Judicial Vacancy

Judicial Vacancy Election Results

Update: March 30, 2026 

Voting for the 26th Judicial District Court Vacancy closed on Friday, March 27, 2026.  Although only one candidate, Kimberly Best, was nominated for the vacancy, the 26th Judicial District Bar was still required to conduct the nomination election as required by law.  The Bar subsequently submitted the results to the North Carolina Governor's Office, naming Ms. Best as the Bar's nominee for Governor Josh Stein's consideration.  Full information about the election is provided below.

Voting Information for District Court Vacancy Election

Update: March 11, 2026 

Voting for the 26th Judicial District Court Vacancy, as described in the Election Notice below, will begin on Monday, March 16, 2026.  Although only one candidate, Kimberly Best, has been nominated for the vacancy, the 26th Judicial District Bar is still required to conduct this election as required by law.  Ballots and instructions will be emailed to each active member of the 26th Judicial District Bar after 9 a.m. on the first day of voting.  That email will be delivered by Simply Voting (vote@simplyvoting.com) to the email address you have on file with the 26th Judicial District Bar.  Full information about the election is provided in the Election Notice below.

Election Notice: District Court Vacancy Nominations

Notice Date: February 17, 2026 

The 26th Judicial District Bar will conduct a judicial nomination election to vote on nominees to submit to Governor Josh Stein, as required by North Carolina law, for the Governor’s consideration in making an appointment to fill this vacancy.  This vacancy arose following Judge Tyyawdi M. Hands’s recent retirement.  Only active members of the 26th Judicial District Bar who are residents of Mecklenburg County are eligible to vote in this nomination election.  In accordance with the Bylaws of the 26th Judicial District Bar, as approved by its membership and the North Carolina State Bar, this vacancy will be filled through the process set forth in NC Gen. Stat. 7A-142.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT

Per subsection (d)(2) of NC Gen. Stat. 7A-142, this appointment is an interim measure, as this vacancy will appear on the general election ballot in November.  Thus, the Governor’s appointee will serve through December 31, 2026 (i.e., not through December 31, 2028, which would have been the full length of Judge Hands’s term).  The candidate who wins the November election will serve the remainder of Judge Hands’s term beginning January 1, 2027. 

Because North Carolina’s filing period for elections closed in December 2025, prior to Judge Hands’s retirement, it is up to political party executive committees to submit nominations for the November ballot.  No committee, officer, director, or staff member of the 26th Judicial District Bar is involved with that process.  For more information, please see NC Gen. Stat. 7A-142(d)(2) and/or contact local party officials or the State Board of Elections.

CANDIDATES

Members of the 26th Judicial District Bar who would like to be considered for this role must submit a notification of their intent to appear on the nomination election ballot as a candidate for this vacancy.  Such notification must be received by Friday, March 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. and addressed to the Judicial Nominating Committee at candidate@meckbar.org (c/o Shannon Reid, Bar Administrator for the 26th Judicial District Bar). 

Thereafter and before Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 5 p.m., candidates will be required to verify in writing that they: (1) reside within the judicial district (i.e., Mecklenburg County) and (2) are in good standing with both the North Carolina State Bar and the 26th Judicial District Bar.  Candidates will also be asked to submit a biographical information form and headshot for use on the Bar’s ballot and on MeckBar.org leading up to and during the election period.

VOTING

The Bar’s voting period will begin on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 9 a.m. and end on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 5 p.m.  The ballot will require members to affirmatively verify that they are residents of Mecklenburg County and acknowledge their understanding that misrepresentation as to residency would be a violation of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct. 

As in previous elections, the nomination election will be held electronically.  Ballots and instructions will be emailed on the first day of voting to each active member of the 26th Judicial District Bar.  If you do not receive the ballot and instructions at the email address you have on file with the 26th Judicial District Bar, please visit this page (MeckBar.org/JudicialVacancy) at any time during the voting period.  (If you do not have Internet access and require assistance, please call 704-375-8624 so Bar staff can help arrange for you to vote during the voting period.)

RESULTS

Following the close of the voting period, the election results will be shared with the Governor’s Office for his consideration in making an appointment to fill this vacancy through December 31, 2026.  This information will also be posted to this page.

Submitted by:

Brett Few, Judicial Nominating Committee Chair

26th Judicial District Bar