Judges & courts

Judge of the Court of Appeals (Seat 3)

Vote for: 1
Term: 8 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The Court of Appeals hears most appeals from North Carolina's trial courts; its 15 judges sit in panels of three.

Candidates Compare by issue

Public safety

Craig CollinsRepublican
- Pledges to protect both individual rights and community safety.
Christine Marie WalczykDemocratic
No documented position found.

Courts & justice

Craig CollinsRepublican
- Pledges to follow the Constitution, not legislate from the bench.
- Supports appellate judges with trial-court experience.
Christine Marie WalczykDemocratic
- Supports an independent judiciary as crucial to democracy.
- Pledges to protect civil liberties and equal access to justice.
- Supports a more diverse judiciary that reflects the population.
- Supports leveling the field for litigants without lawyers.

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 2 issues covered in this race.