The 2026 election season in Guilford County officially gets underway at noon on Monday, Dec. 1, when the filing period for candidates opens at the Guilford County Board of Elections. Filing will remain open until noon on Friday, Dec. 19, and – given the political climate right now – this election cycle will no doubt be one of the most heated, unpredictable and closely watched in years.
Across the board, races for legislative seats, countywide offices and school board positions are expected to draw vigorous challenges. With so many key offices on the ballot at a time when partisan tensions are at all-time highs, political observers expect surprises, tight margins and a lot of voter attention.
Below is a list of all offices open for filing this cycle, and the incumbents and the filing fees as provided by the Board of Elections:
NC Senate
District 26 – Berger (R) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 27 – Garrett (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 28 – Robinson (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
NC House
District 57 – Clark (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 58 – Quick (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 59 – Branson (R) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 60 – Cook (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 61 – Harrison (D) – 2-year term – $139.51
District 62 – Blust (R) – 2-year term – $139.51
Countywide Offices
District Attorney (24th District) – Crump (D) – 4-year term – $1,673.37
Clerk of Superior Court – Churchill (D) – 4-year term – $1,499.49
Sheriff – Rogers (D) – 4-year term – $1,807.56
Guilford County Board of Commissioners
At-Large – Cashion (D) – 4-year term – $312.00
District 1 – Foster (D) – 4-year term – $312.00
District 2 – Perdue (R) – 4-year term – $312.00
District 3 – Tillman (R) – 4-year term – $312.00
District 7 – Jones Jr. (D) – 4-year term – $312.00
Board of Education
At-Large – Sherouse (D) – 4-year term – $207.00
District 2 – Pratt (R) – 4-year term – $207.00
District 4 – Welborn (D) – 4-year term – $207.00
District 6 – Irby (D) – 4-year term – $207.00
District 8 – Hayes (D) – 4-year term – $207.00
Candidates who want to throw their hat in the ring have to submit a “Notice of Candidacy,” along with shelling out the required filing fee, no later than noon on Dec. 19 – and the paperwork must be received, not just postmarked, by that deadline.
Candidates may file in person at:
Guilford County Board of Elections
301 W. Market St., Greensboro
Or the Elections Office In High Point at
325 E. Russell Ave., by appointment
Those unable to file in person have to submit notarized documents via US Postal Service or commercial courier.
Surrogates can’t deliver materials, and any hand-delivered filings not made by the candidate will be rejected.
Candidates for judicial offices and federal offices must file with the NC State Board of Elections in Raleigh at the Governor James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex, 4601 Trinity Road.
Candidates for the NC House or NC Senate may file either in their county of residence or in Raleigh.
Candidate Requirements
Prospective candidates should be aware of the following requirements:
Must be a registered voter in the county.
Must have been affiliated with their political party for at least 90 days prior to filing.
Filing fees must be paid by check or money order—no starter checks, counter checks or two-party checks.
All candidates except those running for sheriff must complete a felony disclosure form.
Sheriff candidates must meet additional statutory requirements regarding criminal history.
Once a Notice of Candidacy is filed, candidates must establish a campaign committee within 10 days of receiving or spending any campaign funds or consenting to campaign expenditures.
The short filing window and strict requirements mean that candidates will have to act quickly.
The start of filing signals the beginning of what could be the most energetic, contentious and unpredictable election cycle in years. Legislative seats are in play that will affect the balance of power in Raleigh. County offices such as sheriff and clerk—always high-profile positions—are expected to draw a whole lot of interest.
And school board races, which have become increasingly political statewide, are likely to attract heavy scrutiny.
Candidates and residents can find full filing instructions, forms and details at GuilfordCountyNC.gov/Elections or by contacting the Elections Office at 336-641-3836 or guilfordelections@guilfordcountync.gov.
Once the clock strikes high noon on Dec. 19, the field will be set and the real fireworks will begin.
Where is BJ Barnes when we need him for Sheriff? Danny and his cowboy hat need to go!
It seems it costs more to run for sheriff than anything else
Good information. Thank you.
Republican Army Veteran Wiliam “Billy” Queen is running for Sheriff. Hopefully there won’t be 6 candidates running like in 2022 that divided up the votes. The Republican party needs to get behind Billy and get him elected to remove the current Sheriff, who continues to have 100+ vacancies and many issues. I read Billy Queens Bio, and he is heavily qualified. He is not just a “former” Sheriff Departments employee. I saw on his web page where he has been requested by many Law Enforcement agencies to teach classes and recently saw him at a fall festival speaking fluent Spanish to people to calm their recent fears. He has my vote in March or February if they have early voting.
Billy Queen, I believe would be a great Sheriff. I went to the event where he and two other Federal Agents who worked undercover made presentations. It was totally amazing. He can bring the resources to Guilford County to bring the violence, gangs and drug problems down. The people who were there to support him (Politicians and many Business owners) spoke highly of him. Mark Robinson was a great MC too. Mark is getting a movement going again in Greensboro. Glad to see he is invested in our community.
Another Deadline is the open window thru 12/7 to change your Medicare Advantage plan, and/or your Medicare part D prescription drug plan. Having been on Medicare for a long time, I have my 2c to offer. But your best choice is original Medicare + a supplement + separate drug insurance. This costs more, but it has always been the best choice (what I have). To replace a Medicare Advantage plan with original Medicare, you have to QUALIFY medically to get a Supplement first, so check with an agent about this before you make any decision.
First, if you are happy with what you have, don’t mess with, it ain’t broke. If not, you really need to check out your options. The best place for unbiased information is Medicare.gov. Many insurance agents are “captive” agents who only represent one or a few companies, so their info if biased. An independent agent can give you the full range of options, but there can be some bias as to who pays them the most; or, lack of experience. It is really hard for a lay person to make a considered choice.
My running criticism of my Medicare Drug coverage with The Big Cigna has been documented, and can be proven.
So, I shopped it around. As of January, my monthly premium will drop $60; and every single co-pay I have will drop. For example, my co-pay on one item went from a flat $15, to a percentage, which is $6. Every co-pay will be less. As far as getting anyone in the U.S. for “customer service” sometime in the next hour or two, it can’t be any worse than it is now.
My comments are based on my experience. You need to verify any of this with a licensed agent, not me.