Samantha C. Mobley, the incumbent North Carolina district court judge for District 26, Seat 19, is running for a second term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Mobley, a Democrat, is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
District 26 covers Mecklenburg County, meaning the race is on ballots across the Ballantyne area. Mobley first won the seat in 2022, winning the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022, with 58.3% of the vote over Belal Elrahal, according to Ballotpedia. She ran uncontested that November. She received 268,599 votes in the general election and assumed office Jan. 1, 2023. Her current term ends Dec. 31, 2026.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: North Carolina District Court Judge, District 26, Seat 19
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Hometown: Born in Boston, Massachusetts; grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, according to her campaign website
- Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration and management, Ursuline College; juris doctor, Charlotte School of Law
- Bar admissions: Licensed in North Carolina and the District of Columbia; admitted to the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, according to her campaign website
Experience and public service
Mobley served as a magistrate in the 26th Judicial District starting in 2013, according to BallotReady. Before entering the legal field, she worked as an assistant manager at Bank of America from 1999 to 2006 and as a manager at JDRF International from 2007 to 2010, according to BallotReady.
On the bench, Mobley said on her campaign website that she has presided over district court cases involving child support, criminal misdemeanors, divorces, domestic violence, domestic violence protective orders, DWIs, felony probable cause hearings, first appearances, involuntary commitments, landlord-tenant appeals, no-contact orders and private warrant court. As a magistrate, she said she handled emergency involuntary commitments, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims, traffic cases, truancy matters and weddings.
Mobley said she serves as a volunteer board member of the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation and participated in the Mecklenburg County Bar's Bar Leadership Institute.
On the issues
Mobley grew up in a home that provided foster care for children facing challenges including parental drug or alcohol addiction, physical abuse, severe neglect and sexual abuse, she said on her campaign website. She said that experience sparked her interest in the legal system and the courts.
On criminal justice and public safety, Mobley said on her campaign website that she approaches each case by considering the individual, the facts and the law to determine the appropriate resolution. She said she recognizes the importance of fairness, consistency and community safety.
The Ballantyne Beacon did not receive a questionnaire response from this candidate. This profile is based on publicly available information and the candidate's campaign website.
