2014 North Carolina judicial elections

none January 2025 August 2025 Four justices of the seven-member North Carolina Supreme Court and four judges of the 15-member North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 4, 2014, concurrently with other state elections. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. Assessing the election results, Politifact writer Louis Jacobson noted that Supreme Court races in North Carolina and other states yielded "better-than-average results" for Democrats, who otherwise suffered heavy defeats across the country. "In a series of hotly contested North Carolina contests, two Democratic-leaning judges (Ervin and Hudson) prevailed, one Democrat (Beasley) was leading in a very close race, and one Republican (Chief Justice Martin) was re-elected," Jacobson wrote.https://www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/the-republicans-election-night-wave-it-was-big/2205444/ Republicans' Election Night wave: It was big Tampa Bay Times At the Court of Appeals level, two Democrats, Lucy Inman and Mark Davis, and one Republican, John Tyson, were elected in contested races, while another Republican, Donna Stroud, was re-elected without opposition.News & Observer North Carolina ranked second among all states in total spending on judicial election campaigns in 2014.News & Observer, Oct. 29, 2015http://newpoliticsreport.org/report/2013-14/ The New Politics of Judicial Elections, 2013-14 2015-10-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20160402112736/http://newpoliticsreport.org/report/2013-14/ 2016-04-02 dead 2 2014 North Carolina Supreme Court elections North Carolina legislative no 2012 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2012 2016 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2016 4 seats of the Supreme Court of North Carolina 2014 11 4 North Carolina Republican Party 4 5 1 1 4 North Carolina Democratic Party 3 3 2 1 3 Supreme Court (Chief Justice) North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice general election, 2014 North Carolina presidential no 2006 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2006 2020 North Carolina judicial elections#Chief Justice 2020 2014 11 4 c0c0c0 Mark Martin 2015.jpg Mark Martin 1,754,799 72.24% c0c0c0 3x4.svg Ola Lewis 674,232 27.76% Chief Justice Mark Martin Mark Martin Chief Justice Sarah Parker stepped down from her position on the Court in August 2014 because she reached the mandatory retirement age of 72. Her seat would have been on the November 2014 election ballot in any event, since she was elected Chief Justice in 2006 to an eight-year term. Governor Pat McCrory appointed senior Associate Justice Mark Martin to occupy the Chief Justice position in the interim. Chief Justice Martin ran for the Chief Justice position for a full eight-year term. Martin was challenged in the general election by fellow Republican Ola Lewis, a Superior Court Judge.GOP director responds to Ola Lewis' claim of 'political gamesmanship' https://www.wect.com/story/26194536/state-gop-endorses-mark-martin-for-supreme-court-chief-justice/ WECT August 5, 2014 Mark Martin, incumbent Chief JusticeNews & Observer Under the Dome Morning Memo: Florida GOP governor takes N.C. Democrats approach Ola Lewis, Resident Judge of the Brunswick County Superior Court (District 13B)WWAY-TV Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MarkMartin OlaLewis Other UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 (LV) ± 2.8% 16% 7% — 77% North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1222 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Mark Martin (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,754,799 72.24% Ola M. Lewis Nonpartisan politician 674,232 27.76% 2,429,031 100% Supreme Court (Seat 3) North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 3) general election, 2014 North Carolina presidential no 2006 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2006 2022 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court seat 3 2022 2014 11 4 c0c0c0 3x4.svg Robin Hudson 1,283,478 52.46% c0c0c0 3x4.svg Eric Levinson 1,163,022 47.54% Associate Justice Robin Hudson Robin Hudson Justice Robin Hudson ran for re-election to a second term.News & Observer: Hudson seeking re-election to NC Supreme Court Notably, Hudson was the only incumbent challenged by more than 1 candidate, triggering a primary election, where the top two candidates advanced to the general election.Valencia Jorge The TV Ad That’s Rattling The Campaign For NC Supreme Court https://www.wunc.org/politics/2014-05-02/the-tv-ad-thats-rattling-the-campaign-for-nc-supreme-court WUNC May 2, 2014 Jeanette Doran, chair of the North Carolina Division of Employment Security Board of Reviewhttps://www.salisburypost.com/2014/02/26/snyder-kryn-enter-nc-senate-race/ Snyder, Kryn enter NC Senate race Staff Report February 26, 2014 Salisbury Post Robin Hudson, incumbent Associate Justice Eric Levinson, Judge of the Mecklenburg County Superior Court (District 26C)Charlotte Observer https://web.archive.org/web/20140221202809/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/10/23/4409819/meck-judge-levinson-seeks-supreme.html 2014-02-21 Jeanette Doran Organizations NC Experience Conservative Judges (co-endorsement with Levinson)Wood Jesse Endorsements for Three Candidates for N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Race in the May Primary https://www.hcpress.com/politics/endorsements-for-three-candidates-for-n-c-supreme-court-associate-justice-election-of-the-may-primary.html High County Press April 23, 2014 Robin Hudson Statewide officials Jim Exum, former Chief Justice (1986–1995)Jarvis Craig Justice Hudson picks up high-profile endorsements https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article10321550.html The News & Observer April 11, 2014 Henry Frye, former Chief Justice (1999–2001) Elaine Marshall, incumbent North Carolina Secretary of StateBlythe Anne NC Supreme Court race sees outside money and negative ads https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article9117263.html The Charlotte Observer April 29, 2014 Burley Mitchell, former Chief Justice (1995–1999) Labor unions NC AFL-CIOJarvis Craig Labor, lawyers, teachers endorse Justice Hudson https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article10301426.html The News & Observer March 27, 2014 Organizations NC Advocates for Justice NC Association of Educators Political parties North Carolina Democratic Party Newspapers and other media The Charlotte ObserverHow we see the appellate races https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article9205457.html The Charlotte Observer https://web.archive.org/web/20141030031951/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/10/23/5262621/how-we-see-the-appellate-races.html#.VEo0YYvF-yw October 30, 2014 live October 23, 2014 Eric Levinson Statewide officials I. Beverly Lake Jr., former Chief Justice (2001–2006) Bob Orr, former Associate Justice (1995–2004) Organizations NC Experience Conservative Judges (co-endorsement with Doran) Political parties North Carolina Republican PartyNC Republican Party Statement on Endorsements of Judicial Candidates http://www.ncgop.org/nc-republican-party-statement-endorsements-judicial-candidates/ NCGOP https://web.archive.org/web/20141014163151/http://www.ncgop.org/nc-republican-party-statement-endorsements-judicial-candidates/ October 14, 2014 North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 3) primary election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/06/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1657 05/06/2014 Official Primary Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Robin Hudson (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 381,836 42.56% Eric Levinson Nonpartisan politician 328,062 36.57% Jeanette Doran Nonpartisan politician 187,273 20.87% 897,171 100% Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Robin E.Hudson EricLevinson Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 (LV) ±  2.8% 18% 10% — 72%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 14–17, 2014856 (LV) ± 3.4% 19% 11% — 71% North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 3) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1225 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Robin Hudson (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,283,478 52.46% Eric Levinson Nonpartisan politician 1,163,022 47.54% 2,446,500 100% Supreme Court (Seat 4) North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 4) general election, 2014 North Carolina presidential no 2006 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2006 2020 North Carolina judicial elections#Seat 4 2020 2014 11 4 c0c0c0 Cheri Beasley of the NC Supreme Court (cropped) (2).jpg Cheri Beasley 1,239,763 50.11% c0c0c0 3x4.svg Mike Robinson 1,234,353 49.89% Associate Justice Cheri Beasley Cheri Beasley Justice Cheri Beasley ran for a full term after she was appointed to the seat by former Governor Bev Perdue in 2012.News & Observer Under the Dome: Justice Beasley will run for her seat in 2014 Beasley won election to her first full term with 50.1 percent of the vote. The margin was small enough that a recount would be allowed, if Robinson requested it.News & Observer He filed such a request for a recount on Nov. 17.News & Observer: NC Supreme Court candidate Mike Robinson, Senate hopeful Tom Bradshaw file for recounts After the recount only added a net 17 votes to Robinson's total, he conceded and Beasley was declared the winner on Nov. 25.https://www.wral.com/voting-machine-problems-do-not-change-election-outcome/14219607/ Voting machine problems do not change election outcome November 25, 2014 WRAL.com Cheri Beasley, incumbent Associate Justice Michael L. Robinson, private practice attorneyNCBA, UNC-TV Present Forums https://www.ncbar.org/news/ncba-unc-tv-present-forums/ North Carolina Bar Association September 18, 2014 Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error CheriBeasley MikeRobinson Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 (LV) ±  2.8% 13% 9% — 78% North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 4) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1224 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Cheri Beasley (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,239,763 50.11% Mike Robinson Nonpartisan politician 1,234,353 49.89% 2,474,116 100% Supreme Court (Seat 5) North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 5) general election, 2014 North Carolina presidential no 2006 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court 2006 2022 North Carolina judicial elections#Supreme Court seat 5 2022 2014 11 4 c0c0c0 3x4.svg Sam Ervin IV 1,324,261 52.60% c0c0c0 Judge Robert N. Hunter Jr. (NC Court of Appeals and Supreme Court candidate) official photograph.jpg Robert Hunter Jr. 1,193,492 47.40% Associate Justice Robert Hunter Jr. Sam Ervin IV Governor McCrory appointed Robert Hunter Jr., a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, to the seat previously held by Mark Martin after his elevation to Chief Justice.Justice Robert N. Hunter, Jr. to be Installed as 95th Associate Justice of Supreme Court on Friday https://www.nccourts.gov/news/tag/general-news/justice-robert-n-hunter-jr-to-be-installed-as-95th-associate-justice-of-supreme-court-on-friday North Carolina Judicial Branch September 24, 2014 Justice Hunter ran for a full eight-year term, and was challenged by his colleague on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Sam Ervin IV, who narrowly lost a race for Associate Justice in 2012. Sam Ervin IV, incumbent Judge of the North Carolina Court of AppealsNews & Observer Under the Dome: Judge Ervin will run again for Supreme Court Robert Hunter Jr., incumbent Associate Justicehttp://www.ncpoliticalnews.com/?p=1151 NC Court of Appeals Judge Robert N. Hunter, Jr. files paperwork to run for NC Supreme Court 2013-05-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20140903101506/http://www.ncpoliticalnews.com/?p=1151 2014-09-03 dead Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Sam J.Ervin IV Robert N.Hunter, Jr. Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 (LV) ±  2.8% 21% 13% — 66% North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 5) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1223 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Sam Ervin IV Nonpartisan politician 1,324,261 52.60% Robert Hunter Jr. (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,193,492 47.40% 2,517,753 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 7) Judge Mark Davis ran for a full term after serving out the remainder of Judge Cheri Beasley's unexpired term.https://greensboro.com/news/state/mark-davis-will-run-to-retain-his-seat-on-n-c-court-of-appeals/article_3d85f040-2a02-11e3-a610-001a4bcf6878.html Mark Davis will run to retain his seat on N.C. Court of Appeals Greensboro News and Record Beasley was appointed to the Supreme Court. District Court Judge Paul A. Holcombe also ran for this seat.http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList.pdf Official Candidate Filings, NC State Board of Elections 2014-02-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20160126214637/http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList.pdf 2016-01-26 dead Paul Holcombe has been a District Court Judge for Johnston, Harnett and Lee Counties since January 2009.https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/johnston-county Johnston County | North Carolina Judicial Branch www.nccourts.gov Davis won his first full term by taking 58.8 percent of the vote. Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror Mark Davis Paul Holcombe Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 ± 2.8% 8% 7% — 85% North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 7) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1227 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Mark Davis (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,354,647 58.77% Paul Holcombe Nonpartisan politician 950,300 41.23% 2,304,947 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 8) The seat held by Judge Bob Hunter (not to be confused with his colleague on the Court, Robert Hunter Jr.) was on the ballot. Hunter announced on Aug. 14, 2013, that he would not seek re-election.http://www.wral.com/judge-robert-c-hunter-to-retire-from-nc-court-of-appeals-/12776170/ Judge Robert C. Hunter to retire from NC Court of Appeals 14 August 2013 Judges Lucy Inman and Bill Southern were both candidates for the seat. Judge Inman is a special Superior Court judge and was appointed to that position in 2010 by former Governor Beverly Perdue. Prior to that, she was a trial lawyer. Judge Southern currently serves on the District Court bench for Stokes and Surry Counties. He was elected to that position in 2008 and in 2012. Prior to that, he served as an assistant district attorney in Stokes and Surry Counties.http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/bob_hunter_retiring_from_nc_appeals_court News & Observer Under the Dome 2013-08-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20140325233252/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/bob_hunter_retiring_from_nc_appeals_court 2014-03-25 dead News & Observer: Surry County judge announces appeals court candidacy Inman won election to her first term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals with 51.9 percent of the vote. Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror LucyInman BillSouthern Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 11–14, 2014 1,266 ± 2.8% 9% 8% — 83% North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 8) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1226 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Lucy Inman Nonpartisan politician 1,227,800 51.94% Bill Southern Nonpartisan politician 1,136,268 48.06% 2,364,068 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 9) Judge Donna Stroud ran unopposed for re-election.http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList.pdf NC State Board of Elections: Candidate filing list 2014-02-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20160126214637/http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList.pdf 2016-01-26 dead North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 9) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1228 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 Donna Stroud (incumbent) Nonpartisan politician 1,801,800 100% 1,801,800 100% Court of Appeals (Seat 10) On July 9, 2014, Chief Judge John Martin announced his retirement, effective August 1, 2014, creating another opening to be filled by voters in the general election. Because of the date of his retirement, no primary election was held for the seat.http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/586baf49ad5143cb89a30334e4b55d87/NC--Court-of-Appeals-Martin https://web.archive.org/web/20140726232629/http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/586baf49ad5143cb89a30334e4b55d87/NC--Court-of-Appeals-Martin dead The Associated Press July 26, 2014 Governor Pat McCrory appointed Judge Lisa Bell to hold the Martin seat for the remainder of the year, but she was not among the candidates who ran for a full term.Governor McCrory Appoints Judge Lisa Bell to Court of Appeals Nineteen candidates filed for the special election.http://www.news-record.com/news/article_2792c55e-1f27-11e4-81bd-0017a43b2370.html 19 candidates file for N.C. Court of Appeals seat; 5 file for Alamance Superior Court seat They included former Court of Appeals Judge John Arrowood of Charlotte,https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article9140939.html Charlotte Observer 2014-07-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20140724171253/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/07/15/5046244/arrowood-running-for-appeals-court.html#.U8bOH6zoejY 2014-07-24 live Raleigh attorney Betsy Bunting, District Court Judge Lori G. Christian,Judgepedia Raleigh bankruptcy attorney Jeffrey Cook, Raleigh Deputy Industrial Commissioner and former Court of Appeals staff lawyer J. Brad Donovan,News & Observer: Industrial Commission deputy will run for appeals court Hertford attorney Daniel Patrick Donahue, Raleigh attorney Sabra Faires,News & Observer former Superior Court judge Abe Jones, New Bern attorney Ann Kirby, Deputy Industrial Commissioner Keischa Lovelace,http://www.ic.nc.gov/ncic/pages/depbios.htm#lovelace N.C. Industrial Commission Deputy Commissioners' Biographies www.ic.nc.gov August 12, 2014 August 12, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140812204234/http://www.ic.nc.gov/ncic/pages/depbios.htm#lovelace dead Raleigh attorney Marty Martin, Haywood County trial attorney Hunter Murphy,http://www.huntermurphyforjudge.com/ Hunter Murphy webpage HunterMurphyForJudge.com 2014-09-11 2014-09-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20140911113923/http://www.huntermurphyforjudge.com/ dead Raleigh attorney Joseph "Jody" Newsome, Raleigh attorney Patricia "Tricia" Shields,http://www.hedrickgardner.com/lawyers/patricia-p-shields/ Hedrick Gardner 10 April 2023 Raleigh attorney Elizabeth Davenport Scott, former Court of Appeals Judge John Tyson of Cumberland County,http://www.ncpoliticalnews.com/?p=10217 NCPoliticalNews.com Judge John Tyson files as Candidate for Judge of Court of Appeals 2014-08-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20141105134507/http://www.ncpoliticalnews.com/?p=10217 2014-11-05 dead Brunswick County District Court Judge Marion Warren, Greensboro attorney and former State Board of Elections member Chuck Winfree, and Yadkinville attorney Valerie Zachary.http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList_SpecialJudicial.pdf State Board of Elections: Special Judicial Candidate List 2014-08-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20140811055023/http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesP/CandidateFilingList_SpecialJudicial.pdf 2014-08-11 dead Judge Tyson won his second full term on the court with 23.9 percent of the vote. Arrowood placed second with 14.4 percent. No other candidate took more than 10 percent of the vote. North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 10) general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1376 11/04/2014 Official General Election Results – Statewide North Carolina State Board of Elections August 1, 2025 John Tyson Nonpartisan politician 557,700 23.84% John Arrowood Nonpartisan politician 336,839 14.40% Keischa Lovelace Nonpartisan politician 226,159 9.67% Marion Warren Nonpartisan politician 143,279 6.13% Elizabeth Davenport Scott Nonpartisan politician 131,330 5.61% Marty Martin Nonpartisan politician 120,281 5.14% Hunter Murphy Nonpartisan politician 103,361 4.42% Paul Holcombe Nonpartisan politician 96,468 4.12% Valerie Zachary Nonpartisan politician 92,361 3.95% Lori G. Christian Nonpartisan politician 88,819 3.80% Tricia Shields Nonpartisan politician 79,357 3.39% Daniel Patrick Donahue Nonpartisan politician 66,168 2.83% Abe Jones Nonpartisan politician 59,712 2.55% Chuck Winfree Nonpartisan politician 52,978 2.26% Jeffrey M. Cook Nonpartisan politician 48,336 2.07% Jody Newsome Nonpartisan politician 38,544 1.65% Betsy Bunting Nonpartisan politician 36,163 1.55% Sabra Jean Faires Nonpartisan politician 31,759 1.36% J. Brad Donovan Nonpartisan politician 29,580 1.26% 2,339,194 100% References 2 State Board of Elections: Judicial Officeholders External links State Board of Elections: General Election Judicial Voter Guide Videos of Judicial Candidate Forums by UNC-TV judicial 2014