{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ben Scales","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"**Benjamin Connor Scales JR won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for NC District Court, District 40 Seat 03 with 20,691 votes (51.4%) against James H. Mills (19,564 votes, 48.6%), advancing to the November 3, 2026 general election [12].**\n\nBen Scales is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina District Court, District\u202f40, Seat\u202f3, in the 2026 general election scheduled for November\u202f3,\u202f2026. He qualified for the Democratic primary ballot on March\u202f3,\u202f2026, where he faced fellow Democrat James H.\u202fMills\u202f[1].\n\nThe office he seeks is a judicial seat on the North Carolina District Court. District Court judges are elected officials who preside over civil and criminal matters within their geographic district and serve four\u2011year terms. The position is filled by popular vote, and candidates must be licensed attorneys who reside in the district they wish to serve\u202f[1].\n\nPublicly available biographical details do not list Scales\u2019s education or early life. The Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, completed on January\u202f19,\u202f2026, provides the only personal background information, noting that he has practiced law in Buncombe County District Court since 2006, giving him \u201ca keen understanding of how the court works\u201d\u202f[1].\n\nIn his own words, Scales is running to \u201cuphold the Constitution, protect the rights of all, and interpret the law impartially without fear or favor.\u201d He emphasizes kindness, compassion, and thoughtful interpretation of the law for Buncombe County residents, citing his long\u2011term practice in the local district court as evidence of his qualifications\u202f[1]. He also stresses the emotional toll court proceedings can take on litigants and pledges to treat everyone\u2014defendants, plaintiffs, bailiffs, attorneys, and court staff\u2014with respect and kindness\u202f[1].\n\nFinancial disclosures filed with Transparency USA show that Scales\u2019s 2022\u20112023 campaign raised $1,225 in contributions and spent $15,681, with the majority of expenditures going to a media vendor (Meda Corporation) and signage. He also loaned his campaign a total of $17,777.75, indicating personal financial involvement in the race\u202f[11]. The top individual contributors included Alan Graf ($250) and Carol Peterson ($250)\u202f[11].\n\nBallotpedia does not list any endorsements for Scales in this election cycle\u202f[1]. No campaign website, email address, or telephone contact information is provided in the available sources.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ben Scales (North Carolina District Court District 40 Seat 3, North Carolina, candidate 2026) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ben_Scales_(North_Carolina_District_Court_District_40_Seat_3,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2026))\n- [8] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [11] [Ben Scales - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/ben-scales)\n- [12] North Carolina State Board of Elections, March 3, 2026 primary election results (precinct-level canvass), published at dl.ncsbe.gov (https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip)","firstname":"Benjamin","lastname":"Scales","middlename":"Connor","suffix":"JR","token":"310ff0382db46983"},"token":"IzIyYUIY91SXo79E"},{"candidatename":"James H. Mills","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"> **Editorial note \u2014 lost March 2026 primary.** Mills placed 2nd of 2 Democratic candidates in the March 3, 2026 primary for NC District Court Judge, District 40, Seat 03, in a close race \u2014 receiving 19,564 votes (48.6%) to winner Ben Scales's 20,691 votes (51.4%); Mills will not appear on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot [3].\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, James Hardy Mills is a registered voter in Buncombe County, North Carolina, registered since 2005 (21 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows James Hardy Mills's year of birth as 1975; 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 10 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 James Hardy Mills 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/)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections, March 3, 2026 Official Precinct-Level Results](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip) \u2014 NC District Court Judge District 40 Seat 03 Democratic primary, accessed 2026-07-24","firstname":"James","lastname":"Mills","middlename":"Hardy","suffix":null,"token":"083bd5b5c2a90971"},"token":"JNo80A85jPkt_xtH"}],"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 40 Seat 03"}