The Ballot Brief
Watauga County, North Carolina

North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, Seat 1

Rupp was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Watauga 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

Matthew Rupp (Republican) is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, Seat 1. Voters across Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey 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. 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 › Watauga County › North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, 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
Watauga 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 Superior Court Judge, District 35, 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.

Matthew Rupp

Republican

Biography

Matthew Rupp currently serves as a District Court Judge for District 24, covering Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey counties, appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in June 2022, per WataugaOnline. He was previously a law partner and an assistant district attorney in the 35th and 26th Prosecutorial Districts, and he received his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He is now a candidate for the Superior Court seat serving Avery County.

Next on the ballotNorth Carolina District Court Judge, District 35, Seat 1

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Questions about this race

Who is running for North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, Seat 1 in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, Seat 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Matthew Rupp. Candidate information follows official Watauga County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the North Carolina Superior Court Judge, District 35, 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 Watauga 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 Superior Court Judge, District 35, 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 Watauga 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 Watauga County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Watauga County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
North Carolina Senate District 47North Carolina House District 87North Carolina House District 93See all 5 Watauga County races
Candidate profiles
Matthew Rupp, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office