Arrowood seeks re-election to N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 1

John S. Arrowood, a Democrat and sitting judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, seeks re-election to Seat 1 in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Arrowood faces Republican Michael Byrne, according to BallotReady election data.

Arrowood has not returned the Lake Norman Beacon's candidate questionnaire. The information below is drawn from public records, his campaign website and the N.C. State Board of Elections judicial voter guide.

Candidate information

Name: John S. Arrowood
Party: Democratic
Office sought: North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge, Seat 1
Born: Nov. 4, 1956, in Burnsville, North Carolina
Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, Catawba College (1979); J.D., University of North Carolina (1982)
Bar admission: North Carolina Bar, 1982

Arrowood was born in Burnsville and moved to Caldwell County after the death of his parents when he was fifteen, according to Wikipedia. He was the first in his family to receive a four-year college degree, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Arrowood said on his campaign website that he graduated magna cum laude from Catawba College and received the Whitener Award, given to the senior who best exemplifies the college's goals of leadership, scholarship and service.

Experience and public service

Arrowood has held the Seat 1 position on the North Carolina Court of Appeals since 2017, according to BallotReady. In 2018, he became the first openly gay person elected to a statewide office in North Carolina and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to win a statewide election in the South, according to Wikipedia.

Before joining the bench, his career included:

Staff attorney, North Carolina Court of Appeals
Law clerk to North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Arnold
Attorney, James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. (1989–2007 and 2009–2017)
Special superior court judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals (2007–2008)

Arrowood said on his campaign website that he is an accredited arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and a certified mediator. He received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for his work in private practice litigating complex commercial cases, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

His civic service includes membership on the North Carolina Banking Commission, the North Carolina Arts Council and the North Carolina Rules Review Commission, and a directorship at the North Carolina Railroad, according to Wikipedia. Arrowood said on his campaign website that he served on the board of trustees of the Mint Museum of Art and the board of the Charlotte Urban Ministry Center.

On the issues

In the N.C. State Board of Elections judicial voter guide, Arrowood stated his judicial philosophy: "I am committed to an independent judiciary that upholds the rule of law. I pledge to render equal justice and to protect your constitutional rights."

No additional issue positions were available.