NC’s Supreme Court Race Could Change Its Legal Direction

North Carolina politics, Raleigh power, local accountability, and the Constitutionalist for Liberty perspective

By Peter Boykin

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While much of North Carolina’s political attention is focused on the United States Senate race, another statewide election will help shape how the state Constitution is interpreted for years to come.

Democratic Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls is seeking another eight-year term against Republican challenger Sarah Stevens, a former state legislator and longtime attorney.

New reporting published October 23 examines the candidates’ backgrounds, their disagreements over judicial interpretation, and the significance of the court’s current political makeup.

The race is not simply about a judicial title.

North Carolina’s Supreme Court regularly considers disputes involving elections, public education, legislative authority, individual rights, and the limits of state government.

Two Candidates, Two Different Legal Backgrounds

Anita Earls was elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2018.

Before becoming a justice, she worked extensively in civil rights litigation, including voting-rights cases.

She founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and previously held legal positions with the United States Department of Justice and the UNC Center for Civil Rights.

Earls describes judicial independence, equal treatment, and constitutional protections as central to her work.

Sarah Stevens, her Republican opponent, has practiced law for approximately four decades.

She served more than 17 years in the North Carolina House of Representatives and held leadership responsibilities involving the legislature’s judiciary committees.

Stevens resigned from the General Assembly in June to focus on her judicial campaign.

She describes her approach as applying the law as written, following the state Constitution, and avoiding judicial decisions that substitute a judge’s preferences for legislative choices.

These descriptions reflect the candidates’ professional records and publicly stated views. They do not establish how either candidate would rule in every future case.

Why One Court Seat Matters

The North Carolina Supreme Court has seven justices.

Its current partisan composition is five Republicans and two Democrats.

Only one seat is being contested in the 2026 general election.

The outcome will determine whether Earls retains her position or Stevens replaces her, affecting the court’s partisan composition.

The court’s decisions extend far beyond criminal cases.

It interprets the state Constitution, reviews appeals involving public institutions, and can determine whether legislative and executive actions satisfy constitutional requirements.

Disputes over electoral districts, public education funding, administrative authority, and the separation of powers have all reached the state’s highest court.

The court also serves as the final authority on many questions of North Carolina law.

That makes the experience, reasoning, and judicial philosophy of its members important matters of public interest.

The Dispute Over Judicial Interpretation

The candidates disagree over several aspects of the court’s recent direction.

Earls has criticized decisions by the court’s Republican majority that revisited earlier rulings involving partisan redistricting and election law.

She argues that independent judicial review is important for protecting constitutional rights and preventing abuses of government authority.

Stevens has defended a textual approach to interpreting statutes and constitutional provisions.

She emphasizes the legislature’s constitutional responsibilities and argues that judges should not create policy through their decisions.

Their disagreement reflects a longstanding debate about the proper relationship between courts and elected lawmakers.

The legislature has authority to enact laws within constitutional limits.

The judiciary has responsibility for determining whether challenged laws comply with those limits.

Neither branch possesses unlimited authority.

The difficult question in individual cases is identifying where the constitutional boundary lies.

Beyond Partisan Labels

North Carolina elects appellate judges through partisan elections, meaning political party labels appear alongside the candidates.

But the work of judging requires more than loyalty to a party.

A Supreme Court justice must review the record, apply controlling law, explain the legal reasoning, and decide cases based on the issues properly presented.

A judge may reach conclusions that disappoint the political coalition that supported the judge’s election.

That possibility is an important feature of judicial independence.

For voters evaluating the candidates, the relevant information includes legal experience, published opinions, professional records, constitutional reasoning, and responses to substantive questions.

The State Board of Elections publishes candidate information in its official judicial voter guide.

The statements in that guide are supplied by the candidates themselves and should be evaluated accordingly.

The Constitution Must Outlast the Election

The Go Right with Peter Boykin Perspective

I believe North Carolina needs courts that respect the Constitution and understand their proper role in a constitutional republic.

Judges should not act as another legislature.

But lawmakers and executive officials should not expect courts to approve every action simply because their party controls another branch of government.

The separation of powers exists to keep government authority divided and accountable.

That applies whether the dispute concerns elections, education, taxation, or an individual’s constitutional rights.

When courts issue decisions, citizens deserve clear reasoning based on the law and the facts.

When candidates seek judicial office, they should explain their approach to constitutional interpretation and address the responsibilities of the position.

No political party owns the Constitution.

The people deserve a justice system capable of applying the law consistently, including when a ruling is unpopular.

What To Watch

The North Carolina Supreme Court contest appears on the November 3 general election ballot.

Early in-person voting continues through October 31.

The State Board’s official judicial voter guide provides each candidate’s qualifications and submitted statements.

The winner will serve an eight-year term and participate in future decisions involving the state’s constitutional and legal disputes.

The Court’s Responsibility Continues After Election Day

Campaigns eventually end, but the decisions of appellate courts can affect North Carolina for generations.

This election gives voters an opportunity to examine competing approaches to constitutional interpretation and the work of the state’s highest court.

Whatever the result, the central obligation remains the same.

The law must apply equally, government authority must remain subject to constitutional limits, and judicial decisions must rest on legal reasoning rather than political convenience.

Read more and subscribe at GoRightNews.Substack.com

North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls faces former Republican lawmaker Sarah Stevens in a statewide election that will help determine the court’s future composition. A look at their legal backgrounds, stated judicial philosophies, and the constitutional issues before North Carolina’s highest court.

#GoRightNC, #GoRightNews, #NorthCarolina, #NCSupremeCourt, #JudicialElections, #AnitaEarls, #SarahStevens, #NCPolitics, #RuleOfLaw, #SeparationOfPowers, #ConstitutionalRights, #ConstitutionalistForLiberty,

Sources

Axios Charlotte, October 23, 2026, Supreme Court election analysis:
https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/10/23/nc-supreme-court-election-2026-earls-stevens

North Carolina State Board of Elections, Official 2026 Judicial Voter Guide:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election/judicial-voter-guide-2026-general-election

WUNC, September 22, 2026, candidate positions:
https://www.wunc.org/politics/2026-09-22/nc-supreme-court-candidates-anita-earls-sarah-stevens

Carolina Public Press, Supreme Court election reporting:
https://carolinapublicpress.org/80401/political-parties-see-high-stakes-in-nc-supreme-court-election/

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