Early voting opens for Stanly County primary election

Published 10:20 am Friday, February 13, 2026

ALBEMARLE — In-person early voting for the March 3 primary election began on Thursday morning in Stanly County, giving voters over two weeks to cast ballots ahead of Election Day.

Early voting is taking place at the Stanly County Commons, located at 1000 N. First St. in Albemarle.

The site is open weekdays through Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., as well as Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is Feb. 17; in-person requests for sick and disabled absentee ballots begin Feb. 18 and end March 2.

Stanly County voters will see several local races on their primary ballots, depending on party affiliation, with registered Republicans selecting nominees in three Stanly County Board of Commissioners district races.

In District 1, incumbent Mike Barbee and Lane Furr are running for the GOP nomination to face Democrat Bret Mathew in November.

For District 2, Bill Sorenson — a current member of the Stanly school board — is set to face Shaun Morgan for the seat now held by Vice Chairman Bill Lawhon.

In a social media statement, Lawhon, who will appear as the GOP’s at-large nominee in November, endorsed Morgan’s candidacy for District 2: “Shaun Morgan will make a good commissioner. He understands what it takes to make a payroll and run a profitable business.”

Commissioner incumbent Trent Hatley and James Cagle are listed on the ballot for District 4.

Democratic voters will choose a nominee for the Stanly commissioners at-large seat, where Kristin Beck and Gwendolyn Harris each are seeking the nomination to face Lawhon and Libertarian nominee Melvin B. Poole in the primary election.

At the state level, Republicans do not have a contested primary in N.C. House District 67. The seat is held by Rep. Cody Huneycutt, who was elected in 2024 and filed for re-election without Republican opposition, advancing directly to the November general election.

Democratic voters will choose their District 67 nominee between Jocelyn Torres and Roddrick Howell.

Republican voters will also decide the N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1 race between Michael C. Byrne and Matt Smith, while Democratic voters will choose between James Weldon Whalen and Christine Marie Walczyk for N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 3.

At the federal level, the 8th Congressional District is represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Harris, who was elected in 2024 and has secured his party’s nomination for November. Democratic voters will choose their nominee among Kevin Clark, Colby Watson and Jesse Oppenheim.

For the U.S. Senate primary, Republican voters will choose between Margot Dupre, Richard Dansie, Donald M. (Don) Brown, Michael Whatley, Elizabeth A. Temple, Michele Morrow and Thomas Johnson. Democratic voters will select from Daryl Farrow, Justin E. Dues, Roy Cooper, Robert Colon, Marcus W. Williams and Orrick Quick.

Voters must cast ballots in the party primary corresponding with their registration, with unaffiliated voters choosing only one of the two party ballots. Residents who miss the early voting window may still vote on Election Day, March 3, at their assigned precinct.