CURRITUCK, N.C. — Currituck County voters may soon decide whether to overhaul how they elect their local representatives, as the Board of Commissioners moves forward with a proposed 2026 referendum on the county’s electoral structure.
The board has scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 5, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Historic Currituck Courthouse to gather citizen feedback on two potential redistricting plans. The move follows voter feedback from the 2024 election cycle and a formal inclusion of the issue in the county’s 2025-2026 legislative agenda.
The Proposed Shift
Currently, Currituck County uses a residency-based “at-large” system. While five of the seven commissioners must live in specific districts, they are elected by a countywide vote. Under the proposed change, candidates would be elected only by the voters living within their specific district.
The board is considering two primary options:
- A 5-District Plan: This would maintain five electoral districts and two at-large seats.
- A 6-District Plan: This would increase the number of electoral districts to six while reducing the at-large representation to a single seat.
Population Balance
North Carolina law requires electoral districts to be “substantially equal” in population, meaning each district must fall within 5% of an ideal population target. For Currituck, the ideal population for a five-district map is approximately 5,620 residents, while a six-district map targets roughly 4,683 residents per district.
County officials noted that both proposed plans attempt to follow natural boundaries and physical features while maintaining existing district configurations as much as possible.
Next Steps
Following the January public hearing, the Board of Commissioners is expected to select one of the two plans and adopt a resolution to place the referendum on the November 2026 General Election ballot.
If approved by voters, the new structure would fundamentally change the accountability of the board, shifting it from a broad countywide mandate to a more localized representative model.
To help you visualize the potential changes, Currituck County has provided an online tool where you can compare the current residency districts with the two proposed electoral models.
You can access the Interactive Electoral District Map at the following link:
Currituck County Interactive Redistricting Map
How to Use the Map:
- Search Your Address: Use the search bar to locate your specific residence.
- Toggle Layers: You can switch between the Current Residency Districts, the Proposed 5-District Plan, and the Proposed 6-District Plan to see how your representation would change under each scenario.
- Compare Populations: The map provides details on the population count for each proposed area to show how they meet the state’s requirement for balanced districts.
If you prefer a static view for printing, the county also provides PDF versions:
