Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County Sheriff

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2 candidates are tracked for Wake County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Willie Rowe and Kenny Blackwell. Candidate information follows official Wake County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

From the State Board of Elections certified candidate list.

Willie Rowe

Democratic · Incumbent

Willie Rowe has been Wake County's sheriff since 2022 after a long career in the sheriff's office, per the county's official sheriff's office page.

Kenny Blackwell

Republican

Kenny Blackwell is a career law enforcement officer who has served as a Wake County deputy and a U.S. Marshal and is currently a State Capitol Police investigator, per his campaign site and the Wake Weekly.

2026 priorities

Faster response times, per the campaign site
Fentanyl and trafficking enforcement, per the campaign site
Deputy and detention officer pay plus mental health services, per the campaign site

Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-01.

Campaign site →

Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Wake County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified 2026-09-01. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Wake County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.