On March 8, the North Carolina legislature passed HB 100. It converts trial judge elections from non-partisan to partisan. Republicans back the idea. The Governor, Roy Cooper, is a Democrat, and he will probably veto the bill. However, North Carolina gubernatorial vetoes can be overridden with a 60% in each house of the legislature, and if there is a veto, it will probably be overridden.

The State Supreme Court and State Appeals Court judicial races are already partisan.