On Monday, Aug. 24, outgoing State Senator Bobby Hanig announced he was resigning his District 1 seat early, several months before his term expired on Jan. 1, 2027. The Outer Banks Voice – Outgoing NC State Senator Bobby Hanig resigns from post

On Saturday, Aug. 29, the NC First Congressional District Republican Party announced that it had selected retired Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett—who is running to succeed Hanig in November—to temporarily fill the vacancy created by his exit. Tillett’s selection came during an Aug. 29 meeting of Republican representatives from District 1 held at the Currituck County Courthouse.

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After falling just short in her effort to run as an unaffiliated candidate for the District 3 seat on the Dare County Board of Education.

At its meeting on Tuesday, July 21, the Dare County Board of Elections approved the early voting plan for the upcoming Nov. 3, 2026 election.

On the morning of March 4, only hours after the primary polls had closed and Rodney Rawls had been elected Dare County’s next sheriff, there were gracious messages exchanged among some of the competitors.

By Mark Jurkowitz  | Outer Banks Voice
Rodney Rawls prevailed in a four-man field to become the next Dare County Sheriff while one Dare County Commissioner’s seat was won by an incumbent and another captured by a challenger after Primary Election votes were counted on Tuesday, March 3.  

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Some crowded and hard-fought Republican contests have highlighted the local Primary Election season that will culminate on Tuesday, March 3. For those who didn’t vote during the Early Voting period that ended on Feb. 28, the 16 polling locations in Dare County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 3.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Just under 2,500 Dare County residents have filled out Early Voting primary ballots as of 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
There are five Republican candidates vying to face incumbent Democrat Don Davis in the state’s 1st Congressional District, which was redrawn by the NC legislature last year to make the District more favorable to Republicans. The Republican candidates are NC State Senator Bobby Hanig; Vice-chair of Lenoir County Board of Commissioners Eric Rouse; Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck; attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell; and Laurie Buckhout, the Republican nominee for the District 1 seat in 2024 who was defeated by Davis in a close race.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
With Early Voting underway and the March 3 primary looming, three Republican candidates for Dare County Sheriff took questions at a Feb. 20 public forum at the Avon Volunteer Fire Department.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
The Republican primary contest for the NC House District 1 seat pits four-term incumbent Ed Goodwin against challenger and Washington County Commissioner John Spruill. Claude Harris is the Democratic candidate who will face the winner in November.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
The Republican primary battle to replace retiring Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie is a closely watched contest as the March 3 primary looms. The winner will be the county’s next sheriff since no Democrat is running.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
The March 3 Republican primary contest between Keith Kidwell and Darren Armstrong will determine the next representative for District 79 in the North Carolina House of Representatives. No Democrat is running for the seat.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
There are four Republican candidates seeking to fill the NC Senate District 1 seat that opened up when incumbent Bobby Hanig announced his candidacy

By Maggie Miles | Outer Banks Voice
Two days before the Feb. 6 registration deadline, Natalie Jewett-Dutt went online and changed her party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated.

Along with residents of Dare County and Currituck County, Hyde County voters will also decide whether to implement a quarter-cent local sales tax in the 2026 election cycle.

If approved, revenue would go to enhancing and expanding recreational facilities
By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice  
At their Feb. 12 meeting, the Dare County Commissioners unanimously approved putting a referendum on the November ballot that would raise the county sales tax by one-quarter cent to fund a series of priorities for upgrading Dare County Parks and Recreation facilities.

Aside from deciding whether Currituck County should substantially change how it elects commissioners, voters in November will also choose whether to implement a local sales tax of one-quarter cent on certain purchases.

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
There is a March 3 Republican primary contest for the District 2 seat on the Dare County Board of Commissioners that pits incumbent Rob Ross against challenger Christian Thomas Hayman, who unsuccessfully ran for Commissioner in 2024. There is no Democrat running for the seat.

With a number of Republican primary races on the ballot, Early in-person voting for the March 3 Primary Election begins on Thursday, Feb. 12 and runs through Saturday, Feb. 28.

By Mark Jurkowitz  | Outer Banks Voice
Correction: This story initially stated that the March 3 Republican primary would determine the next District 1 representative on the Dare Board of Education. The winner of the primary will face Democratic candidate Kelleta Govan in November.