{"biography":"Toby Hampson is the incumbent Democratic judge for Seat\u202f2 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. The Court of Appeals is an intermediate appellate court that reviews lower\u2011court decisions for errors of law and ensures uniform application of statutes across the state\u202f[9]. Judges on this court sit in three\u2011judge panels, issue written opinions, and serve six\u2011year terms after being elected by voters.\n\nHampson earned a B.A. in international studies and history from American University in 1998 and received his J.D. from Campbell University\u2019s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in 2002, where he was inducted into the Order of Barristers and served on the Law Review\u202f[1]. After law school he practiced law before being elected to the Court of Appeals, assuming office on January\u202f1,\u202f2019\u202f[1]. He was first elected in 2018, defeating Republican candidates Jefferson Griffin and Sandra\u202fRay with 48.8% of the vote\u202f[1]. His current term runs through December\u202f31,\u202f2026, and he faces Republican challenger George\u202fBell in the 2026 race\u202f[1][9].\n\nDuring his tenure, Judge Hampson has been endorsed by several progressive organizations, including the NC AFL\u2011CIO, Bull City Anna, and the Sierra Club of North Carolina\u202f[1]. Financial disclosures for his 2026 campaign show total contributions of $330,856 and expenditures of $68,646, with the North Carolina Democratic Party contributing $51,834.38 and Hampson himself contributing $8,496.28\u202f[6]. Major expenditures have gone to consulting firm Express\u202fLane\u202fStrategies LLC and to digital fundraising platforms such as Act\u202fBlue\u202f[6].\n\nThe Court of Appeals judges are required to be licensed attorneys in good standing, possess a record of legal experience, and demonstrate impartiality and competence in interpreting state law\u202f[9]. Hampson\u2019s background as a law school graduate, former attorney, and six\u2011year appellate judge aligns with these statutory qualifications. His ongoing campaign emphasizes maintaining a fair, independent judiciary and continuing the work of the appellate court in upholding legal consistency across North Carolina\u202f[10].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Toby Hampson - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Toby_Hampson)\n- [6] [Toby Hampson - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/tobias-hampson)\n- [9] [The NC Court System: Who's on the ballot and how ...](https://wcti12.com/elections/meet-your-candidates-nc-court-system)\n- [10] [Announcing the 2026 NC Judicial Slate! - Carolina Democracy](https://www.carolinademocracy.com/p/announcing-the-2026-nc-judicial-slate)","campaigns":[{"contest":"court_of_appeals_seat_02","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"nc","title":"Nc Court Of Appeals Judge Seat 02"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Tobias","fullname":"Tobias Samuel Hampson","lastname":"Hampson","middlename":"Samuel","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"court_of_appeals_seat_02","contest_title":"Nc Court Of Appeals Judge Seat 02","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"court_of_appeals","office_title":"Court of Appeals Judge","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"nc"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"court_of_appeals_seat_02","contest_title":"Nc Court Of Appeals Judge Seat 02","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"court_of_appeals","office_title":"Court of Appeals Judge","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"nc"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"court_of_appeals","office_title":"Court of Appeals Judge","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Toby Hampson, a Democratic incumbent, is running for re\u2011election to North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat\u202f2 in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"15327fad1e315dd1"}