North Carolina State Senate elections, 2020
2020 North Carolina Senate Elections | |
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General | November 3, 2020 |
Primary | March 3, 2020 |
Primary runoff | June 23, 2020 |
Past Election Results |
2018・2016・2014 2012・2010・2008 |
2020 Elections | |
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Choose a chamber below: | |
Republicans lost a seat but kept their majority in the 2020 elections for North Carolina State Senate. All 50 seats in the chamber were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Republicans controlled 29 seats to Democrats' 21. Democrats gained a net one seat from Republicans, leaving the Republican Party with a 28-22 majority. In the 2018 elections, Democrats gained a net six seats, reducing the Republican majority from 34-15 to 29-21.
Ballotpedia identified ten of the races as battlegrounds. Republicans held five of these districts and Democrats held five. The ten battleground districts were District 1, District 3, District 7, District 9, District 17, District 18, District 19, District 24, District 27, and District 39.
This race had the potential to influence the trifecta status of the state. North Carolina had been under divided government since 2017 after Democrats took control of the governorship in 2016, breaking the state’s Republican trifecta that began after the 2012 elections. In order to achieve a trifecta, Democrats needed to flip at least five seats to take control of the State Senate and also take control of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Republicans needed to take control of the governorship to achieve a trifecta.
Heading into the 2020 elections, Republicans held a majority in more chambers than Democrats. There was a Republican majority in 59 chambers and a Democratic majority in 39 chambers. In the Alaska House, there was a power-sharing agreement between the parties as part of a coalition.
North Carolina's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In North Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are not subject to gubernatorial veto.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
North Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in voting and early voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: The witness signature requirement on completed absentee ballots decreased from two to one. The receipt deadline was extended to 5 p.m. on November 12, 2020, for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.
- Early voting: Early voting sites were required to be open for at least 10 hours on the weekends of October 17-18, 2020, and October 24-25, 2020. Counties had to open at least one early voting site per 20,000 registered voters.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
North Carolina State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
Democratic Party | 21 | 22 | |
Republican Party | 29 | 28 | |
Total | 50 | 50 |
Districts
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
Candidates
General candidates
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North Carolina State Senate general election 2020
- Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
- = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Republican Other District 1 Bob Steinburg (i)
District 2 Norman Sanderson (i)
Tim Harris (Libertarian Party)
District 3 District 4 District 5 Donald Davis (i)
District 6 District 7 Jim Perry (i)
District 8 William Rabon (i)
Anthony Mascolo (Libertarian Party)
District 9 Harper Peterson (i)
District 10 Brent Jackson (i)
District 11 District 12 Jim Burgin (i)
District 13 Danny Earl Britt (i)
District 14 Dan Blue (i)
Justin Walczak (Libertarian Party)
District 15 Jay Chaudhuri (i)
Kat McDonald (Libertarian Party)
District 16 Wiley Nickel (i)
District 17 Sam Searcy (i)
Travis Groo (Libertarian Party)
District 18 Jason Loeback (Libertarian Party)
District 19 Kirk deViere (i)
District 20 Natalie Murdock (i)
District 21 Ben Clark (i)
District 22 Mike Woodard (i)
Ray Ubinger (Libertarian Party)
District 23 Valerie Foushee (i)
District 24 District 25 Tom McInnis (i)
District 26 Dave Craven (i)
Did not make the ballot:
Jerry W. Tillman (i)
District 27 Michael Garrett (i)
District 28 Gladys Robinson (i)
District 29 District 30 Phil Berger (i)
District 31 Joyce Krawiec (i)
District 32 Paul Lowe (i)
District 33 Carl Ford (i)
District 34 Vickie Sawyer (i)
District 35 Todd Johnson (i)
District 36 Paul Newton (i)
District 37 Jeff Jackson (i)
Jeff Scott (Libertarian Party)
District 38 Mujtaba Mohammed (i)
District 39 District 40 Joyce Waddell (i)
District 41 Natasha Marcus (i)
Chris Cole (Constitution Party)
District 42 H. Dean Proctor (i)
District 43 Kathy Harrington (i)
District 44 Ted Alexander (i)
District 45 Deanna Ballard (i)
District 46 Did not make the ballot:
Michael Barrick
Warren Daniel (i)
District 47 Ralph Hise (i)
District 48 Chuck Edwards (i)
District 49 District 50 Did not make the ballot:
Clifton Ingram Jr. (Libertarian Party)
Primary candidates
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. (I) denotes an incumbent.[1]
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North Carolina State Senate primary 2020
- Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
- = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
- * = The primary was canceled and the candidate advanced.
Office Democratic Republican Other District 1 Bob Steinburg* (i)
District 2 Norman Sanderson* (i)
Libertarian Party
Tim Harris*
District 3 District 4 Milton F. Fitch Jr.* (i)
District 5 Donald Davis* (i)
District 6 District 7 District 8 William Rabon* (i)
Libertarian Party
Ethan Bickley
District 9 Harper Peterson* (i)
District 10 Brent Jackson* (i)
District 11 District 12 Jim Burgin* (i)
District 13 Danny Earl Britt* (i)
District 14 Dan Blue* (i)
Libertarian Party
Justin Walczak*
District 15 Jay Chaudhuri* (i)
Libertarian Party
Kat McDonald*
District 16 Wiley Nickel* (i)
District 17 Sam Searcy* (i)
Libertarian Party
Travis Groo*
District 18 Libertarian Party
Jason Loeback*
District 19 Kirk deViere* (i)
District 20 District 21 Ben Clark* (i)
District 22 Mike Woodard* (i)
Libertarian Party
Ray Ubinger*
District 23 Valerie Foushee* (i)
District 24 District 25 Tom McInnis* (i)
District 26 Jerry W. Tillman* (i)
District 27 Michael Garrett* (i)
District 28 Gladys Robinson* (i)
District 29 District 30 Phil Berger* (i)
District 31 Joyce Krawiec* (i)
District 32 Paul Lowe* (i)
District 33 Carl Ford* (i)
District 34 Vickie Sawyer* (i)
District 35 Todd Johnson* (i)
District 36 Paul Newton* (i)
District 37 Jeff Jackson* (i)
Libertarian Party
Jeff Scott*
District 38 District 39 Did not make the ballot:
Darrell Bonapart
District 40 Joyce Waddell* (i)
District 41 Natasha Marcus* (i)
The Republican primary was canceled.
Constitution Party
Chris Cole*
District 42 District 43 Kathy Harrington* (i)
District 44 Ted Alexander* (i)
District 45 Deanna Ballard* (i)
District 46 Warren Daniel* (i)
District 47 Ralph Hise* (i)
District 48 Chuck Edwards* (i)
District 49 District 50 Libertarian Party
Clifton Ingram Jr.*
2020 battleground chamber
The North Carolina State Senate was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Democrats needed to gain five seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- If Democrats had flipped both the state Senate and state House while holding the governorship, they would have gained a state government trifecta. If Republicans had held both the state Senate and state House while winning the governorship, they would have gained a trifecta.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Democrats needed to flip five of the 50 seats up (10%) in order to win control of the chamber.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, control of 10 seats (20% of the chamber) was decided by margins of 10% or smaller.
- Seats flipped in 2018: Control of six seats (12% of the chamber) changed hands in 2018.
- More seats flipped in 2018 than needed to flip in 2020: The number of seats flipped in the 2018 elections (six) was greater than the number that needed to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (five).
- Other 2020 battleground election: The 2020 election for governor of North Carolina was a battleground race. Click here for more on the 2020 gubernatorial election.
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the North Carolina State Senate a leans Republican chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Republicans were slightly favored to retain control.[2]
Battleground races
North Carolina State Senate Battleground races |
---|
District 1 |
District 7 |
District 18 |
District 24 |
District 39 |
Democratic seats |
District 3 |
District 9 |
District 17 |
District 19 |
District 27 |
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia identified ten battleground races in the North Carolina State Senate 2020 elections, five of which were Republican-held seats and five of which were Democratic held seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.
To determine state legislative battleground races in 2020, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the four factors listed below:
- In the last state legislative election, the winner received less than 55% of the vote.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the incumbent is not on the ballot this year.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and that presidential candidate won the district by a margin of 20 percentage points or more.
District 1
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
Bob Steinburg (incumbent) |
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Incumbent Bob Steinburg (R) was first elected in 2018, where he received 53.2 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger, D. Cole Phelps, by 6.4 percentage points. |
District 3
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Erica Smith (D) was first elected in 2014 where she received 48.3 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, defeating Clark Jenkins (D) by 8.3 percentage points and running unopposed in the 2014 and 2016 general elections. In 2018, Smith was elected with 53.9 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Chuck Earley Jr. by 7.8 percentage points. Smith lost the 2020 Democratic primary to Ernestine Bazemore. |
District 7
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. In 2018, then incumbent Louis Pate (R) won with 53.9 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by 7.8 percentage points. Pate resigned in January of 2019 for health reasons. |
District 9
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
Harper Peterson (incumbent) |
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018, the presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less. Incumbent Harper Peterson (D) was first elected in 2018 where he received 48.6 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican opponent by 0.3 percentage points. Donald Trump carried District 9 with 51.2 percent of the vote, defeating Hillary Clinton by 6 percentage points. |
District 17
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
Sam Searcy (incumbent) |
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018, the presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less. Incumbent Sam Searcy (D) was first elected in 2018 with 50.6 percent of the vote and defeated Tamara Barringer (R) by 4.2 percentage points. Donald Trump carried District 17 with 49.6 percent of the vote, defeating Hillary Clinton by 3.4 percentage points. |
District 18
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. In 2018, Jason Alexander (R) received 49.9 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger, Mack Paul, by 2.5 percentage points. In September 2019, Alexander announced that he would not seek re-election in 2020. |
District 19
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
Kirk deViere (incumbent) |
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Incumbent Kirk deViere (D) was first elected in 2018 with 50.4 percent of the vote and defeated Wesley Meredith (R) by 0.8 percentage points. |
District 24
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. In 2018, Rick Gunn (R) was elected with 53.9 percent of the vote and defeated J.D. Wooten (D) by 7.8 percentage points. Gunn announced in November 2019 that he would not seek re-election in 2020. |
District 27
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
Michael Garrett (incumbent) |
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018, the presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less. Michael Garrett (D) was first elected 2018 with 50.5 percent of the vote and defeated Trudy Wade (R) by 1 percentage point. Donald Trump carried District 27 with 50.9 percent of the vote, defeating Hillary Clinton by 4.7 percentage points. |
District 39
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. In 2018, Dan Bishop (R) was elected with 52.9 percent of the vote and defeated Chad Stachowicz (D) by 5.8 percentage points. Bishop was defeated by Joshua Niday in the 2020 Republican primary. |
Battleground races map
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
One incumbent lost in the Nov. 3 general election. That incumbent was:
Name | Party | Office |
---|---|---|
Harper Peterson | Democratic | Senate District 9 |
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
One incumbent lost in the March 3 primaries. That incumbent was:
Name | Party | Office |
---|---|---|
Eddie Gallimore | Republican | Senate District 29 |
Retiring incumbents
There were 11 open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[3] Those incumbents were:
The 11 seats left open in 2020 were the most since 2012.
Open Seats in North Carolina State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
2020 | 50 | 11 (22 percent) | 39 (78 percent) |
2018 | 50 | 5 (10 percent) | 45 (90 percent) |
2016 | 50 | 7 (14 percent) | 43 (86 percent) |
2014 | 50 | 5 (10 percent) | 45 (90 percent) |
2012 | 50 | 11 (22 percent) | 39 (78 percent) |
2010 | 50 | 8 (16 percent) | 42 (84 percent) |
Redistricting in North Carolina
- See also: Redistricting in North Carolina
In North Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. District maps cannot be vetoed by the governor. State legislative redistricting must take place in the first regular legislative session following the United States Census. There are no explicit deadlines in place for congressional redistricting.[4]
State law establishes the following requirements for state legislative districts:[4]
- Districts must be contiguous and compact.
- Districts "must cross county lines as little as possible." If counties are grouped together, the group should include as few counties as possible.
- Communities of interest should be taken into account.
There are no similar restrictions in place regarding congressional districts.[4]
Process to become a candidate
For partisan candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 106 of the North Carolina General Statutes
A partisan candidate must be registered as an affiliate of the party with which he or she intends to campaign. A partisan candidate must also do the following:[5][5]
- file a notice of candidacy with the appropriate board of elections (state or county-level)
- file a felony conviction disclosure form
- provide for payment of required filing fees
Filing fees for primary elections are established by Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 107, of the North Carolina General Statutes. Filing fees formulas are summarized in the table below.[6]
Filing fees | |
---|---|
Office | How the fee is determined |
Governor | 1% of the office's annual salary |
Lieutenant governor | 1% of the office's annual salary |
State executive offices | 1% of the office's annual salary |
United States Senator | 1% of the office's annual salary |
United States Representative | 1% of the office's annual salary |
State senator | 1% of the office's annual salary |
State representative | 1% of the office's annual salary |
For independent candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 122 of the North Carolina General Statutes
An unaffiliated candidate must file the same forms and pay the same filing fees as partisan candidates. In addition, the candidate must petition to appear on the ballot. Signature requirements are as follows (additional petition requirements are discussed below).[7][8]
Signature requirements for independent candidates | |
---|---|
Office | Signature requirement formula |
Governor, United States Senator, and other statewide offices | 1.5% of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for governor (must include at least 200 signatures from each of three congressional districts) |
United States Representative; state House and state Senate seats for districts that cover more than one county | 1.5% of the total number of registered voters in the district as of January 1 of the election year |
State legislative seats | 4% of the total number of registered voters in the district as of January 1 of the election year |
For write-in candidates
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 123 of the North Carolina General Statutes
To be certified, a write-in candidate must submit a declaration of intent and petition. Signature requirements are as follows (additional petition requirements are discussed below).[9]
Signature requirements for write-in candidates | |
---|---|
Office | Required number of signatures |
Governor, United States Senator, and other statewide offices | 500 |
United States Representative; state house and state senate seats for districts that cover more than one county | 250 |
State house and state senate seats for districts that lie within one county | If there are 5,000 or more registered voters in the district, 100 signatures; if fewer than 5,000, 1% of the number of registered voters |
Write-in candidates do not have to pay filing fees.[10]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for North Carolina State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
North Carolina State Senate | Qualified party | N/A | $140.00 | 12/20/2019 | Source |
North Carolina State Senate | Unaffiliated | 4% of registered voters in the district | $140.00 | 3/3/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution states: Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[11] | |
---|---|
Salary | Per diem |
$13,951/year | $104/day |
When sworn in
North Carolina legislators assume office on January 1 the year after their election.[12]
2020 battleground chamber
The North Carolina State Senate was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Democrats needed to gain five seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- If Democrats had flipped both the state Senate and state House while holding the governorship, they would have gained a state government trifecta. If Republicans had held both the state Senate and state House while winning the governorship, they would have gained a trifecta.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Democrats needed to flip five of the 50 seats up (10%) in order to win control of the chamber.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, control of 10 seats (20% of the chamber) was decided by margins of 10% or smaller.
- Seats flipped in 2018: Control of six seats (12% of the chamber) changed hands in 2018.
- More seats flipped in 2018 than needed to flip in 2020: The number of seats flipped in the 2018 elections (six) was greater than the number that needed to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (five).
- Other 2020 battleground election: The 2020 election for governor of North Carolina was a battleground race. Click here for more on the 2020 gubernatorial election.
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the North Carolina State Senate a leans Republican chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Republicans were slightly favored to retain control.[13]
North Carolina political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2024
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in North Carolina
2016 Presidential election results
U.S. presidential election, North Carolina, 2016 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 46.2% | 2,189,316 | 0 | |
Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 49.8% | 2,362,631 | 15 | |
Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 2.7% | 130,126 | 0 | |
- | Write-in votes | 1.3% | 59,491 | 0 | |
Total Votes | 4,741,564 | 15 | |||
Election results via: North Carolina State Board of Elections |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Carolina utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.[14][15]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In North Carolina, polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Any voter who is standing in line at the time polls close must be permitted to vote.[16]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in North Carolina, each applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election, be at least 16 years old at the time of application and at least 18 years old by the time of the subsequent general election, and bot be serving a felony sentence, including probation and parole [17][18] The North Carolina voter registration application is available online.
Voter registration applications can be completed online or submitted to the appropriate county board of elections. Applications must be submitted at least 25 days before the election, but voters can also register and vote on the same day during the early voting period, but not on Election Day.[19]
Voter registration services are also provided by the following agencies:[20]
- Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Division of Services for the Blind
- Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Division of Health Benefits
- Division of Child and Family Well-Being/WIC
- Division of Social Services
- Division of Rehabilitation Services
- Division of Employment Security (DES)
- Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities
Automatic registration
North Carolina does not practice automatic voter registration.[21]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
North Carolina has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[21]
Same-day registration
North Carolina allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period only.[22][23]
Residency requirements
Prospective voters must reside in the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election.
Verification of citizenship
North Carolina does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who fraudulently or falsely registers is guilty of a "Class I felony under Chapter 163 of the NC General Statutes."[24]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[25] As of November 2024, five states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The North Carolina State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
North Carolina requires voters to present photo ID when voting.[26]
Note: According to the Board of Elections website, "On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed an injunction against implementation of photo ID legislation. As a result, photo ID laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 will be implemented moving forward, starting with the municipal elections in September, October, and November 2023. A separate federal case challenging the same laws is pending, but no injunction against the laws exists in that case." The injunction was issued on December 16, 2022.[26]
The following documents were acceptable forms of identification as of May 2024:[27]
“ | Any of the following that is unexpired, or expired for one year or less:
Note: A voter 65 or older may use an expired form of acceptable ID if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday. Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an expiration or issuance date:
|
” |
For a list of acceptable student and public employee IDs, click here.
Early voting
North Carolina permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
According to NC Newsline, on October 7, 2024, "[T]he state Board of Elections adopted a host of changes meant to help voters [in the 13 counties hardest hit by Hurricane Helene]. ... Voters from these counties will be able to request absentee ballots in person at their county board of elections office up until the day before the election."[29]
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in North Carolina. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[30]
An absentee ballot request form must either be submitted online or by mail before 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day. Completed ballots must be returned either in person or by mail and received no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.[30][31]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2020 State & County Candidate List by Contest (.PDF)" accessed December 23, 2019
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 All About Redistricting, "North Carolina," accessed April 20, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 106," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 10, Section 107," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 122," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Senate Bill 656," accessed October 18, 2017
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 11, Section 123," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Fact Sheet: Write-in Candidates 2014 Election," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina Constitution, "Article II, Section 9," accessed February 12, 2021
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Election Information," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 163-166.01 (2022) Hours for voting," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Registering to Vote,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Who Can Register,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Register in Person During Early Voting,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “National Voter Registration Act (NVRA),” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 30, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Register in Person During Early Voting,” accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ Justia, “NC Gen Stat § 163-227.2 (2022),” accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "North Carolina Voter Registration Application," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Voter ID," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Voter ID,” accessed May 23, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ NC Newsline, "Emergency election changes approved to help voters in 13 Helene-damaged NC counties," October 7, 2024
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "FAQ: Voting By Mail," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "North Carolina Absentee Ballot Request Form," accessed October 7, 2024