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Wake County: Willie Rowe leads sheriff race in unofficial returns; Democrats lead court contests

With all 216 precincts in, Rowe led Kenny Blackwell 364,020 to 152,276. The News & Observer and Indy Week also covered the sheriff and court races. Not certified.

UpdatedThis story has changed since it was first published.

By Alexandru Stanciu · Published

The downtown Raleigh skyline on a sunny day

File photo: Abhiram Juvvadi (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • Unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections for Wake County sheriff, with all 216 of 216 precincts reporting, listed Democrat Willie Rowe with 364,020 votes (70.51%) and Republican Kenny Blackwell with 152,276 votes (29.49%).Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • The News & Observer independently reported that Rowe won a second term with 70.5% of the vote over Blackwell, and that Rowe was first elected sheriff in 2022.Confirmed by The News & Observer, Nov. 4, 2026
  • Indy Week independently reported that Rowe secured a second term over Blackwell with about 71% of the vote.Confirmed by Indy Week, Nov. 4, 2026
  • The same State Board Wake file listed Democrat Claudia C. Croom with 362,340 votes (70.37%) and Republican Joe E. Teague, Jr. with 152,582 (29.63%) for Wake County clerk of Superior Court, with all 216 precincts reporting.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • The News & Observer and Indy Week each independently reported that Croom defeated Teague for clerk of Superior Court.Confirmed by The News & Observer; Indy Week, Nov. 4, 2026
  • In District Court District 10D Seat 2, the State Board file listed Democrat Amalia Mercedes Restucha with 100,344 votes (64.71%) and Republican J. Brian Ratledge with 54,722 (35.29%), with all 63 of 63 precincts reporting.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • The News & Observer and Indy Week each independently reported that Restucha defeated incumbent Ratledge in that contested District Court race.Confirmed by The News & Observer; Indy Week, Nov. 4, 2026
  • For District Attorney District 10, the State Board file listed Democrat Wiley Nickel with 389,771 votes (100%), with all 216 precincts reporting. The News & Observer wrote that Nickel ran unopposed and will succeed District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, who did not seek another term. Indy Week independently reported the same unopposed result and the 389,771-vote total.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file; The News & Observer; Indy Week

Still unknown

  • Final certified totals after provisional ballots and the county canvass

What this means for you

Instructions from North Carolina State Board of Elections

This site is not an elections office. Unofficial results are on the State Board's election-results site. Certified results come later from the county canvass. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

What happened

In Wake County, Democrat Willie Rowe is leading Republican Kenny Blackwell for sheriff in unofficial returns after the Nov. 3 election.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections' unofficial Wake County file, with every precinct reporting, listed Rowe with 364,020 votes (70.51%) and Blackwell with 152,276 (29.49%). Those figures are not certified. The News & Observer independently reported that Rowe won a second term with 70.5% of the vote and that he was first elected in 2022. Indy Week separately wrote that Rowe secured another term with about 71%.

That same county file put Democrat Claudia C. Croom ahead of Republican Joe E. Teague, Jr. for clerk of Superior Court, 362,340 (70.37%) to 152,582 (29.63%). In District Court District 10D Seat 2, Democrat Amalia Mercedes Restucha led Republican J. Brian Ratledge, 100,344 (64.71%) to 54,722 (35.29%), with all 63 precincts reporting. Both outlets independently reported those court results.

For district attorney, the State Board tallies listed Democrat Wiley Nickel with 389,771 votes and no opponent countywide. The newspaper wrote that Nickel will succeed District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, who did not seek another term. Indy Week independently carried the same unopposed result and the 389,771-vote total.

Certification follows the county canvass. This site is not an elections office. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Related coverage

Why it matters

The Wake County sheriff, district attorney and court clerks shape local law enforcement and court operations. Readers need the unofficial margins and independent outlet coverage before certification.

Updates

  1. Nov 4, 2026, 10:10 AM

    First file from unofficial NCSBE Wake County tallies (all precincts) plus The News & Observer and Indy Week on the sheriff, clerk, District Court and district attorney races.

Sources

  1. Wake County unofficial results file (NCSBE enr/20261103/data/results_92.txt: WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF Rowe DEM 364,020 / 70.51% Blackwell REP 152,276 / 29.49%; CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT Croom DEM 362,340 / 70.37% Teague REP 152,582 / 29.63%; DISTRICT COURT 10D SEAT 02 Restucha DEM 100,344 / 64.71% Ratledge REP 54,722 / 35.29%; DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 10 Nickel DEM 389,771; 216 of 216 precincts where listed)

    Official sourcePublished by North Carolina State Board of Elections · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

  2. Willie Rowe wins reelection as Wake County sheriff; Democrats sweep court races (The News & Observer / Andrea Galliano, updated Nov. 4, 2026: Rowe 70.5% over Blackwell; Croom over Teague; Restucha over Ratledge; Nickel unopposed succeeding Freeman. Text-only; no N&O photos used.)

    Published by The News & Observer · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

  3. Here's Who Won in Wake County: 2026 General Election Results (Indy Week / Jane Porter and Chloe Courtney Bohl, Nov. 4, 2026: Rowe about 71% over Blackwell; Croom over Teague; Restucha over Ratledge; Nickel unopposed with 389,771 votes. Text-only; no Indy Week photos used.)

    Published by Indy Week · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

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