North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice, Seat 7

This is THE most critical race in NC in 2026.

Anita Earls is one of the competitive targets YALLvote has identified in North Carolina. Click here to donate to Anita Earls.

For too long, state supreme courts flew under the radar—but voters are waking up to the fact that these benches are the ultimate battleground for our basic rights. Electing pro-democracy judges ensures our highest state courts act as an independent firewall to protect voting access and reproductive freedom, rather than a rubber stamp for partisan overreach.

Down Home NC endorses Judge Anita Earls for NC Supreme Court.

Justice Anita Earls is an experienced jurist and former civil rights attorney. Elected to the Supreme Court in 2018, she is running for re-election in 2026. Her values of justice, equality, and fairness for all were born of the struggle she experienced growing up in a mixed-race family at a time when interracial marriages were illegal in most of the country. These values shaped her passion to fight for the rights of ordinary citizens across North Carolina. For over 30 years, she stood alongside people whose right to vote was denied, people who were mistreated at work, and the parents of children being denied equal educational opportunities. Anita’s legal career began at the Ferguson, Stein firm in Charlotte. She served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice, and then worked at the UNC Center for Civil Rights. In 2007, Anita founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Justice Earls shares Way to Lead’s vision for a multiracial, inclusive and responsive democracy, but as a judicial candidate, has not committed and cannot commit to any policy priorities, platforms or rulings by accepting Way to Lead’s endorsement.

Sarah Stevens believes the law should be applied as written and that judges should not create laws from the bench. On the North Carolina Supreme Court, Sarah will respect our state’s Constitution and apply the principles of conserving liberty to every case. After graduating from Mount Airy High School, Sarah attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Campbell University School of Law. Sarah maintained a private law practice for more than 30 years and served as President of the Surry County Bar Association. Sarah and her husband, Edwin, live in Mount Airy. Together, they share five children. Sarah knows what it means to lead and what it takes to be a voice for North Carolina families. Her leadership experience includes: Republican Leader in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Chair of the House Elections Law Committee, Chair of a House Judiciary Committee, Chair of the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee, Former Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Former Chair of the North Carolina Courts Commission. Sarah has worked to reform North Carolina’s child welfare system and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Her record includes: Passing Jessica’s Law to limit sex offenders from accessing locations primarily intended for minors, Supporting Marsy’s Law to strengthen victims’ rights in North Carolina, Chairing the Children, Youth and Families Committee, Partnering with the Social Services Working Group and the Child Well-Being Transformation Council.

Reelection to NC Supreme Court

Justice Anita Earls has dedicated her career to advancing civil rights, protecting constitutional freedoms, and ensuring equal access to justice for every North Carolinian. Before her election to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2018, Earls spent more than three decades as a civil rights attorney, served in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, where she worked to expand voting rights and improve access to the legal system for historically underrepresented communities.

Her experience both inside and outside the courtroom has shaped a judicial philosophy grounded in fairness, independence, and fidelity to the rule of law. Throughout her career, Earls has emphasized that public confidence in the courts depends on equal treatment under the law, transparency, and an independent judiciary that serves every North Carolinian regardless of race, background, or socioeconomic status.

NCAAT in Action is proud to endorse Justice Anita Earls because of her lifelong commitment to protecting constitutional rights and ensuring that every community has equal access to justice. As North Carolina’s Asian American population continues to grow, maintaining a judiciary that is fair, impartial, and accessible to all is essential to preserving public trust and strengthening our democracy.

Sarah Stevens believes the law should be applied as written and judges shouldn't create laws from the bench. On the Supreme Court, Sarah Stevens will respect our state's constitution and apply the principles of conserving liberty to every case.

Justice Anita Earls is an Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court and a longtime civil rights attorney with over 30 years of experience in voting rights, school desegregation, and employment discrimination cases. She founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and has held key roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, UNC Law School, and multiple state commissions focused on equity and justice. A graduate of Williams College and Yale Law School, she continues to write, teach, and advocate for racial and social justice.

A dedicated advocate for civil rights and equal justice, with a career focused on protecting individual rights and fairness under the law...