The North Carolina Supreme Court race is one of the most impactful races on the ballot.
The North Carolina Supreme Court is the state’s highest appellate court and has the power to uphold or strike down state laws and policies depending on its interpretation of the federal and state constitutions.
The high court ultimately has the power to protect your rights and make final decisions on important legal cases that affect all North Carolinians.
The High Court is made up of seven justices that serve eight-year terms.
This year, Justice Anita Earls is running for re-election to the state’s highest court against her opponent, Republican Sarah Stevens.
Justice Earls previously worked as a civil rights attorney and founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Sarah Stevens, on the other hand, was an attorney who served nine years in the North Carolina House of Representatives and pushed harmful legislation that targeted reproductive rights, education, democracy, and more.
One of the last bills that Stevens pushed through the North Carolina General Assembly was HB 377, a bill that allows the Republican Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court, Paul Newby, the power to suspend elected judges at his discretion without pay, making North Carolina the only state in the country to give someone that sort of power over the judiciary.
Right now, the North Carolina Supreme Court has a Republican majority (a 5-2 advantage to be exact). However, if Justice Anita Earls wins her seat again, Democrats will have the opportunity to flip the court in 2028. If Stevens wins, Republicans could have control of the court through 2030.
There is a lot at stake in this upcoming state Supreme Court race, and to restore balance in our state Supreme Court, we must re-elect Justice Anita Earls.
The outcome of this election is in our hands, and decisions regarding important issues from education to environmental issues depend on us electing leaders that care about the needs of all North Carolinians.
