2008 North Carolina judicial elections explained

One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and six judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected to eight-year terms by North Carolina voters on November 4, 2008. This coincided with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and Council of State elections.

North Carolina judicial elections are non-partisan. Primary elections were held on May 6, 2008 for seats with more than two candidates running. The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, advanced to the general election.[1]

Despite the non-partisan nature of the elections, candidates' party affiliations were well-known. As a result of the elections, the Republicans maintained their 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court. Democrats maintained their majority on the Court of Appeals. Only one Republican (Robert N. Hunter Jr.) defeated a Democrat in a Court of Appeals race.[2]

Supreme Court (Edmunds seat)

Incumbent Robert H. Edmunds Jr.[3] ran for re-election [4] and was opposed by Professor Suzanne Reynolds[5] of Wake Forest University Law School.[6] Edmunds defeated Reynolds in the closest statewide judicial race of 2008.

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
Robert H. (Bob) Edmunds1,562,45351.02%
Suzanne Reynolds1,499,97848.98%

Court of Appeals (Arrowood seat)

Incumbent John S. Arrowood,[7] appointed in 2007, was opposed by former state Board of Elections chairman Robert N. Hunter Jr.[8]

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
Robert N. (Bob) Hunter Jr.1,529,58353.68%
John S. Arrowood1,319,80046.32%

Court of Appeals (Stephens seat)

Incumbent Linda Stephens ran for election, having been appointed in 2007.[9] She was opposed by attorney Dan Barrett.

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
Linda Stephens1,712,45858.76%
Dan Barrett1,202,03041.24%

Court of Appeals (Tyson seat)

Incumbent John M. Tyson[10] [11] was opposed by state District Court Judge Kristin Ruth,[12] [13] former Wake County Clerk of Court Janet Pueschel, and state Utilities Commissioner Sam J. Ervin, IV.[14]

In the May 6 primary, Ervin led the field with 37 percent of the vote, followed by Ruth (26 percent), Tyson (22 percent), and Pueschel (16 percent). Ervin and Ruth advanced to the November general election.[15]

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
Sam J. Ervin, IV1,544,33753.09%
Kristin Ruth1,364,83046.91%

Court of Appeals (McCullough seat)

Incumbent Douglas McCullough[16] was opposed by state District Court Judge Cheri Beasley.[17]

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
Cheri Beasley1,689,55057.42%
Doug McCullough1,253,13342.58%

Court of Appeals (Martin seat)

Incumbent John C. Martin, the court's Chief Judge, ran for re-election unopposed.[18]

Court of Appeals (Wynn seat)

Incumbent James A. Wynn[19] was opposed by attorneys Dean R. Poirier and Jewel Ann Farlow in the May 6 primary.[20]

Wynn and Farlow advanced to the November general election. Wynn won approximately 48 percent of the vote in the primary, followed by Farlow (37 percent) and Poirier (15 percent).[21]

width=40% Candidatewidth=30% Popular Votewidth=30% Pct
James A. (Jim) Wynn1,584,85754.27%
Jewel Ann Farlow1,335,26045.73%

References

  1. Web site: Primary Election Voter Guide . 2008-04-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080418201831/http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=29 . 2008-04-18 . dead .
  2. http://www.reflector.com/news/gop-maintains-edge-on-supreme-court-224293.html AP: GOP maintains edge on Supreme Court
  3. http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Appellate/Supreme/Biographies/Biography.asp?Name=Edmunds Biography
  4. Web site: Edmunds will run in 2008 newsobserver.com projects . 2007-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081024055030/http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/edmunds_will_run_in_2008 . 2008-10-24 . dead .
  5. Web site: Suzanne Reynolds for NC Supreme Court - suzannereynolds.org . 2019-08-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180903052403/http://www.suzannereynolds.org/ . 2018-09-03 . dead .
  6. Web site: Reynolds v. Edmunds for Supreme Court newsobserver.com projects . 2007-11-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081019204436/http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/reynolds_v_edmunds_for_supreme_court . 2008-10-19 . dead .
  7. Web site: Committee to Keep Judge Arrowood . 2008-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080703211741/http://www.judgearrowood.com/ . 2008-07-03 . dead .
  8. Web site: Not that Bob Hunter newsobserver.com projects . 2008-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081024172658/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/not_that_bob_hunter . 2008-10-24 . dead .
  9. http://www.judgelinda.org/ Judge Linda Stephens for NC Court of Appeals – official campaign website homepage
  10. http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Appellate/Appeal/Biographies/Biography.asp?Name=Tyson Biography
  11. Web site: Archived copy . 2008-02-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090325014038/http://www.judgejohntyson.com/Tyson%20Files%20for%20Re-election.pdf . 2009-03-25 . dead .
  12. Web site: Judge Kristin Ruth to Run for NC Court of Appeals Judge Kristin H. Ruth . 2007-09-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080509004058/http://www.judgeruth.com/node/37 . 2008-05-09 . dead .
  13. Web site: Judges jump in race newsobserver.com projects . 2007-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081024162521/http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/judges_jump_in_race . 2008-10-24 . dead .
  14. Web site: Ervin campaign site . 2008-05-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081028043002/http://ervinforcourtofappeals.com/index.html . 2008-10-28 . dead .
  15. http://www.morganton.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MNH/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173355444481 Morganton News-Herald: Tyson loses bid to retain seat on Court of Appeals
  16. Web site: Biography . 2008-02-13 . 2004-10-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041027125845/http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Appellate/Appeal/Biographies/Biography.asp?Name=McCullough . dead .
  17. http://www.judgecheri.com/ Judge Cheri Beasley – Home
  18. Web site: Judge John Martin NC Court of Appeals . 2008-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081019091619/http://www.judgejohnmartin.com/ . 2008-10-19 . dead .
  19. Web site: Announcements Judge Wynn . 2008-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080208170810/http://www.judgewynn.com/ . 2008-02-08 . dead .
  20. Web site: Candidate Listing . 2008-03-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080219004113/http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/Cand/Filed/Cand_state_list_filed.html . 2008-02-19 . dead .
  21. http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1063738.html News & Observer: Wynn leads, but Tyson trails

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