Two justices of the seven-member North Carolina Supreme Court and four judges of the fifteen-member North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 8, 2022, concurrently with other state elections. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. These elections were conducted on a partisan basis.
Primary elections were originally set to be held on March 8, 2022, but were delayed by order of the state Supreme Court, and then rescheduled for May 17, 2022. Candidate filing began on December 6, 2021, but was suspended by the court's order. Filing later resumed, and ended on March 4, 2022.
Republicans won both seats on the Supreme Court and all four races for the Court of Appeals. As a result of these elections, Republicans would hold a 5–2 majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Seat 3
This seat is currently held by Associate Justice Robin E. Hudson, a Democrat, who has held the seat since 2007. There was some speculation that Hudson would choose to not run for re-election, due to the fact that she was nearing the mandatory retirement age of 72. Hudson’s mandatory retirement would be February 29, 2024. If Hudson were to be re-elected to another term, she would only be able to serve a little over 13 months of her eight-year term.
On December 1, 2021, Hudson announced that she would not be seeking re-election. Court of Appeals Judge Lucy Inman ran for this seat.
Democratic primary
As only one Democrat filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Lucy Inman, Court of Appeals Judge (2015–present) and candidate for Supreme Court in 2020
Declined
Robin E. Hudson, Associate Justice (since 2007)
Republican primary
As only one Republican filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Richard Dietz, Court of Appeals Judge (2014–present)
General election
Polling
Graphical summary
Results
By congressional district
Dietz won 8 of 14 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.
Supreme Court Seat 5
This seat is currently held by Associate Justice Sam J. Ervin IV, a Democrat, who has held the seat since 2015. Ervin ran for re-election to a second term.
Democratic primary
As only one Democrat filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Sam J. Ervin IV, Associate Justice (2015–present)
Republican primary
Nominee
Trey Allen, professor at UNC-Chapel Hill
Eliminated in primary
Victoria E. Prince
April C. Wood, Court of Appeals Judge (2021–present)
Endorsements
Polling
Results
General election
Polling
Graphical summary
Results
By congressional district
Ervin and Allen each won 7 of 14 congressional districts.
Court of Appeals Seat 8 (Inman seat)
Lucy Inman, a Democrat, was elected to this seat in 2014. Inman ran for a seat on the Supreme Court in 2022 rather than seek reelection.
Democratic primary
As only one Democrat filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Carolyn Jennings Thompson, former District Court and former Superior Court judge
Declined
Lucy Inman, Court of Appeals Judge (2015–present) and candidate for Supreme Court in 2020
Republican primary
As only one Republican filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Julee Tate Flood
General election
Results
Court of Appeals Seat 9 (Stroud seat)
Donna Stroud, a Republican, was first elected to the Court of Appeals in 2006 and subsequently re-elected. She was appointed to the position of Chief Judge by then-Chief Justice Cheri Beasley and assumed that role on January 1, 2021. Stroud ran for re-election.
Democratic primary
As only one Democrat filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.
Nominee
Brad A. Salmon, District Court Judge and former state representative (2015–2016)
Republican primary
Nominee
Donna Stroud, Court of Appeals Judge (2007–present) (Chief Judge 2021–present)
Eliminated in primary
Beth Freshwater Smith, District Court Judge
Polling
Endorsements
Results
General election
Results
Court of Appeals Seat 10 (Tyson seat)
John M. Tyson, a Republican, was elected to this seat in 2014 after previously serving on the court from 2001 to 2009. Tyson ran for re-election.
Democratic primary
As only one Democrat filed to run for this seat, a primary was not held.