High-profile courts and law enforcement positions are on the slate of electoral races in 2026. In Durham, voters will cast ballots for sheriff, district attorney, the clerk of superior court and a number of district and superior court seats, all of which make up the gears of the criminal justice machine that apply laws and procedures, issue reprimands and implement potential reforms.
Candidates in this election are running amid recent changes to state law that have significant impact on the discretion of and decisions made by local law enforcement officials. Last year, the state legislature passed House Bill 10, requiring local enforcement agencies to work more closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and in October, the state house took further steps to push police departments and sheriffs’ offices to cooperate with federal agents.
The two bills come as federal immigration agents have an increased presence throughout North Carolina, concerning many residents who worry for the safety of their neighbors. The Trump administration has targeted Democratic cities which the president has deemed crime-ridden, even though crime has continued to decline in those areas, including in Durham where violent crime is down significantly in nearly every category—homicides, robberies, and aggravated assault—over the five-year average…