Terence Everitt resigns from the NC Senate

NC Sen. Terence Everitt, D-Wake, has announced that he is resigning from the North Carolina General Assembly in a social media post Tuesday night. 

“Since returning to the legislative session, it has become clear that defending our democracy requires my focus and dedication,” wrote Everitt. “The Republican majorities in our legislature are hell-bent on assaulting our democracy, suppressing voting rights, and restricting North Carolinians access to the ballot box. This is a fight we must win, and I am determined to defend our state’s democracy at all costs.” 

Everitt who served three terms in the NC House and one in the NC Senate, said the decision did not come lightly. 

“In consultation with my family and closest advisors, I have made the difficult decision to resign from the North Carolina Senate and will withdraw my name from the 2026 General Election ballot,” Everitt said. 

He cited his work with the North Carolina Voter Protection Alliance, a group that claims to safeguard the right to vote and ensure that elections in North Carolina are administered fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the law. 

Everitt’s seat in North Carolina Senate District 18, covering Granville County and northern Wake County, is considered one of the most competitive in the state. According to the 2026 Civitas Partisan Index from the John Locke Foundation, it’s one of just three toss-up districts in the Senate this cycle. 

Andy Jackson, the director of Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation, stressed the competitive nature of the district. 

“The 18th Senate District is one of the most competitive in the state,” Jackson said. “However, like other districts on the periphery of urban centers, it is moving to the left. It has gone from R+1 in 2024 to D+0 (a Democratic advantage of less than half a percentage point) in 2026.” 

While serving in the North Carolina House, Everitt reportedly had an altercation with a fellow Democrat, prompting then-Speaker Tim Moore to move his legislative office to what was essentially a supply closet in the General Assembly building. 

“In the fifty plus years that the General Assembly has met in this legislative building this office has not been utilized as a member office so you will get the honor of adding a chapter in the rich history of these hallowed halls,” wrote Moore in a 2023 letter. “For some members they are often recognized for their legislative accomplishments, constituent service or shaping the passage of laws – for others it is where their office was – each member may determine their priorities for their legacy.” 

“If Democrats have to lose Everitt and his proven ability to win in a competitive district, this is as good a time as any,” said Jackson. “The president’s party tends to lose midterm elections at all levels, and this year does not appear to be an exception. Combined with the leftward trajectory of the district, anyone the Democrats nominate will have an advantage in the 18th.” 

Under North Carolina law, the Democratic executive committees in Wake and Granville counties will be tasked with filling the vacancy and selecting the party’s nominee for the November 2026 election. 

Republican Chris Stock won with 60.5% of the vote in the GOP primary in March and will face the Democratic nominee in November.

“Terence Everitt resigns from the NC Senate” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.