Tobias "Toby" Hampson, a Democrat and sitting judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, is seeking re-election to Seat 2 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. His opponent is Republican George Bell.

Asked why he is running, Hampson said in our candidate questionnaire: "I am running for re-election to Seat 2 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals because I believe we need to keep judges with real hands-on Court of Appeals experience on the bench. In these anxious times, we need judges with demonstrated track record of standing up for the Rule of Law and the fundamental freedoms and constitutional rights of all North Carolinians."

Candidate information

Born: Dec. 20, 1975, in Basingstoke, England

Residence: Hampson said in our questionnaire: "I live in Raleigh with my wife, Kristin, who is a practicing lawyer and small business owner, our three daughters, and our Yellow Labrador Retriever, Tadley."

Education: Hampson said in our questionnaire: "I am a product of North Carolina Public Schools, including Sandhills Farm Life Elementary and Union Pines High School in Moore County. I graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in 1994. I earned by B.A. in International Studies and History with University Honors from American University in 1998. I received my J.D. from the Campbell University School of Law with honors in 2002, where I also served as Notes and Comments Editor on the Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers."

Experience and public service

Hampson said in our questionnaire: "I currently serve as a Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. I was elected statewide in 2018. I began my law career at the Court of Appeals as a Law Clerk from 2002-2004, working for three different Court of Appeals Judges. I entered private practice in Raleigh in 2004 with an emphasis on civil trial and appellate litigation. In 2007, I joined Wyrick Robbins, where I focused on Appellate Practice. As a partner in the firm, I led the Appellate Practice Group and specialized in handling appeals in the North Carolina Court of Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court until my election in 2018."

He is a North Carolina State Bar certified specialist in appellate practice and serves on the North Carolina Bar Association Appellate Rules Committee, according to Ballotpedia.

On the issues

Asked what accomplishments show he can handle the job, Hampson said in our questionnaire: "First and foremost, the fact I've been doing the job for almost 8 years during which time I have authored hundreds of majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions. I am proud of the fact the majority of my decisions are unanimous and are often bi-partisan."

Asked which opinion best reflects his approach to the law, Hampson said: "I am most proud of my dissenting opinion in Griffin v. State Board of Elections. I looked to the state and federal constitutions, the statutes, precedent, principles of equity and common sense to write that you do not change the rules of an election after the election. Ultimately, a federal judge agreed with my central point and resolved the 2024 election for NC Supreme Court."

On judicial independence, Hampson said: "I am grateful to have earned a broad range of support from a variety of advocacy groups representing diverse interests … I believe it reflects a record of providing everybody a fair shake in the courtroom."

Endorsements

The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsing organizations, according to Ballotpedia and the North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

  • Durham Committee on Affairs of Black People
  • NC Sierra Club
  • NC National Organization for Women (NC NOW)
  • Durham Peoples Alliance
  • Equality NC
  • Planned Parenthood Southeast (Planned Parenthood SE)
  • Police Benevolent Association
  • AFL-CIO

Candidate responses were collected through our candidate questionnaire. Answers are presented in the candidate's own words.