As North Carolina heads into Tuesday’s state primaries, the contests will determine who moves on to November general elections for U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, the state Legislature, and the state Court of Appeals. The day will also test how quickly vote totals from mail and early voting translate into Election Day turnout, with polls scheduled to close at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Republicans are defending the U.S. Senate seat held by Thom Tillis, who announced his retirement last June. The race is taking place with Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats aiming for a net pickup of four seats to regain control. In Tuesday’s primary, the GOP and Democratic fields each contain a field of six candidates for the nomination, with the winners meeting in November.
On the Republican side, Michael Whatley—the former Republican National Committee chair—has President Donald Trump’s backing. Whatley’s opponents include author and attorney Don Brown and conservative activist Michele Morrow, both of whom ran for other offices in 2024. Brown sought the Republican nomination in the 8th Congressional District last year, while Morrow ran for superintendent of public instruction, and a disqualified former candidate, Margot Dupre, will not appear on the ballot after the state Board of Elections disqualified her candidacy.
In the Democratic Senate primary, former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper is facing five other candidates. The Associated Press reported that both Whatley and Cooper have raised more money than their primary competitors, a factor that could shape how quickly their campaigns can consolidate support as voters pick among a crowded field.
Beyond the Senate race, the AP noted that congressional primaries are being held on a new map drawn by the state Legislature in 2025 as part of Trump’s push to gain House seats through mid-decade redistricting. In the 1st Congressional District, which was redrawn to favor Republicans, five Republicans are challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis in the primary. The contenders include Laurie Buckhout, Asa Buck, Bobby Hanig, Eric Rouse, and attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell.
In the 4th Congressional District—described by the AP as heavily Democratic and centered on the Raleigh-Durham area—Democratic U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee faces a Democratic primary rematch with Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam. The AP said Allam placed second behind Foushee in a crowded 2022 Democratic field that included former “American Idol” star Clay Aiken, and that Allam has the endorsement of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The AP also highlighted how county-level voting history could influence the new congressional districts. It said the newly redrawn 4th District still includes Durham and Orange, while it picks up parts of Wake and Chatham and loses four smaller counties where Foushee previously did best. In 2022, Allam carried her home county of Durham, while Foushee prevailed in Orange County and won by wide margins in the district’s four smaller counties, and the AP said the result could hinge on whether Allam and Foushee replicate similar splits as they did previously in Durham and Orange—especially for how those votes spill over into Wake.
For the mechanics of Tuesday’s results, registered party members may vote only in their party’s primary. The AP reported that independent or unaffiliated voters can participate in either party’s primary, but Democrats cannot vote in the Republican contest and Republicans cannot vote in the Democratic contest. In advance voting, the AP said that as of Feb. 21 North Carolina had about 7.7 million registered voters, with registered Republicans slightly outnumbering registered Democrats, and more than 3 million voters not registered with any party.
As the vote totals come in, the Associated Press said it does not make projections and will declare winners only when it is determined there is no scenario that would let a trailing candidate close the gap. In North Carolina primaries, the AP added that the second-place finisher may request a runoff election if the top vote-getter receives 30% or less of the vote, and it said there are no automatic recounts, though candidates may request one if margins and totals meet the state’s thresholds. The AP also said its first results in the 2022 U.S. Senate primaries appeared around 7:50 p.m. ET, about 20 minutes after polls closed, and that mail and early-voting results usually appear in the first update of the night before in-person Election Day totals are released.
Finally, the Associated Press provided a timing note for the broader political calendar: as of Tuesday there were 245 days until the 2026 midterm elections, underscoring that Tuesday’s primary winners will set up the next phase of campaigning for the general election.