Winston-Salem, North Carolina sample ballot 2026

Kimbrough has served as Forsyth County Sheriff since being elected in 2018 and brings four decades of law enforcement experience, per the campaign site. Kimbrough began as a Winston-Salem police officer, later served as a DEA Special Agent from 1995 to 2016, and is the county's first African American sheriff, per the campaign site.

Ernie Leyba is the Republican nominee for Forsyth County Sheriff. He has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, including with police departments in Los Angeles, Kernersville and Durham, before joining the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, per a local voter guide. He previously sought the Republican nomination for sheriff in 2018 and ran for sheriff in 2022, per the same source.

Edwards has worked in public service for 28 years, currently as an Administrative Assistant in the Forsyth County District Attorney's Office, per the campaign site. Edwards previously served as a Deputy Courtroom Clerk in the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court's Office and as a Victim-Witness Legal Assistant for more than 20 years, per the campaign site.

Besse is an attorney and nonprofit professional focused on public health and environmental matters, and previously worked as a legal aid attorney for about 10 years, per the campaign site. Besse served five terms on the Winston-Salem City Council from 2001 to 2020 and has been appointed by governors to the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission and the N.C. Environmental Management Commission, per the campaign site.

Mrazek is a businesswoman and community activist involved in local issues in Forsyth County, per the campaign site.

Amara M. Hunter is an assistant public defender in the Forsyth Public Defender's office, and a former police officer and former assistant district attorney, per her campaign site and the WS Chronicle.

McDaniel has served as County Commissioner for Forsyth County District A since being appointed in December 2018, per the campaign site. McDaniel holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Winston-Salem State University and a master's in public administration from North Carolina Central University, and has served on the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council, per the campaign site.

Woodbury is an educator with more than 25 years of experience in public schools and at the collegiate level, and previously served on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education from 2018 to 2022, including as chair, per the campaign site. Woodbury holds a doctorate in education leadership from Walden University, per the campaign site.

Marsie West is a finance professional with a background in insurance and institutional banking operations and strategy consulting, per her campaign site.

Roy Cooper is a former North Carolina governor and attorney general, per the campaign site. He was born and raised in Nash County, earned undergraduate and law degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and practiced law in Rocky Mount, per the campaign site. The campaign site says he served four consecutive terms as attorney general and, as governor, reached a Medicaid expansion deal covering about 650,000 people.

Michael Whatley was raised in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Wake Forest University and the University of Notre Dame, per the campaign site. He began his public service as a federal law clerk in Charlotte and later served as Sen. Elizabeth Dole's chief of staff, per the campaign site. He served as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and, at President Trump's request, as chairman of the Republican National Committee, per the campaign site.

Shannon W. Bray is a Navy veteran and cybersecurity professional, per the campaign site. He says he is running for the U.S. Senate because North Carolina deserves leadership that understands modern threats without sacrificing fundamental freedoms, per the campaign site.

Michael Dublin is a native North Carolinian, a public school educator who recently retired from teaching, and a lifelong community activist, per the campaign site. The campaign site says he has led a prison ministry for more than two decades. He filed as the North Carolina Green Party's U.S. Senate candidate on June 15, 2026, per the state Green Party.

Earls is an attorney who currently serves as an Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court, per the campaign site. Her campaign focuses on protecting constitutional rights for North Carolinians, per the campaign site.

Tobias (Toby) Hampson is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

Christine Marie Walczyk is on the State Board of Elections certified candidate list for this seat's November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.