Democratic Party

§1Ballot status

✎ Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

It is on North Carolina's own list of parties qualified for the 2026 election.^1,2 The state's class for it: political party.^1,2

How a party qualifies in North Carolina

A group becomes a new party by filing petitions signed by registered voters equal to one-quarter of one percent of the votes cast in the last election for governor, including at least 200 voters in each of three congressional districts.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-96(a)(2) The petitions go first to county boards of elections to check the signatures and must reach the State Board of Elections by noon on June 1 before the first general election the party wants to take part in.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-96(a)(2), (c) A group can also qualify by showing the State Board, by the same June 1 deadline, that it had a presidential nominee on the ballot in at least 70 percent of the states in the last presidential election.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-96(a)(3)

How a party keeps its status

A party keeps its status if its candidate for governor or for presidential electors won at least 2 percent of the statewide vote for that office at the last general state election.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-96(a)(1) A party that fails that test stops being a political party, and the State Board may later change its members' registrations to unaffiliated, no sooner than 90 days after the election is certified.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-97, 163-97.1

§2How it picks nominees

✎ Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Primary election. ²

North Carolina's rules for nominating

Political parties choose their nominees in primary elections; candidates file a notice of candidacy as members of the party, and a candidate who is the only one to file for a party is declared its nominee without a primary.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-106, 163-110 A primary winner needs more than 30 percent of the vote; otherwise the runner-up may ask for a second primary.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-111 In the first general election after it qualifies, a new party picks its candidates at a party convention and certifies them to the State Board by July 1.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-98 Candidates not tied to any party can reach the ballot as unaffiliated candidates by petition.² Where in the source: G.S. 163-122

§3On the 2026 ballot

15 Candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House or governor whose label on North Carolina's November 3 ballot names this party, from the state's official candidate list. Labels are shown exactly as the ballot prints them. Other offices aren't covered yet.

§4Notes on North Carolina’s party research

What the research couldn’t find or confirm about North Carolina’s parties, in its own plain words. Nothing is left out silently.

• The State Board's list writes each name with a leading The (for example, The Democratic Party); we dropped the article.