Incumbent Democratic Justice Anita Earls holds a substantial lead in the North Carolina Supreme Court Seat 1 race, with traders assigning her an 80.5% implied probability compared to Republican challenger Sarah Stevens at 18.5%. Earls benefits from strong fundraising that exceeds Stevens by more than 13 times, along with higher name recognition as the sitting justice. Recent polling from September shows Earls ahead by narrow margins amid high undecided shares, while Stevens has maintained a low public profile with limited advertising and mostly private events ahead of early voting on October 15. The contest occurs in a partisan election for an eight-year term, with the outcome unlikely to shift the court's current Republican majority but viewed by traders as reflecting Earls' structural advantages entering the final weeks.