The Ballot Brief
Surry County, North Carolina

North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1

Kirkman was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Surry 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

Gretchen Hollar Kirkman (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1. Voters across Stokes and Surry counties 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, Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, 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 › Surry County › North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1

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
Surry 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 23, Seat 1
No report found yet

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

Gretchen Hollar Kirkman

RepublicanIncumbent

Biography

Gretchen Hollar Kirkman is a District Court Judge serving Surry and Stokes counties, per the North Carolina Judicial Branch. She grew up in Dobson, Surry County, attending Dobson Elementary School, Surry Central High School and Surry Community College, and received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2000. She has practiced law for more than 17 years specializing in family law, juvenile law and criminal defense, operating as a sole practitioner since 2004 at the Law Office of Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, PLLC, per The Stokes News. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on the ballotNorth Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 2

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Questions about this race

Who is running for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1 in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Gretchen Hollar Kirkman. Candidate information follows official Surry County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 1 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 Surry 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 23, Seat 1 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 Surry County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Surry County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
North Carolina District Court Judge, District 23, Seat 3North Carolina Senate District 36North Carolina House District 90See all 5 Surry County races
Candidate profiles
Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office