Voters across Eastern North Carolina will head to the polls Tuesday, November 3, to decide who represents them in Washington, Raleigh and their local communities.
The ballot includes a U.S. Senate race, congressional and state legislative contests, judicial elections and a range of local offices, including sheriffs, county commissioners and school board members.
Voters will also decide 3 proposed amendments to the North Carolina Constitution. Some counties and towns have additional ballot questions involving taxes, fire protection services and alcohol sales.
Public Radio East has compiled this election guide to help people find the candidates and ballot questions affecting their communities.
When and where to vote
Voters must go to their assigned Election Day polling place. Anyone in line when polls close at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
North Carolina requires voters to show an acceptable photo ID. People who do not have one may still be able to vote by completing an ID Exception Form or following the state's provisional ballot procedures.
Same-day voter registration is not generally available on Election Day.
Absentee ballots must be received by county election officials by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, subject to special rules for military and overseas voters. Completed absentee ballots cannot be returned to an Election Day polling place.
Official voting resources:
- Find an assigned polling place and sample ballot
- North Carolina voter ID requirements
- Election Day voting information
Candidates by county
Local races vary by county and voting district. Some candidates face opposition, while others are running unopposed.
Public Radio East's county-by-county candidate guide covers the following 16 Eastern North Carolina counties:
- Beaufort
- Carteret
- Craven
- Dare
- Duplin
- Edgecombe
- Greene
- Hyde
- Jones
- Lenoir
- Martin
- Onslow
- Pamlico
- Pitt
- Tyrrell
- Washington
Related coverage: Election 2026: County-by-county guide to candidates in Eastern North Carolina
Local referendums: What's on the ballot?
Several Eastern North Carolina communities will decide local ballot questions.
Dare County: Voters will decide whether to authorize an additional quarter-cent local sales and use tax.
Duplin County: Voters within the Natural Wells Fire Protection District will consider a fire protection tax referendum.
Jones County: Voters will decide an alcoholic beverage sales referendum. People in Pollocksville will also have a separate town referendum.
Lenoir and Pitt counties: Voters within the town of Grifton will decide a mixed-beverage referendum. Grifton extends into both counties.
These local referendums appear only on ballots in the affected jurisdictions.
Related coverage: Election 2026: County-by-county guide to referendums in Eastern North Carolina
3 proposed constitutional amendments
All North Carolina voters will be asked to consider 3 proposed amendments to the state constitution.
Amendment 1: Voter photo identification
Would expand the constitutional photo ID requirement to cover all voting methods, including voting by mail.
Amendment 2: State income tax rate
Would lower the maximum allowable state income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%.
Amendment 3: Property taxes
Would require the General Assembly to establish limits on the amount of property taxes local governments can levy.
Each amendment requires a majority of votes cast on that question to pass.
Federal races
U.S. Senate
North Carolina voters will elect 1 U.S. senator.
U.S. House of Representatives
All 14 of North Carolina's congressional districts are on the ballot.
Eastern North Carolina includes portions of several congressional districts, so candidates vary depending on where voters live.
Among the races is the contest in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District, where Democratic incumbent Don Davis faces Republican Laurie Buckhout and Libertarian Tom Bailey.
The district includes communities in northeastern and eastern North Carolina.
North Carolina General Assembly
All 50 seats in the North Carolina Senate and all 120 seats in the North Carolina House of Representatives are on the ballot.
These lawmakers make decisions involving public education, taxes, healthcare, transportation, environmental regulations and the state budget.
Eastern North Carolina voters will see different legislative races depending on their districts.
Judicial elections
North Carolina voters will elect 1 Supreme Court associate justice and 3 Court of Appeals judges.
North Carolina Supreme Court — Seat 1
- Anita Earls (D)
- Sarah Stevens (R)
North Carolina Court of Appeals — Seat 1
- John S. Arrowood (D)
- Michael C. Byrne (R)
North Carolina Court of Appeals — Seat 2
- Tobias "Toby" Hampson (D)
- George Cooper Bell (R)
North Carolina Court of Appeals — Seat 3
- Christine Marie Walczyk (D)
- Craig Collins (R)
Some Eastern North Carolina voters will also decide Superior Court and District Court races.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has published an official judicial voter guide, including candidate biographies and statements.
School board elections
School board seats are on the ballot in several Eastern North Carolina counties.
These boards oversee local public school systems, including budgets, district policies, school facilities and the selection of superintendents.
Some races are contested, while others feature candidates running without opposition.
School board elections may be partisan or nonpartisan depending on the county.
Election Night results
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Unofficial results will begin appearing after polls close as county election officials report vote totals to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Results will be updated throughout Election Night.
Election Night results are unofficial. County election boards will complete their canvass and certification process on November 13, with statewide certification scheduled for November 24.
Follow official Election Night results
More election coverage from Public Radio East
Public Radio East will follow the election across Eastern North Carolina, including major congressional and legislative races, contested county offices and local ballot questions.
For complete ballot information, visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
This guide was prepared ahead of the November 3, 2026 general election. Ballot contests vary by county, district and municipality. Voters can view their individual sample ballots through the state's voter lookup system.
