North Carolina general election: Who are the candidates for NC statewide races?

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — High-profile statewide races are on the ballot in 2024, including governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Gov. Roy Cooper has served two terms and is not eligible for reelection.

Below is a brief look at the major candidates for statewide races.

Governor

Attorney General Josh Stein – Democrat

Stein, a Democrat, has consistently led in polling and looks to follow Cooper’s path from attorney general to governor of the Tar Heel State.

If elected, Stein, 58, would be the first Jewish governor of North Carolina.

Stein, a lawyer by trade, was elected as a state senator in 2008 representing Wake County’s District 16. and served in the general assembly until assuming the attorney general role in 2017.

He grew up in Chapel Hill and Charlotte and is a graduate of Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government. His top listed priorities are making economic prosperity accessible for all residents, improving education and building a strong workforce.

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson – Republican

Robinson made history as the state’s first Black lieutenant governor in 2021 and if elected, would be its first Black governor.

The Greensboro native burst onto the political scene in 2018 when he gave an impassioned speech at a city council meeting that went viral and served as a springboard to his historic run to the lieutenant governorship. Robinson often emphasizes his blue-collar roots and working-class background to connect with voters and constituents.

Robinson, 56, grew up poor as the ninth of 10 children and as an adult worked in the furniture manufacturing business.

His top listed priorities include supporting law enforcement, cutting taxes and growing the economy, and improving education as well as veterans care.

Lieutenant Governor

State Sen. Rachel Hunt – Democrat

Hunt is a first-term state senator who represents the 42nd district She assumed office in January 2023. Previously, she served two terms in the state House of Representatives, winning the seat in 2018 and 2020.

Hunt has strong North Carolina political bloodlines — her father is Ji, Hunt, the longest-serving governor in North Carolina history, with terms from 1977-1985 and again from 1993-2001.

Hunt, a lawyer, says she’s running “to get us back on track, fight for our basic freedoms, create safer communities, and make our education system the best it can be,” according to her campaign site. Her priorities include investing in public schools, expanding access to health care, and helping local businesses succeed.

Hal Weatherman – Republican

Weatherman is a longtime Republican political strategist. He received his undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University and holds a master’s degree from Wheaton College.

Weatherman was the chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick.

He describes himself as a “principled limited government conservative. Weatherman supports school choice, trade work and entrepreneurship, and school safety, including armed guards in schools.

Weatherman also says he’ll push for a North Carolina Hall of Fame to honor and celebrate notable lives from across many fields and professions.

Attorney General

State Sen. Jeff Jackson – Democrat
State Sen. Jeff Jackson ran for U.S. Senate but dropped out in the primary as North Carolina Democrats positioned Cherie Beasley for the nomination. Beasley went on to lose to current U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC. Jackson then picked up his current seat in the general assembly

Jackson, who represents the 14th congressional district is also a major in the Army National Guard and served in Afghanistan.

The Chapel Hill native is a former prosecutor who says he wants to be a “non-partisan, independent voice for the people of North Carolina.”

Some of Jackson’s priorities include tackling the fentanyl epidemic, protecting residents against scammers and protecting seniors and veterans from fraud.

US Rep. Dan Bishop – Republican

Bishop represents North Carolina’s 8th congressional district.

He styles himself as a “conservative who tells the truth,” and is known on the House floor for his blunt and straightforward discussion of issues.

He says he’s running for attorney general because he believes Democrats, including Cooper and Stein, have “abused” the office and turned it into a “stepping stone for higher office and a platform to spread liberal propaganda.”

A former commercial lawyer, some of Bishop’s priorities include crime, including cracking down on illegal immigration. He isn’t afraid to call out fellow Republicans on the issues.

State Supreme Court

Allison Riggs – Democrat
Riggs is an incumbent on the state’s highest court. She’s a former Court of Appeals judge and was a civil rights and voting rights lawyer.

Riggs was appointed to the NC Supreme Court in 2023.

She grew up in West Virginia and went to college, graduate school and law school at the University of Florida. She worked for 14 years as a lawyer at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice in Durham.

Riggs says that “as a justice, my guiding principles are integrity, transparency, consistency and empathy.”

Jefferson Griffin – Republican
Griffin serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He began his legal career working in the Wake County District Attorney’s Office.

Giffiin, a Nash County native, was captain of his high school football team at Northern Nash. He graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University School of Law.

On the bench, Griffin describes himself as an “originalist and a textualist” who believes the “words of the Constitution mean what they say.”

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Mo Green – Democrat
Green is the former superintendent of Guilford County Schools, one of the largest districts in the state.

A longtime figure in the education field across the state, Green began professional life as a lawyer in private practice. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree, both from Duke University.

Green supports investing fully in public education, higher pay for educators, and enhancing community support.

Michele Morrow – Republican

Morrow is a nurse and a homeschooler who sent shockwaves throughout the state education field when she upset incumbent state Superintendent Catherine Truitt in the GOP primary.

Morrow, who got her nursing degree at UNC-Chapel Hill began homeschooling her children when the system “didn’t meet the needs of her children.”

In speaking with other parents, Morrow has developed school safety and discipline as top priorities as well as raising educational standards.

ALSO SEE: What you need to know for early voting in NC

Where to Vote

You can find early voting site locations and hours in your county here, as well as here.

Any voter who qualifies for assistance can ask for help at their polling place. For more information on help for voters with disabilities, click here. Curbside voting is also available for those eligible.

Voters who received an absentee ballot may deliver their ballot to their county board of elections office or to an election official at an early voting site during voting hours.

When are the polls open?

• Monday through Friday – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Saturdays – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Sundays – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Important Voter Tips

Make sure to bring your photo ID. North Carolina voters will be required to show their ID when checking in to vote.

Make sure you’re registered. You can check here to see if you are.

Same-day registration is available during early voting, while this is not available for most voters on Election Day.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5: General Election Day.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).

Keep in mind voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for the military and those overseas.

Click here for the latest stories on NC politics.