The fate of candidate order on North Carolina's 2026 electoral ballots is set to be left to chance. A public drawing and coin flip event, scheduled for tomorrow at 4 p.m. on Dec. 19, will arbitrarily determine which political hopefuls will be listed first on the primary and general election ballots—a mere game of luck that could subtly sway voter decision-making at the polls, according to an announcement from the State Board of Elections.
Candidate names will be randomly selected using a bingo machine and coin toss method to decide whether subsequent names will appear in either alphabetical or reverse alphabetical order. It has been shown in past research that being among the first on the ballot can give candidates an edge, a phenomenon known as the "primacy effect," even though this practice might not significantly to alter the course of an election.
For those interested in witnessing the randomization process, multiple access options are available. The event can be streamed online through Webex, with the password "NCSBE" to join the meeting, or dial-in by phone using the provided number and access code. There is also an open invitation to attend in person at the Board Room located in the Dobbs Building on North Salisbury Street in Raleigh.
The State Board of Elections detailed the process on their website, clarifying that the random selection criteria apply only to 2026 primary and general elections, excluding municipal ones. Municipal candidates will continue to be listed in strict alphabetical order starting with A, as per state law. The selection will be finalized when a single ball, marked with a letter, is drawn to decide which corresponding initial a candidate's surname must have to be placed first on the ballot.
Following the completion of the filing period at noon on the same day, the results of this drawing are set to be published later in the afternoon. The list of all registered candidates for the upcoming elections has been made available on the State Board of Elections' website, which is frequently updated.
