The Ballot Brief
Forsyth County, North Carolina

North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4

McDonald was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Forsyth County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. North Carolina certifies the general election by November 24, 2026; county canvasses are due November 13. Official results: er.ncsbe.gov.

About this race

Cheryl Andrews McDonald (Democratic) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4. Voters across Forsyth County vote on this seat, per North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A. North Carolina judicial races have been partisan since the 2018 court reorganization. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list (read September 7, 2026).

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Cheryl Andrews McDonald, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

North Carolina › Forsyth County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4

Who won? The official answer comes November 24.

North Carolina makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 13
Forsyth County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Nov 24
North Carolina makes it official
The State Board of Elections certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: North Carolina official results.

North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until North Carolina certifies on November 24; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Cheryl Andrews McDonald

DemocraticIncumbent

Biography

Cheryl Andrews McDonald is a Forsyth County District Court Judge, appointed by Governor Josh Stein to the bench for Judicial District 31 following the retirement of Judge George Cleland IV, and assumed office on January 9, 2026, per the North Carolina Governor's office. She is a solo practitioner in Winston-Salem with nearly two decades of legal experience in civil and criminal law, beginning her career at Holton Law Firm, PLLC in 2010 and later working at the Forsyth County Public Defender's Office, and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Wake Forest University School of Law, per the same source.

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Next on the ballotForsyth County District Attorney

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Questions about this race

Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4 in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Cheryl Andrews McDonald. Candidate information follows official Forsyth County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4 election in North Carolina?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. North Carolina certifies the general election by November 24, 2026; county canvasses are due November 13. Official results: https://er.ncsbe.gov/. Voting rules for North Carolina are on the North Carolina election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Forsyth County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 31, Seat 4 race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; North Carolina certifies on November 24. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Forsyth County and state election office filings, last verified October 14, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Forsyth County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Forsyth County ballot

18 tracked races in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot
Forsyth County SheriffForsyth County Clerk of Superior CourtForsyth Board of Commissioners At-LargeSee all 18 Forsyth County races
Candidate profiles
Cheryl Andrews McDonald, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office