Kimberly Yvette Best

Kimberly Yvette Best is a Democratic candidate in the 2026 North Carolina elections, though the specific office she is seeking is not detailed in the available sources. Most recently, she served as a judge for Judicial District 26B of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division, a position she held from her appointment on November 23, 2021 until the end of 2022, when she was defeated in the November 8, 2022 general election by Republican Matt Osman ¹.

Best earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications and Spanish from the University of Michigan in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law‑Bloomington in 1994 ¹. She began her legal career in the North Carolina Magistrates Office (1998‑2003) before entering private practice as an attorney at The Best Law Firm, PLLC (2005‑2008) ¹.

In 2009, Best was elected to the Mecklenburg County District Court, where she served for twelve years until her elevation to the Superior Court in 2021 ¹. During her tenure on the district bench, she presided over a broad docket of civil and criminal matters, gaining a reputation for thoroughness and community engagement.

Best’s 2022 campaign for a full term on the Superior Court was closely contested; she secured 49.9 % of the vote (25,915 votes) against Osman’s 50.1 % (25,992 votes) in a race that drew over 51,000 voters ¹. Earlier, in the 2020 election, she won re‑election to the District Court with 66.2 % of the vote (362,979 votes) over Republican Pat Finn ¹. She also ran unopposed for the same district seat in 2016, receiving 100 % of the vote ¹.

Beyond the bench, Best’s professional background includes experience in both public service and private practice, and she has been active in the Mecklenburg County legal community for more than two decades. While her current campaign details are limited, her record reflects extensive judicial experience and a long‑standing commitment to the North Carolina legal system.

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