Regina Combs Billings

Regina Combs Billings is the incumbent Clerk of Superior Court for Wilkes County, North Carolina, and is seeking re‑election as the Republican candidate in the 2026 race for the office. The Clerk of Superior Court is responsible for maintaining the county’s judicial records, overseeing the general ledger that tracks all court‑related finances, managing evidence custody, and ensuring compliance with state audit standards across areas such as case‑file handling, cash disbursements, and human‑resources functions ¹.

Billings has served as the elected clerk since December 3, 2018, after a long career within the clerk’s office spanning more than three decades. In an interview following a state‑mandated audit released in 2020, she highlighted that the office received an “effective” rating in every evaluated category — the first such perfect result since the audit program began in 2014. The audit, conducted by the North Carolina Judicial Branch, examined the office’s case‑file compliance, cash handling, general ledger accuracy, asset safeguarding, and evidence‑room procedures, all of which were found to meet or exceed standards ¹.

During the audit, Billings emphasized the importance of the general ledger, describing it as “the center of the clerk’s office” and noting its role in tracking a wide range of financial transactions, from trust funds for minors to traffic‑ticket fines and restitution payments. She credited her administrative assistant, Carla Royall, and Assistant Clerk Teresa Stone for their meticulous record‑keeping, which contributed to the clean audit outcome ¹.

Before becoming the elected clerk, Billings worked for 31 years in various capacities within the Wilkes County clerk’s office, gaining extensive experience in court administration and public service. The 2020 audit itself took place during North Carolina’s COVID‑19 shutdown, when the office was closed to walk‑in members of the public and business was conducted through the courthouse’s front office window ¹.

In the 2022 election cycle, Billings won the Republican primary on May 17, 2022 against Teresa Byers Stone, 6,834 votes to 3,397, and then ran unopposed in the November 8, 2022 general election, winning 21,198 votes, according to official North Carolina State Board of Elections results ².

Billings’ platform for the 2026 race is expected to build on her record of achieving an exemplary audit rating, maintaining transparent financial practices, and ensuring the integrity of court records and evidence handling.

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