WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. — Wayne County voters delivered closely contested results in several judicial races Tuesday, November 3, as unofficial election night totals showed a different voting pattern locally compared to results across North Carolina.
While Republican candidates led all three North Carolina Court of Appeals races in Wayne County, Democratic candidates held substantial leads statewide. In the race for North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1, Democrat Anita Earls led both locally and statewide.
With 87.13% of precincts reporting across North Carolina, Democrats held the lead in all four statewide judicial contests.
NC Supreme Court: Earls Leads in Wayne County and Statewide
In the race for North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1, Democrat Anita Earls narrowly led Republican Sarah Stevens in Wayne County.
Earls received 19,494 votes, or 50.78%, compared to Stevens, who received 18,897 votes, or 49.22%.
The Wayne County margin was just 597 votes.
Statewide, Earls held a much larger lead, receiving 2,276,915 votes, or 58.43%, compared to Stevens, who received 1,619,585 votes, or 41.57%.
NC Court of Appeals: Republicans Lead Locally, Democrats Ahead Statewide
The three North Carolina Court of Appeals races revealed a contrast between Wayne County voters and the statewide electorate.
Court of Appeals Seat 1
In Wayne County, Republican Michael C. Byrne led Democrat John S. Arrowood with 19,585 votes, or 51.18%, compared to Arrowood’s 18,685 votes, or 48.82%.
However, statewide results showed Arrowood leading with 2,188,173 votes, or 56.33%, while Byrne received 1,696,690 votes, or 43.67%.
Court of Appeals Seat 2
Republican George Cooper Bell led in Wayne County with 19,737 votes, representing 51.55%, compared to Democrat Tobias “Toby” Hampson, who received 18,548 votes, or 48.45%.
Statewide, Hampson held the lead with 2,186,399 votes, or 56.34%, while Bell received approximately 1.69 million votes, or 43.66%.
Court of Appeals Seat 3
Wayne County voters favored Republican Craig Collins, who received 19,513 votes, or 51.08%, over Democrat Christine Marie Walczyk, who received 18,687 votes, or 48.92%.
Across North Carolina, Walczyk led with 2,197,204 votes, or 56.66%, compared to Collins, who received 1,680,472 votes, or 43.34%.
Unofficial Judicial Election Results
| Judicial Race | Wayne County Leader | Statewide Leader |
|---|---|---|
| NC Supreme Court Seat 1 | Anita Earls (D) — 50.78% | Anita Earls (D) — 58.43% |
| NC Court of Appeals Seat 1 | Michael C. Byrne (R) — 51.18% | John S. Arrowood (D) — 56.33% |
| NC Court of Appeals Seat 2 | George Cooper Bell (R) — 51.55% | Tobias Hampson (D) — 56.34% |
| NC Court of Appeals Seat 3 | Craig Collins (R) — 51.08% | Christine Marie Walczyk (D) — 56.66% |
Wayne County Voter Turnout Reaches 50%
Wayne County recorded a voter turnout of 50.04%, with 38,788 ballots cast out of 77,521 registered voters.
The results highlight a difference between local and statewide voting preferences, with Wayne County voters narrowly favoring Republican candidates in the three Court of Appeals races while Democratic candidates maintained statewide leads.
With 87.13% of North Carolina precincts reporting at the time of these results, additional votes remained to be counted.
All election night results are unofficial and subject to change as outstanding ballots are counted and election officials complete the canvassing process.
The Wayne County Board of Elections is scheduled to conduct its official canvass on Friday, November 13, 2026.
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