The votes are in for the 2026 primary and incumbent Brent Holbrooks will retain his seat as Macon County Sheriff. The election also determined the Republican candidates who will face Democratic challengers for District 1 and District 2 seats on the Macon County Board of Commissioners in November.
The primary concluded with a total of 8,350 (28.77%) ballots cast of 29,022 registered voters after counting provisional ballots on Friday, March 6. More than half (4,936) of the votes were cast during early voting, a county record for primary elections. All results are unofficial until canvass, which is scheduled for Friday, March 13, at 11 a.m.
Holbrooks beat challenger Bob Cook 4,419 votes (69.38%) to 1,950 (30.62%). With no Democratic challenger in November, Holbrooks is expected to retain his seat.
For the County Commissioner District 1 seat, incumbent John Shearl won the nomination with 2,415 (38.28%) votes. Joey Wilson came in second with 1,964 (31.14%) and Don Willis came in third with 1,929 (30.58%). Shearl will go up against Democrat Russ Lunn in the General Election.
“I’m just very thankful for the voters that showed up and I look forward to the race in November and serving the taxpayers and the citizens of Macon County for another four years,” Shearl said.
For the District 2 seats, Kellie McConnell Burns came in first with 3,287 (30.77%) votes and Dylan Castle came in second with 2,751 (25.76%). Rounding out the ballot were:
David B. Culpepper 2,011 (18.83%)
Nick Lofthouse 1,954 (18.29%)
Danny Reitmeier 678 (6.35%)
Reitmeier withdrew from the race after the deadline so his name remained on the ticket.
Burns said, “I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who took the time to come out and vote.”
“Very thankful for all the supporters … we saw the favor of God as we expected to see. Looking to finish everything out in November,” Castle said. He said his next plans were “Just campaigning, that’s the focus. Just give the voters a chance to get to know me and earn that seat come November.”
The Republican primary winners for District 2 will face Democrats Terry Bell and Janet Greene in the General Election. Two seats are available for District 2.
In other local races, incumbent Todd Raby will continue to the Register of Deeds office without a challenger, and incumbent Clerk of Superior Court Shawna Thun Lamb is also running unopposed.
No unaffiliated candidates have filed to run.
State races
N.C. Senate District 50: Incumbent Kevin Corbin (R) of Franklin and Tom Downing (D) of Cullowhee did not have primary challengers.
N.C. House of Representatives District 120: Karl Gillespie (R) of Franklin and Caleb Brown (D) of Highlands will continue to the general election without challengers.
District Attorney District 43: Ashley Hornsby Welch (R) of Canton will also run unopposed.
District Court Judge District 43 has three seats open with a candidate for each running unopposed. Seat 1: Donna Forga (R) of Clyde. Seat 2: Justin B. Greene (D) Bryson City. Seat 3: William (Bill) Jones (D) of Waynesville.
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1: Incumbent Anita Earls (D) of Durham and Sarah Stevens (R) of Mount Airy will continue to the general without challengers.
N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1 (R): Michael C. Byrne of Cary won with 301,279 (51.54%) votes to Matt Smith’s 283,239 (48.46%). Byrne will face Incumbent John S. Arrowood (D) of Charlotte in the general.
N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 2: Incumbent Toby Hampson (D) of Raleigh and George Cooper Bell (R) of Cornelius will continue to the general without challengers.
N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 3: Christine Marie Walczyk (D) of Raleigh earned 491,808 (62.34%) of votes, beating James Weldon Whalen (D) of Raleigh. Craig Collins (R) of Gastonia will face Walcyk in the general.
Federal races
U.S. Senate:
Roy Cooper swept the Democratic primary election with 761,359 (91.98%) of the vote, defeating Daryl Farrow of Jacksonville, Marcus W. Williams of Lumberton, Orrick Quick of High Point, Justin E. Dues of Concord and Robert Colon of Rocky Point. None of Cooper’s challengers earned more than 3% of the vote.
Michael Whatley claimed an overwhelming majority in the Republican primary, taking 405,146 (64.57%) votes and defeating his closest contender Donald M. (Don) Brown of Waxhaw, who won 97,899 (15.6%) votes. Michele Morrow of Cary, Thomas Johnson of Garner, Elizabeth A. Temple of Smithfield, Margot Dupre of Charlotte and Richard Dansie of Durham also ran, each earning less than 6% of the vote.
Cooper and Whatley will continue to the general with Libertarian Shannon W. Bray of Angier.
U.S. House of Representatives District 11:
Democrat Jamie Ager of Fairview won with an overwhelming majority of 49,195 (64.66%) votes, beating closest contenders Richard Hudspeth of Asheville who took 12,063 (15.85%) votes and Zelda Briarwood of Canton who took 9,893 (13%) votes. Paul Maddox of Burnsville and Lee Whipple of Asheville each took less than 6% of the vote.
Republican: Incumbent Chuck Edwards of Flat Rock won with 47,795 (70.1%) votes, beating Adam R. Smith of Black Mountain who won 20,390 (29.9%) votes.
Ager and Edwards will face off in the general with Libertarian Travis Groo of Greensboro.