We bring you this SPECIAL EDITION of the Raleigh Report to officially kick off the 2026 Election Season!

The candidate filing period closed on December 19th, so now we know the full roster of candidates running in all elections on the ballot this year in North Carolina. 

The 2026 Primary Election will be held on March 3rd – click here for information you might need to check your voter registration, precinct location, and details on early-voting options.

With a very high-profile open-seat US Senate race on the ballot this year, North Carolina may well see an influx of $700M or more for campaign ads run by outside groups for and against the Democratic and Republican candidates in that contest. 

Chief Advocacy Officer Joe Stewart did a webinar on Tuesday for IIANC members that looked at all the key federal and state legislative elections on the ballot here in North Carolina this year, highlighting the electoral factors in play during the 2026 campaign season. 

You can view a recording of the webinar by clicking HERE.

We’ll host additional webinars during 2026 to keep you up to date on all that’s going on in the key races we’re watching.

Also of Note 

The Governmental Affairs Committee meets on January 21st to discuss the priority items for the IIANC Legislative Agenda as we prepare for the 2026 Session of the NC General Assembly that convenes on April 21st.

If you have issues you’re encountering within your agency that you think need to be addressed by legislation, please reach out to Joe Stewart at (919) 614-0520 or jstewart@iianc.com.

A big shout-out to IIANC Governmental Affairs Committee member Lisa Sharrard (Choice Flood Insurance in Wilmington), the most recent Plott Hound Award winner.

Lisa has made herself available multiple times over the past year to offer her expert insights to legislators and state government officials on ways North Carolina can improve the recovery and mitigation efforts conducted in the aftermath of a significant flooding event like what western NC experienced with Hurricane Helene. 

Finally, the Big “I” announced this week the launch of the Insurance Campaign Institute, a training program for independent insurance agents who are interested in the prospects of running for state or federal office at some point  – the first session of this program will be on April 20th and 21st in Washington, DC.

The Insurance Campaign Institute is looking for any insurance professionals (agents, brokers, underwriters, CSRs, company personnel, spouses, etc.) who have a strong business orientation, regardless of party affiliation, and a heart and commitment for public service.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, contact Nathan Riedel at (202) 320-1502 or nathan.riedel@iiaba.net.