NC H129

Reenacts nonpartisan elections for all North Carolina judges, including Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, and superior and district court judges, effective for elections held on or after January 1, 2026

Establishes a nonpartisan primary system where candidates file with the State Board of Elections between the first Monday and third Friday in December preceding the election, with a filing fee of 1% of the office's annual salary

Removes judicial candidates from partisan primary ballots and creates a separate nonpartisan primary process that narrows the field to two candidates per position when more than two candidates file

Reestablishes the North Carolina Public Campaign Fund to provide public financing for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals candidates, funded through a $3 taxpayer check-off on income tax returns and a $50 surcharge on attorney bar membership fees

Sets contribution limits of $1,000 per election for judicial candidates ($2,000 from immediate family members) and provides matching funds to certified candidates who collect qualifying contributions from at least 350 registered voters totaling 30-60 times the filing fee amount