MEET VERNETTA

Vernetta (she/her) was born in Durham, NC and has spent her entire life in the Triangle. She and her wife, Courtney, are raising their children, Reese and Davis, in southwest Durham.

Meet Vernetta

Legal Career and Public Service

In 2004, Vernetta received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University. Five years later, she completed her law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Vernetta Alston was born in Durham and has spent her life in the Triangle. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from North Carolina State University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives with her wife, Courtney, and their two children in southwest Durham.

Vernetta Alston was born in Durham. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from North Carolina State University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives with her wife, Courtney, and their two children in southwest Durham.

Vernetta joined Tin Fulton in 2024 following several years in commercial real estate development. She received her B.A. in Political Science from North Carolina State University and her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.

Vernetta Alston | Tin Fulton

Vernetta began her legal career working on the North Carolina Racial Justice Act before working as a staff attorney at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation.

Vernetta Alston works at Tin Fulton. She previously worked in commercial real estate development and as a staff attorney at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation.

Vernetta Alston | Tin Fulton Walker & Owen

In 2017, Vernetta continued her public service on the Durham City Council, where she served for two years. In 2020, Governor Roy Cooper appointed Vernetta to the North Carolina House of Representatives. She was elected to her first full term in the same year.

2022

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 29
Incumbent Vernetta Alston won election in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 29 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate % Votes
Vernetta Alston (D) 100.0 35,220

Vernetta Alston

2024

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 29
Incumbent Vernetta Alston won election in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 29 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate % Votes
Vernetta Alston (D) 100.0 47,945

Vernetta serves in the North Carolina House of Representatives. She was appointed to the chamber in 2020 and elected to her first full term that year. She won reelection to represent District 29 in 2022 and 2024.

North Carolina House of Representatives District 29 - Ballotpedia

2026 North Carolina General Election

The minimum wage should be at least $17.00 per hour for a single person with no dependents and a livable wage should be accessible to all workers.

Candidate Questionnaire: Vernetta Alston, NC House District 29

As I mentioned above, the state legislature can support affordability needs by evaluating the diverse needs of communities across the state and committing to sustained investments for individuals and for basic infrastructure that can help all residents, but especially low-income residents, navigate a rapidly changing housing and economic environment.

Supports a minimum wage of at least $17 per hour for a single person without dependents.

Calls for sustained investments in people and basic infrastructure to address housing affordability, particularly for low-income residents.

- Supports a minimum wage of at least $17 per hour for a single person without dependents.
- Calls for sustained investments in people and basic infrastructure to address housing affordability, particularly for low-income residents.

Economy

We should prioritize expanding our transportation options in North Carolina to address growth, access to economic centers, and to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Prioritizes expanding North Carolina transportation options to address growth, improve access to economic centers, and reduce energy consumption and emissions.

- Prioritizes expanding North Carolina transportation options to address growth, improve access to economic centers, and reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Energy & the Environment

I will work with my colleagues to protect and restore abortion access in North Carolina. This year, I co-sponsored bills to codify the federal protections in Roe v. Wade and to protect abortion and other health care access for women. I will continue to advocate for and pursue this kind of legislation.

Co-sponsored bills to codify Roe v. Wade protections and protect abortion access and other health care access for women.

- Co-sponsored bills to codify Roe v. Wade protections and protect abortion access and other health care access for women.

Healthcare

7. Would you support an independent process for drawing new legislative and congressional districts? Yes.

Supports an independent process for drawing legislative and congressional districts.

- Supports an independent process for drawing legislative and congressional districts.

Voting & Elections

In North Carolina, we need statewide bans on bump stocks, trigger cranks, high-capacity magazines. We also need to renew the ban on assault weapons that lapsed in 2004, support extreme risk protective orders, and accountability for legal gun owners who do not report their firearms lost or stolen.

In the fall of 2014 at the Robeson County Courthouse, I stared at a free man consumed by three decades of despair, injustice, and oppression caused by the death penalty and its actors. It was a historic day and one of the saddest days of my life. We must repeal the death penalty.

I Represented an Innocent Man on Death Row. Here’s Why NC Must End the Death Penalty

Calls for statewide bans on bump stocks, trigger cranks, high-capacity magazines, and assault weapons; extreme risk protective orders; and reporting requirements for lost or stolen firearms.

Calls for repealing North Carolina’s death penalty.

- Calls for statewide bans on bump stocks, trigger cranks, high-capacity magazines, and assault weapons; extreme risk protective orders; and reporting requirements for lost or stolen firearms.
- Calls for repealing North Carolina’s death penalty.

Public Safety

I want to work with Democrats, Republicans, and stakeholders to find meaningful solutions to a diverse range of housing issues impacting urban and rural communities. As in previous years, fully funding our public schools is a top priority for me. School funding is particularly urgent following the passage of the 2023 state budget which funds private vouchers at double the rate of the raises for public school teachers.

The state should respect educators and pay them what they deserve. The state must fund our public schools and provide educators with the resources they need to do their jobs, e.g. increase per pupil expenditure, fund capital improvements, support diversity in hiring, fund student mental health training, invest in early childhood educators, increase funding for pre-K.

Governor Cooper proposed 18% raises which was a respectful and competitive proposal that should have been included in the 2023 budget.

The state should respect educators and pay them what they deserve.

The expansion of eligibility for the Opportunity Scholarship program to is an alarming example of reckless policymaking. Every parent must make the best decision they can about the education of their child but the appropriation of nearly a billion dollars for vouchers under this program is fundamentally unfair. The state legislature has a responsibility to fully fund our public schools.

The state must fund our public schools and provide educators with the resources they need to do their jobs, e.g. increase per pupil expenditure, fund capital improvements, support diversity in hiring, fund student mental health training, invest in early childhood educators, increase funding for pre-K.

The state must roll back recently enacted policies that threaten educators and jeopardize the safety and mental health of our students, e.g. parents’ bill of rights, fairness in women’s sports, loosening of gun regulations.

Prioritizes fully funding public schools, including increased per-pupil spending, capital improvements, mental-health training, early-childhood educators, and prekindergarten.

Supports competitive pay raises for educators, including the 18 percent raises proposed by Governor Cooper for the 2023 budget.

Opposes the expansion of Opportunity Scholarship vouchers and calls for the state to fully fund public schools.

Calls for repealing recently enacted policies including the parents’ bill of rights, fairness in women’s sports, and loosened gun regulations.

- Prioritizes fully funding public schools, including increased per-pupil spending, capital improvements, mental-health training, early-childhood educators, and prekindergarten.
- Supports competitive pay raises for educators, including the 18 percent raises proposed by Governor Cooper for the 2023 budget.
- Opposes the expansion of Opportunity Scholarship vouchers and calls for the state to fully fund public schools.
- Calls for repealing recently enacted policies including the parents’ bill of rights, fairness in women’s sports, and loosened gun regulations.

Education

As of January 5, 2026, Vernetta Alston’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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- Calls for repealing North Carolina’s death penalty.

Vernetta is from Durham, North Carolina. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives with her wife and their children in southwest Durham.

Vernetta is an attorney at Tin Fulton. She has been there since 2024. She previously worked as a staff attorney for the Racial Justice Act Study in 2009, as a staff attorney for North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, and as a capital defense attorney at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation for five years.

I represented an innocent man on death row. Here's why NC must ...

Vernetta Alston is currently a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 29. She was appointed to the legislature in April 2020 and was elected in 2020, and has served two terms. She previously served on the Durham City Council from 2017 to 2019.

Supports raising the minimum wage to at least $17.00 per hour for a single person with no dependents and believes a livable wage should be accessible to all workers.

Supports regulating the growing national industry to generate tax revenue for North Carolina.

Supports expanding transportation options in North Carolina to enhance access to economic centers and reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Supports sustained investments in infrastructure and community needs to help low-income residents navigate housing and economic challenges.

Supports expanding transportation options in North Carolina to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Supports abortion access and has co-sponsored legislation to protect and restore it in North Carolina.

Supports strict voting regulations to ensure fair elections.

Supports statewide bans on bump stocks, trigger cranks, high-capacity magazines, and renewing the ban on assault weapons, along with supporting extreme risk protective orders and accountability for gun owners.

For Candidate Vernetta Alston on Issue public-safety: Advocates for local law enforcement that is efficient, transparent, and accountable, emphasizing the need to protect marginalized communities from discrimination and violence while fostering effective communication between police and residents.

Supports funding for public schools, increasing per pupil expenditure, supporting diversity in hiring, funding student mental health training, investing in early childhood education, and increasing funding for pre-K.

Opposes recently enacted policies that threaten educators and jeopardize student safety and mental health, including the parents’ bill of rights and loosening of gun regulations.

Opposes the expansion of the Opportunity Scholarship program, advocating for full funding of public schools.

Believes in creating a safe and inclusive community where everyone has a place and no one lives in fear, opposing discrimination and violence.

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.