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Who is running in North Carolina’s 2024 primaries?

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OLCE Director of Leadership and Engagement Tiffany Seawright talks to Nc A&T students about voter registration and early voting. Victoria Griffin/EducationNC

It’s officially a presidential election year in North Carolina. The primary will be held on March 5, and offices that matter when it comes to education will be up for election.

Below, you will find all of the candidates running for North Carolina governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state superintendent, and treasurer.

Here is the N.C. State Board of Elections 2024 elections overview.

Here is the complete candidate list for the primaries by county for local, state, and federal elections.

Important dates

Feb. 9, 2024: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)*

Feb. 15, 2024: In-person early voting begins

Feb. 27, 2024: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.)*

March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.)

March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day

*Note that voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

Candidates who win their primaries will be on the ballot for the general election, which is Nov. 5, 2024.

Here is information on how to register to vote.

Why the election matters

Governor

Here is The News & Observer’s recent voter’s guide on the candidates running for governor.

Democrat

Josh Stein | Stein has served as North Carolina’s attorney general since 2017.

Patrice Booker | Known as Chrelle Booker, she currently serves as a member of the Tryon Town Council. She is a realtor.

Mike Morgan | Morgan has been serving as an associate justice of the N.C. Supreme Court since 2018.

Marcus Whittman Williams | Williams spent the majority of his professional career as an attorney, including serving as assistant public defender and executive director for Legal Services of Lower Cape Fear.

Gary Foxx | Foxx is a former police chief and school resource officer in Edgecombe County.

Republican

Mark Robinson | Robinson is North Carolina’s lieutenant governor.

Dale R. Folwell | Folwell has served as North Carolina’s treasurer since 2017.

William Marc Graham | Graham is an attorney.

Other parties

Michael “Wayne” Turner | Turner is representing the Green party.

Shannon W. Bray | Running as a Libertarian, Bray is a tech entrepreneur, who served in the U.S. Navy.

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Lieutenant Governor

The lieutenant governor sits on the N.C. State Board of Education and the N.C. Board of Community Colleges.

Republican

Deanna Ballard | Ballard previously served in the N.C. Senate.

Jeffrey Elmore | Elmore is currently serving in the N.C. House. He is a middle school art teacher.

Peter Boykin | Boykin is the owner of GoRightNews.com.

Rivera Douthit | Douthit spent 10 years working as a nurse. After leaving nursing, she began providing Christian ministry to women.

Marlenis Hernandez Novoa | Hernandez Novoa works as a health care executive.

Allen Mashburn | Mashburn has three decades of experience in Christian ministry.

Jim O’Neil | O’Neil is in his fourth term as Forsyth County District Attorney.

Sam Page | Page previously served as the sheriff of Rockingham County.

Ernest T. Reeves | Reeves is a retired captain in the U.S. Army.

Hal Weatherman | Weatherman formerly served as district director for Madison Cawthorn and chief of staff for Dan Forest and Sue Myrick. He is the founder and president of the Electoral Education Foundation, a 501-c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing election integrity efforts in North Carolina.

Seth Woodall | Woodall is an attorney.

Democrat

Rachel Hunt | Hunt is currently serving in the N.C. Senate.

Mark H. Robinson | Not to be confused with the gubernatorial candidate, Robinson is a Navy veteran.

Ben Clark | Clark is a former high school science teacher, and he served in the N.C. Senate and the U.S. Air Force.

State Superintendent

Republican

Catherine Truitt | Truitt has served as North Carolina’s state superintendent since 2021. She is an educator.

Michele Morrow | Morrow is a nurse.

Democrat

Maurice (Mo) Green | Green is an attorney, who previously was the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and superintendent in Guilford County Schools.

Kenon Crumble | Crumble is an assistant principal in Wake County.

C.R. Katie Eddings | Eddings, an Air Force veteran, is currently a personal finance teacher at Lee Early College.

Attorney General 

Democrat

Jeff Jackson | Jackson represents the 14th district in Congress and previously served in the N.C. Senate. He is an attorney.

Satana Deberry | Deberry is the district attorney for Durham County.

Tim Dunn | An attorney in the Marine Corps until 1994, Dunn is in private practice.

Republican

Dan Bishop | Bishop is an attorney. He previously served in the N.C. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Treasurer

Here is Business North Carolina’s most recent article about who is running for treasurer.

Republican

Brad Briner | Briner currently sits on the Board of Trustees at UNC Chapel Hill. He is also co-chief investment officer at New York-based investment firm Willett Advisors. He is known for managing Michael Bloomberg’s money.

AJ Daoud | Daoud has experience working as a police officer as well as running a small funeral home.

Rachel Johnson | Johnson is a former banker and the wife of Mark Johnson, a former state superintendent of public instruction, according to Business North Carolina.

Democrat

Gabriel Esparza | Esparza has been a corporate executive, working with RapidSOS and American Express.

Wesley Harris | Harris is currently serving in the N.C. House.

Correction: This article was corrected to reflect that Rachel Hunt is currently serving in the N.C. Senate, and Ben Clark is running for Lt. Governor.