Polls open: Election Day Tuesday for Fayetteville mayor, Wake sheriff runoff

Several communities across North Carolina have an Election Day next week, Tuesday, July 26.

Posted 8:45 p.m. Jul 22, 2022 — Updated 7:22 p.m. Jul 26, 2022

Lora Lavigne

, WRAL reporter

Several communities across North Carolina have an Election Day on Tuesday, July 26. Elections are a mix of general elections shifted by a delay in census data and runoffs for primary elections held in May.

The only county-wide race is for the Democratic candidate for Wake County sheriff after candidates failed to get 30 percent of the vote back in May. Incumbent Sheriff Gerald Baker and challenger Willie Rowe, an Army veteran and retired major from the sheriff's office, will be on the ballot Tuesday. The winner will face Republican challenger Donnie Harrison in November.

Other races in Wake County include two Cary Town Council seats. Fayetteville and Sanford will hold general elections, and Rocky Mount and Franklin County have runoffs.

Steven Greene, a political science professor at North Carolina State University, shared why a second primary is important.

“Of course what happens in Congress is important, but you really feel it when something is done by the Wake County sheriff or town council," Greene said.

Voter turnout is not looking good.

About 8,400 people voted early out of the 625,000 who are registered to vote in Wake County, less than 2% of eligible voters. Find your polling place.

It's election time again. Wake sheriff's runoff race, Fayetteville mayor on the ballot in July

Six municipalities will hold local general elections on Tuesday, July 26, 2022:

Charlotte
Fayetteville
Greensboro
Hickory
Mooresville
Sanford

Other municipalities and boards of education will hold runoff elections on Tuesday, July 26, 2022:

Cary
New Bern
Rocky Mount
Statesville
Franklin County Board of Education
Jackson County Board of Education District 2

At least two counties will hold second primary elections on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, including:

Graham County Sheriff (Republican)
Wake County Sheriff (Democratic)

NC 2023 election: Candidates on your ballot

Polls are open on Election Day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Tuesday local elections should be labeled appropriately based on whether or not the contest is partisan, meaning the candidates have a D or R next to their name on the ballot. A "second primary" is the correct term to use for races that are partisan (i.e. Wake Co. Sheriff). A "runoff" is the correct term to use for races that nonpartisan (i.e. Cary Town Council).

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