Election 2026 Results

Macon County Republicans held their monopoly on county government despite sweeping losses at the state and federal level. Macon County voters supported Republicans for every partisan county seat and passed two ballot referendums to allow for the sale of wine and malt beverages. Tuesday night's results show the quarter-cent sales tax increase referenda failing by nine votes: 7,862 (50.03%) votes against to 7,853 (49.97%) for. Some absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted and the totals may change. Of 105 outstanding ballots to be counted, the Macon County Board of Elections said 82 are provisional, five are transfers and 18 are absentee ballots that arrived on Election Day. The ballots will be examined and considered by the board on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. and finalized at canvass on Friday, Nov. 13, at 11 a.m. In addition, the board considered a situation regarding a deceased voter. The voter cast an absentee ballot that was returned and tabulated in September ahead of the voter's later, reported death in October. According to general statute, ballots cast before Election Day are to be discarded if challenged due to the voter's death if it occurs before 11:59 p.m. the day before Election Day. The board approved a measure to challenge the ballot in compliance with a North Carolina State Board of Elections memo. Notice of a hearing to contest the challenge will be sent to the voter's last address, where they will have the chance to demonstrate if they are still alive. The county filled 10 partisan and non-partisan seats on Tuesday. Board of Commissioners Voters re-elected John Shearl (R) to the Macon County Board of Commissioners to represent District 1 with 8,649 votes to Democratic challenger Russ Lunn's 7,190 votes (54.61% to 45.39%). For District 2, Kellie McConnell Burns (R) claimed 8,430 votes (29.30%) and Dylan Castle (R) took 8,324 (28.93%), beating out Democratic candidates Terry Bell with 6,442 votes (22.39%) and Janet Jacobs Greene with 5,572 (19.37%). District 2 incumbents Gary Shields and Danny Antoine did not run for re-election. In a Facebook post, Castle said, "I am overwhelmed with gratitude for every moment of this journey. If you're unsure that God still works in powerful ways, just remember: a homeschool kid, with no generational family, took a stand, showed love to the community that molded him, and experienced the awesome favor of God. Thank you, Macon County! Onward to serve." Board of Education In the District 2 Macon County Board of Education race, Gary Shields won with 6,743 votes (47.16%), beating out Kaleena Keener Messer's 3,780 votes (26.44%) and incumbent Stephanie Hyder Laseter's 3,775 votes (26.40%). The District 4 race saw incumbent Diedre Breeden overwhelmingly beat out Bob Perkins with 9,097 votes (67.40%) to his 4,401 votes (32.60%). Breeden said, "Thank you, Macon County, for believing in me enough to give me a chance to serve a second term. Congratulations to all the other winners tonight, I look forward to serving our beautiful county with each of you ... I will continue to work hard and advocate for our students, they are our future." Soil and Water Conservation District Pamela Peek Bell and Matthew Reynolds were re-elected as the county's Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors with 8,192 (43.18%) and 6,944 (36.60%), respectively, beating out challenger Greg Zickgraf with 3,837 votes (20.22%). Non-competitive races Without challengers, Shawna Thun Lamb, Todd Raby and Brent Holbrooks were all reelected to their respective offices with the Macon County Clerk of Superior Court, Register of Deeds and Sheriff. Local ballot initiatives A pair of ballot initiatives regarding the sale of alcohol in the county sailed to victory. 10,711 (70.03%) people voted to allow the sale of malt beverages in the county while 4,583 (29.97%) voted against. There were 10,672 (70.19%) votes to allow the sale of unfortified wine and 4,533 (29.81%) against. State races Senate Republican Kevin Corbin won a fourth term representing District 50 in the N.C. Senate receiving (58.19%) 55,374 votes over Democratic challenger Tom Downing's 39,781 (41.81%). House Incumbent Republican Karl Gillespie beat out Democratic challenger Caleb Brown with 25,619 votes (67.88%) to Brown's 12,120 (32.12%). "I am deeply grateful and honored that the citizens of House District 120 have once again placed their trust in me to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly. It is a privilege to represent the people of Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon Counties and I look forward to continuing the work we have started together," Gillespie said in a press release. Judicial Democrats claimed all statewide judicial seats. Anita Earls (D) was elected to the N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1 with 2,456,843 vote (58.86%) to Sarah Stevens' (R) 1,717,025 (41.14%). John S. Arrowood (D) was selected to fill the N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1 with 2,362,158 votes (56.77%) to Michael C. Byrne's (R) 1,798,802 (43.23%). Democrat Tobias Hampson filled Seat 2 of the same office with 2,360,502 votes (56.79%) to George Cooper Bell's (R) 1,796,378 (43.21%). The third seat was filled by Christine Marie Walczyk (D) with 2,372,412 votes (57.12%) to Craig Collins' (R) 1,780,878 votes (42.88%). Ballot initiatives All state constitutional amendments placed on the ballot passed by a wide margin. An amendment to require a photo I.D. for voting passed with 2,463,276 (59.60%) in favor to 1,669,764 (40.40%) opposed. An amendment to cap the maximum income tax rate at 3.5% passed by 2,559,732 (61.92%) in favor to 1,574,188 (38.08%) opposed. An amendment to require the General Assembly to limit property tax increases passed 2,492,761 (60.42%) to 1,632,700 (39.58%). Federal races Senate Democrat Roy Cooper easily cleared Republican Michael Whatley for the U.S. Senate race with 2,467,963 votes (58.72%) to Whatley's 1,643,088 (39.09%), flipping the Republican Senate seat formerly held by retiring Republican Thom Tillis for Democrats. Libertarian Shannon W. Bray came in third with 55,726 (1.33%) and Michael Dublin finished out with 36,404 (0.87%). "North Carolina – I'm grateful for your trust. We have more in common than divides us. Here's to building better days ahead," Cooper said. House Jamie Ager (D) cleared Jennifer Capps Balkom (R) by more than 15 points, with his 195,637 votes (57.14%) beating out her 141,427 (41.30%). Ager thus flips the Republican House seat formerly held by Chuck Edwards, who dropped out of the 2026 race following an ethics investigation. Libertarian Travis Groo came in third place with 5,345 votes (1.56%). Ager said, "I'm honored to have our neighbors' confidence to represent them in Congress ... This is my promise to you as your next Congressman: I'm going to go up to Washington, DC, and fight like hell to make sure each and every one of us has that fair chance. I'm going to fight for better wages, lower costs, quality healthcare and the Helene recovery funding we still need."

Election 2026 Results

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