2004 North Carolina judicial elections
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Several judges of the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the state's two appellate courts, were elected on November 2, 2004. The Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Gubernatorial, Council of State, State Senate, and State House elections were also held on the same day.
Appellate judges in North Carolina are elected to eight-year terms in statewide judicial elections. In 2004, for the first time, all these elections were non-partisan. If more than two candidates filed for a given seat, a non-partisan primary would be held, and the two highest vote-getters, regardless of party, would advance to the general election. The only 2004 race in which more than two candidates filed for the primary was the Thornburg Court of Appeals seat.<ref>NC Criminal Law Blog</ref><ref>Partisanship, Election Reform and Decision-Making in the North Carolina Supreme Court: A Case Study</ref>
Supreme Court (Seat 2)
The resignation of Associate Justice Bob Orr, too late for a primary election to be held, led to a situation in which there was no primary election to eliminate candidates, but rather, the winner was simply determined by plurality. Eight candidates filed: Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Martin Newby (who received the endorsement of the state Republican Party), North Carolina Superior Court Judge Howard Manning, Pre-Paid Legal Services attorney and former judicial law clerk Rachel Hunter, Administrative Law Judge Fred Morrison, attorney Ronnie Ansley, former appeals court judge Betsy McCrodden, current appeals court judge James Andrew Wynn, and attorney Marvin Schiller (who had just lost in the primary for the Thornburg Court of Appeals seat).<ref name=cjournal>Carolina Journal</ref>
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Supreme Court (Seat 4)
Associate Justice Sarah Parker, the incumbent, was challenged by Court of Appeals Judge John Tyson.
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Court of Appeals (Seat 4)
Incumbent Judge Linda McGee was challenged by attorney Bill Parker.<ref name=cjournal />
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Court of Appeals (Seat 5)
Incumbent Judge Wanda Bryant had been appointed to the Court by the Governor following her 2002 defeat for a different seat.<ref>Court of Appeals HistoryTemplate:Dead link</ref> She was challenged by Wake County District Court Judge Alice Stubbs.<ref name=cjournal />
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Court of Appeals (Seat 6)
Incumbent Judge Alan Thornburg had been appointed to the court by the Governor. Three candidates filed to challenge Thornburg for a full term: Barbara Jackson, who was then general counsel at the N.C. Department of Labor, along with attorneys Marcus W. Williams and Marvin Schiller. Jackson and Thornburg finished first and second, respectively, in the July primary, thereby qualifying them to compete in the general election.<ref>NC State Board of Elections: 2004 PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS</ref><ref>Salisbury PostTemplate:Dead link</ref>
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