. “Furthermore, community safety is essential, and I have spent a career working to protect our community.” His website is VoteCraigCollins.com.

John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His books Mountain Folk, Forest Folk, and Water Folk combine epic fantasy with American history (FolkloreCycle.com).