{"biography":"Jeffrey Larkin \"Jeff\" Nieman is the incumbent District Attorney for North Carolina\u2019s Prosecutorial District 18, which covers Orange and Chatham counties, and is running for re\u2011election as a Democrat in the 2026 general election. The District Attorney serves as the chief law\u2011enforcement officer for the district, overseeing the prosecution of criminal cases, managing assistant district attorneys and support staff, and setting policy priorities for the office\u202f[7]. Because no Republican candidate filed for the race, Nieman is expected to take office unopposed\u202f[6].\n\nNieman is a lifelong resident of the Chapel Hill area and has spent more than 16 years working within the criminal\u2011justice system of District 18. He began his career as an intern in the district attorney\u2019s office and was hired as an assistant district attorney in 2006, serving under longtime DA Jim Woodall\u202f[12]. Over his tenure he helped launch several innovative programs, including the Outreach Court in Orange County, which diverts homeless individuals to community resources rather than jail, and the Driver\u2019s License Restoration Project, aimed at helping people regain driving privileges after a felony conviction\u202f[12]. He also co\u2011founded a juvenile crime\u2011rehabilitation court for 16\u2011 and 17\u2011year\u2011olds to keep them out of adult prosecution\u202f[12].\n\nIn the 2022 election, Nieman defeated fellow assistant DA Kayley Taber with 60\u202f% of the vote, becoming the district\u2019s top prosecutor. He was sworn in to serve the remainder of Woodall\u2019s term, which ends on December\u202f31,\u202f2026\u202f[12][7]. During his first term, Nieman has emphasized community\u2011focused reforms. He pledged to make implicit\u2011bias training mandatory for all DA staff, treat drug abuse as a public\u2011health issue rather than solely a criminal matter, and pursue policies that reduce the criminalization of poverty\u202f[7][12].\n\nNieman\u2019s platform centers on \u201cCommunity \u2013 Equity \u2013 Justice.\u201d He advocates for greater community involvement in the justice process, equitable treatment of defendants and victims, and systemic reforms to address racial disparities\u202f[11]. Endorsements from more than 70 local attorneys and 36 current and former government officials underscore his broad support across the district\u202f[8].\n\nBeyond his prosecutorial duties, Nieman is active in local efforts to improve racial equity, end homelessness, and empower youth. He continues to promote the Outreach Court model and other diversion programs as alternatives to incarceration\u202f[12]. His stated priority for the upcoming term is to end the criminalization of poverty, arguing that the current system disproportionately punishes low\u2011income individuals\u202f[12].\n\n## Sources\n- [6] [Jeff Nieman platform & website | North Carolina District Attorney, District 18](https://branch.vote/races/2026-north-carolina-general-election-nc-state-district-attorney-nc-prosecutorial-18/candidates/jeff-nieman)\n- [7] [Jeff Nieman | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/jeff-nieman)\n- [8] [Endorsements \u2013 Jeff Nieman for District Attorney](https://jeffnieman.com/endorsements/)\n- [10] [Jeff Nieman - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/jeff-nieman)\n- [11] [Jeff Nieman for District Attorney](https://jeffnieman.com/)\n- [12] [Nieman Elected as Next Orange, Chatham County District Attorney - Chapelboro.com](https://chapelboro.com/local-election-coverage/nieman-elected-as-next-orange-chatham-county-district-attorney)","campaigns":[{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_018","county":"chatham","county_count":2,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"District Attorney District 18"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jeffrey","fullname":"Jeffrey Larkin Nieman","lastname":"Nieman","middlename":"Larkin","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_018","contest_title":"District Attorney District 18","county":"chatham","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_018","contest_title":"District Attorney District 18","county":"chatham","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Jeff Nieman, incumbent District Attorney for North Carolina\u2019s District\u202f18, is running unopposed for re\u2011election in 2026, emphasizing community equity and criminal\u2011justice reform.","terms":[],"token":"054c0d5c37030398"}