{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Keith Bishop","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nKeith Andrew Bishop ran as a Democrat for Seat 2 of the North Carolina 16th Judicial District Court in Durham in the March 3, 2026 primary. He challenged incumbent Judge Doretta Walker.\n\nBishop campaigned on three core principles: fair decisions based on law and facts, a consistent courtroom process, and respectful treatment of every person appearing before the court.\n\n## Background and education\nBishop grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport in 1986 and moved to North Carolina in 1988. He earned his J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1992.\n\n## Career\nBishop has practiced law for over 33 years, handling civil, criminal, and corporate matters across North Carolina. He has served as a Truancy Court Judge for more than 20 years.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Meet Keith Bishop \u2013 Elect Keith Bishop](https://www.electkeithbishop.com/meet-keith-bishop/)\n- [2] [District Court Judge District 16 Seat 2: Keith Bishop \u2013 Indy Week](https://indyweek.com/news/district-court-judge-keith-bishop-2026/)\n","firstname":"Keith","lastname":"Bishop","middlename":"Andrew","suffix":null,"token":"929326633d469374"},"token":"RHBJJGpKp1ZIjfe8"},{"candidatename":"Doretta L. Walker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Doretta L Walker is a registered voter in Durham County, North Carolina, registered since 1986 (40 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Doretta L Walker's year of birth as 1967; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 21 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Doretta L Walker can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)","firstname":"Doretta","lastname":"Walker","middlename":"L","suffix":null,"token":"e071be774bd76457"},"token":"VU5MAD47Gu95QH64"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":null,"o.office":"district_court_judge","office":"district_court_judge","officedescription":"In North Carolina, a district court judge presides over the high-volume lower trial court \u2014 misdemeanors, smaller civil cases, and most family and juvenile matters (custody, support, domestic violence, abuse/neglect). Many litigants appear without lawyers.","officequalities":"- Judge of a high-volume district court \u2014 misdemeanors, smaller civil cases, and family and juvenile matters, often with unrepresented parties.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct, including recusal when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of family, juvenile, and criminal procedure and the precedent that controls.\n- Efficient management of a heavy docket while honoring due process.\n- Accessibility and clarity for the many who appear without counsel.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"District Court Judge","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc District Court Judge District 16 Seat 02"}