2010 North Carolina judicial elections

none January 2025 July 2025 One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and five judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 2, 2010, on the same day as the U.S. Senate election, U.S. House elections, and other state-level elections. North Carolina judicial elections are non-partisan. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. All incumbent judges and justices who sought re-election won their respective races, except for Judge Cressie Thigpen of the Court of Appeals, who had been appointed shortly before the election and lost North Carolina's first statewide election to use Instant-runoff voting. Supreme Court (Seat 1) Incumbent Edward Thomas Brady did not file to run for re-election. N.C. Court of Appeals Judges Bob HunterNews & Observer: Bob Hunter to make 2nd run for NC Supreme Court and Barbara Jackson filed to run for the open seat.http://projects.newsobserver.com/father_of_the_bride/jackson_eyes_supreme_seat News & Observer: Jackson eyes Supreme seat 2009-09-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20090911095345/http://projects.newsobserver.com/father_of_the_bride/jackson_eyes_supreme_seat 2009-09-11 dead North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 1) general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1369 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Barbara Jackson 1,043,850 51.86% Nonpartisan politician Bob Hunter 969,019 48.14% 2,012,869 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 1) When longtime Court of Appeals Judge James Andrew Wynn was appointed and confirmed as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, that triggered a special election for his seat. Under state law, because the vacancy in Wynn's seat occurred after the state's primary elections, the election employed instant runoff voting—the first time such a mechanism had been used in a statewide election in North Carolina.North Carolina General Statutes § 163‑329News & Observer: Wynn to take oath today https://web.archive.org/web/20120401164607/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/wynn_to_take_oath_today 2012-04-01 (See Comments)NC judge's departure means 1 more electionApril 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes The law that allowed for instant runoff voting for judicial elections was eventually repealed in 2013.WRAL.com Governor Perdue appointed Cressie Thigpen to fill the seat through the election.Perdue Appoints Thigpen to North Carolina Court of Appeals Thigpen then filed to run for the full eight-year term, as did twelve other candidates, including attorneys Chris Dillon,http://www.dillonforjudge.com/ Dillon for Judge 2010-10-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20110202204345/http://dillonforjudge.com/ 2011-02-02 dead Anne Middleton, John Sullivan and Pamela Vesper, all of Raleigh; attorney J. Wesley Casteen of Wilmington; attorney Daniel Garnerhttp://www.garnerforjudge.netboots.net/ Daniel Garner N.C. Court of Appeals (Wynn seat) 2010-10-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20110208130542/http://www.garnerforjudge.netboots.net/ 2011-02-08 dead of Wake Forest; attorneys John Bloss, Jewel Ann Farlowhttp://www.farlowforjudge.com/Home_Page.php Jewel Ann Farlow for NC Court of Appeals Judge 2010-10-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20101023005010/http://www.farlowforjudge.com/Home_Page.php 2010-10-23 dead (a 2008 candidate) and Stan Hammer, all of Greensboro; Superior Court Judge Mark E. Klass (who had previously run for the Calabria seat); former Court of Appeals Judge Douglas McCullough; and former North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Harry Payne.News & Observer: 13 candidates file for open NC appeals court job IRV first round results North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 1) 1st round general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1005 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Cressie Thigpen (incumbent) 395,220 20.33% Nonpartisan politician Douglas McCullough 295,619 15.21% Nonpartisan politician Chris Dillon 201,870 10.39% Nonpartisan politician Anne Middleton 174,556 8.98% Nonpartisan politician Daniel E. Garner 153,971 7.92% Nonpartisan politician Jewel Ann Farlow 151,747 7.81% Nonpartisan politician Harry Payne 99,257 5.11% Nonpartisan politician Stan Hammer 96,451 4.96% Nonpartisan politician Mark E. Klass 90,526 4.66% Nonpartisan politician Pamela M. Vesper 90,116 4.64% Nonpartisan politician John F. Bloss 78,857 4.06% Nonpartisan politician John Sullivan 69,971 3.60% Nonpartisan politician J. Wesley Casteen 45,610 2.35% 1,943,771 100% IRV second round results Cressie Thigpen and Doug McCullough collected the most first-choice votes, while no candidate received fifty percent plus one vote. Therefore, the two advanced to the instant runoff, where second and third choices would be tallied to determine the winner. The State Board of Elections announced on Nov. 3 that it would be "at least a month" before the results would be known.WRAL: Instant runoff results not so instant Unofficial results were released in December, showing McCullough winning by about 6,000 votes.State Board of Elections: IRV results Thigpen called for a recount.http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/24d87870-www.wlos.com.shtml WLOS/AP: Thigpen wants re-count in NC Court of Appeals race 2010-12-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20110728063326/http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/24d87870-www.wlos.com.shtml 2011-07-28 dead The recount showed a slightly changed vote total, but the ultimate result was the same, and Thigpen conceded defeat.News & Observer: Thigpen concedes after still behind in NC recountFebruary 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes (Dec. 20, 2010) North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 1) 2nd round general election, 2010 Nonpartisan politician Douglas McCullough 543,980 50.31% Nonpartisan politician Cressie Thigpen (incumbent) 537,325 49.69% 1,081,305 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 2) Incumbent Ann Marie Calabriahttp://www.judgecalabria.com/ Calabria campaign site 2019-08-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20181127113113/http://www.judgecalabria.com/ 2018-11-27 dead first announced that she would not seek re-election,http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/judge_calabria_wont_run_again News & Observer: Judge Calabria won't run again 2009-09-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20120318101147/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/judge_calabria_wont_run_again 2012-03-18 dead but then reversed course and filed to run for another term. Judge Calabria had intended to run for re-election until her mother's health declined. Then, her mother's health improved before the deadline to file as a candidate.http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/calabria_cancels_the_going_away_party News & Observer: Calabria cancels the going away party 2010-02-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20100224075547/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/calabria_cancels_the_going_away_party 2010-02-24 dead Other candidates who filed for the seat included state District Court Judge Jane P. Gray of Wake County and Superior Court Judge Mark E. Klass of Davidson County.http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/klass_running_for_appeals_court News & Observer: Klass running for appeals court 2009-10-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20101010010016/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/klass_running_for_appeals_court 2010-10-10 dead Because more than two candidates filed for the seat, a primary election was held on May 4 to eliminate one candidate. Calabria won the primary with 37 percent, while Gray came in second with 36 percent of the vote.State Board of Elections - Primary Election Results Klass, who took 26 percent, was eliminated. Calabria and Gray faced off in the general election. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 2) primary election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/04/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1001 05/04/2010 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Ann Marie Calabria (incumbent) 264,625 36.94% Nonpartisan politician Jane Gray 259,635 36.24% Nonpartisan politician Mark E. Klass 192,165 26.82% 716,425 100% North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 2) general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1002 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Ann Marie Calabria (incumbent) 1,047,081 53.65% Nonpartisan politician Jane Gray 904,544 46.35% 1,951,625 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 3) Incumbent Rick Elmore filed to run for re-election.http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/judge_rick_elmore_running_again News & Observer: Judge Rick Elmore running again 2009-09-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20120318101224/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/judge_rick_elmore_running_again 2012-03-18 dead Attorney Leto Copeley of Orange County,http://www.letoforjudge.com/ Leto Copeley for NC Court of Appeals campaign site 2009-10-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20100124093745/http://www.letoforjudge.com/ 2010-01-24 dead law clerk and 2005 law school graduate Steven Walker,Steven Walker for N.C. Court of Appeals Website and attorney Alton D. (Al) Bain also filed. Because more than two candidates filed for the seat, a primary election was held on May 4. Walker was the highest vote getter in the primary with 38 percent, followed by Elmore with 28 percent.State Board of Elections - Primary Election Results Copeley, with 18 percent, and Bain, with 14 percent, were eliminated from the race. Walker and Elmore faced off in the general election. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 3) primary election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/04/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1002 05/04/2010 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Steven Walker 264,652 38.52% Nonpartisan politician Rick Elmore (incumbent) 197,668 28.77% Nonpartisan politician Leto Copeley 123,336 17.95% Nonpartisan politician Alton D. "Al" Bain 101,431 14.76% 687,087 100% North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 3) general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1003 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Rick Elmore (incumbent) 956,283 53.77% Nonpartisan politician Steven Walker 822,066 46.23% 1,778,349 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 14) Incumbent Sanford Steelman Jr. announced in 2009 that he would run for re-election to a second term.http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/steelman_aims_to_stay_on_court News & Observer: Steelman aims to stay on court 2009-11-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20091202045750/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/steelman_aims_to_stay_on_court 2009-12-02 dead No candidates filed to oppose him. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 14) general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1006 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Sanford Steelman Jr. (incumbent) 1,404,649 100% 1,404,649 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 15) Incumbent Martha Geer was opposed by appeals referee and adjunct law instructor Dean R. Poirier. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 15) general election, 2010https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1004 11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Nonpartisan politician Martha Geer (incumbent) 1,122,392 59.87% Nonpartisan politician Dean R. Poirier 752,326 40.13% 1,874,718 100% See also 2010 North Carolina elections 2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina References State Board of Elections Candidate Filing List State Board of Elections: General Election Results External links State Board of Elections: Voter Guides to the Statewide Judicial Elections North Carolina judicial elections, 2010 at Judgepedia Federalist Society NC Appellate Judicial Candidate Forum Video https://web.archive.org/web/20110726051206/http://www.federalistsociety.org/publications/pubID.1972/pub_detail.asp July 26, 2011 judicial 2010