Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday as North Carolinians cast ballots in a pair of House contests that will help shape the battle for control of Congress in 2026.
Open seat in the 11th District
The race to represent North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District is wide open after Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards withdrew from his re-election bid. Edwards stepped aside after the House Ethics Committee recommended his censure amid an investigation into sexual harassment allegations.
Now Democrat Jamie Ager and Republican Jennifer Balkcom are competing to fill the seat. The district, anchored in the western part of the state, has leaned Republican in recent cycles, but Edwards’s abrupt exit has scrambled the political landscape and drawn national attention. Both parties are watching the outcome as a possible bellwether for suburban and rural turnout patterns.
The contest is one of several key House races in North Carolina that could determine whether Republicans hold their narrow majority or Democrats gain ground.
Davis faces tough challenge in the 1st District
In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Don Davis is fighting for a second term in one of the most competitive seats in the country. Davis, a first-term incumbent, is among the most vulnerable House Democrats this cycle. He faces Republican Laurie Buckhout, a retired Army colonel who has made national security and border security central to her campaign.
The 1st District, which stretches across eastern North Carolina, has a nearly even partisan split. Davis won in 2022 by a slim margin, and Republicans have targeted him as a top pickup opportunity. The outcome will be closely watched as a measure of Democratic strength in rural and working-class areas.
Voting and results
Polls were open across the state on Tuesday, and election officials reported no major disruptions. However, some voters may have encountered voting machine glitches in several states earlier in the day, though it was not immediately clear whether North Carolina was affected.
Decision Desk HQ is providing live results for both races. With control of the House hanging in the balance, every seat matters, and North Carolina’s two battlegrounds could provide early signals about the national mood.
The state is also hosting a high-profile Senate race, with Democrat Cooper facing Republican Whatley in a contest that could decide the Senate majority. Together, the House and Senate races make North Carolina one of the most consequential states on the 2026 map.
What to watch
- NC-11: Can Republicans hold a seat that became open after Ethics Committee scrutiny of the incumbent?
- NC-01: Will Davis defy the odds in a district that tilted toward Republicans in recent cycles?
- Turnout: Early voting and same-day turnout in the eastern and western parts of the state will offer clues about enthusiasm on both sides.
Results are expected to trickle in throughout the evening. Check back for updates as Decision Desk HQ calls the races.
