Nineteen candidates have filed for the North Carolina Court of Appeals seat vacated by Chief Judge John Martin.  Yes, nineteen.  The list of candidates includes at least two former Court of Appeals judges (Judge John Tyson and Judge John Arrowood), former Wake County Superior Court Judge Abe Jones, current Wake County District Court Judge Lori Christian, and a candidate who will be listed on the ballot as “Marty Martin” (not to be confused with Judge Martha “Marty” Geer, Justice Mark Martin, or recently retired Chief Judge Martin), among many others.

Chief Judge Martin’s retirement created two vacancies, in a sense.  The office of Chief Judge passed to new Chief Judge Linda McGee.  But Judge Martin’s seat on the Court remains vacant, and a new eight-year term will be filled by the one candidate of the nineteen running who receives the most votes during the (runoff-free) general election on November 4, 2014.

–Matt Leerberg