North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2024

2024 State Judicial Elections
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This race is still not officially certified. See updates here.

Incumbent Justice Allison Riggs (D) and Jefferson Griffin (R) ran in the partisan general election for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.

As of February 25, 2025, the race has not been called, and legal challenges to the outcome are ongoing. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Riggs leads by 734 votes. Griffin filed a motion for the state supreme court to hear his case to determine the validity of 60,000 ballots. A federal judge ruled that the state Supreme Court should hear this case, and the state Supreme Court granted Griffin a stay, preventing the certification of the election until Griffin's case could be heard. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has agreed to hear oral arguments after an appeal was filed by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. To read more about recount laws in North Carolina and to read a detailed timeline of events surrounding the recount, click here.

The Raleigh News & Observer's Kyle Ingram wrote the race "lack[s] much of the public vitriol or big personalities present in races higher on the ballot — but the stakes are high."

At the time of election, the court had a 5-2 Republican majority. Heading into the 2020 election, Democrats held a 6-1 majority on the court. They lost 2 seats, reducing their majority on the court to 4-3. In 2022, Republicans won two seats, changing the balance of the court to a 5-2 Republican majority. In 2024, the court could have remained a 5-2 Republican majority or could have turned into a 6-1 Republican majority. To read more about past court elections, click here.

Both parties saw this race as crucial for control of the court. Riggs said, "The supreme court isn't flipping control in this election. I am employing a plan, working with Justice Anita Earls and many others to help win back our courts in the 2028 election. Still, we're going to have to defend my seat in 2024. Justice Earls’ seat in 2026 before we can do that." North Carolina GOP Judicial Victory Fund Chair Susan Mills highlighted the importance of winning this seat, saying, "Having the majority this cycle doesn't guarantee we will keep it in the future." The Charlotte Observer's Paige Masten wrote, "If Democrats lose in November, they technically still have a chance of flipping the court in 2028. But that will be significantly harder."

Gov. Roy Cooper (D) appointed Riggs to replace Justice Michael R. Morgan (D) in 2023. She said her "record demonstrates without question my commitment to our constitution and the protections it provides for the people of this state." She said that she "value[s] reproductive freedoms. I value democracy and know that it doesn’t defend itself without people on the bench being willing to enforce the Constitution." Riggs described Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's judicial method as an influence and said that she has "been intentional in applying this in my own judicial work. By focusing on process, rather than 'brand,' I believe I am best complying with my constitutional duty to rule without fear or favor." Riggs was a former appellate justice and civil rights attorney.

Griffin campaigned on his experience and said, "I’ve been able to show the people of North Carolina that I’m a constitutional conservative, that I believe in the rule of law." Griffin said that he is "more of an originalist than anything...My interpretation of it is, I’m gonna look at this legal document...as of the time it was written." He said that he admires "Clarence Thomas’s judicial philosophy. He’s always consistent." Griffin believed that North Carolina voters "want judges who interpret the law and aren’t activists, who don’t go up there with any agenda...I’m there to do my job, I have no policy agenda — I’m there to interpret the law." Griffin served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

According to the most recent fundraising data before the election, Riggs had raised $1.1 million and spent $456,619, and Griffin raised $1.2 million and spent $198,521. To read more about campaign finance data, click here

North Carolina was one of 33 states that held state supreme court elections in 2024 and one of seven that held partisan supreme court elections. To read more about which states that held supreme court elections in 2024, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Incumbent Allison Riggs and Jefferson Griffin ran in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Allison Riggs (D)
		Jefferson Griffin (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The outcome of this election has not been called yet.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court

Incumbent Allison Riggs defeated Lora Cubbage in the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Allison Riggs	69.1	450,268
		Lora Cubbage	30.9	201,336

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 651,604
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Jefferson Griffin advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Election aftermath

As of February 25, 2025, the race has not yet been called, and legal challenges are ongoing. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Riggs leads by 734 votes. According to North Carolina state law, candidates can request a recount if the margin of victory is less than 10,000 votes or 0.5%. On November 19, Griffin officially filed a request for a recount. He also filed a lawsuit challenging 60,000 ballots. The recount was completed on December 3rd, after which Griffin requested a second recount by hand. A second recount was completed on December 10.

Click below for a timeline of the recount and lawsuits filed.

• Click to expand a timeline of recount election updates
  • Feb. 20, 2025: The state Supreme Court declines to hear the case, meaning the Court of Appeals will hear it.

  • Feb. 17, 2025: The state Board of Elections files a petition asking the state Supreme Court to review the case.

  • Feb. 13, 2025: The state Board of Elections announces it will ask the state Supreme Court to review the case.

  • Feb. 10, 2025: Griffin files an appeal. The case will move to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

  • Feb. 7, 2025: Judge William Pittman rules that the state Board of Elections' ruling in December dismissing Griffi'hallge upheld.

  • Feb. 4, 2025: The Fourth Circuit Court rules that the state supreme court should hear the case.

  • Jan. 27, 2025:
    • The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit hears arguments.
    • Judge Paul C. Ridgeway schedules a hearing in Wake County Superior Court for February 7, 2025.

  • Jan. 22, 2025: The North Carolina Supreme Court blocks a motion by Griffin that would have allowed the court to rule and urged local courts to hear the case first. Federal courts will hear the case simultaneously.

  • Jan. 10, 2025: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit agrees to hear oral arguments for the case on January 27.

  • Jan. 7, 2025:
    • Griffin requests a temporary stay blocking the State Board of Elections from allowing the certification of the election. The Board files a motion to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reassess the decision to send the case from federal court to state court.
    • The North Carolina Supreme Court grants Griffin's stay, preventing the certification of the election until Griffin's case could be heard.

  • Jan. 6, 2025: Judge Myers rules that the state Supreme Court will hear the case. The State Board of Elections appealed the ruling.

  • Jan. 1, 2025: The North Carolina State Board of Elections asked a federal judge to maintain oversight of Griffin’s lawsuit. The board also asks the judge to rule against Griffin’s request for an injunction. The Board's request says that Griffin's request "squarely raises substantial federal questions under the United States Constitution, the Help America Vote Act, and other federal statutes."

  • Dec. 27, 2024: Judge Richard Myers II asks that the Board of Elections offer a reason by January 1 on why the state Supreme Court should not hear Griffin's case.

  • Dec. 23, 2024: Griffin files for an injunction in federal court to prevent the State Board of Elections from certifying the race.

  • Dec. 20, 2024: A federal judge denies Griffin's request to block the State Board of Elections from certifying Riggs' win. According to the court order, the election should be certified around January 3-January 6.

  • Dec. 18, 2024: Griffin requests the state supreme court rule on his lawsuit over the validity of 60,000 ballots.

  • Dec. 11, 2024:
    • Because the recount results did not change by a large enough margin in the areas where ballots were recounted, the State Board of Elections did not request a statewide hand recount.
    • The State Board of Elections voted 3-2 to dismiss Griffin's lawsuit challenging 60,000 ballots.

  • Dec. 10, 2024: A second recount is completed. Riggs' lead is 748 votes.

  • Dec. 3, 2024: Griffin requests a second recount by hand.

  • Nov. 21, 2024: Griffin filed a lawsuit challenging 60,000 ballots which he said "highlight[ed] specific irregularities and discrepancies in the handling and counting of ballots, raising concerns about adherence to established election laws."

  • Nov. 20, 2024:
    • The North Carolina State Board of Elections approved a plan requiring Republican challenges to be filed by November 27 and Democratic responses to the petitions to be submitted by December 6.
    • Riggs declared victory, saying, "This victory shows our democracy in action...Every voter’s voice matters in shaping the future of our state and our judiciary."

  • Nov. 19, 2024: Griffin officially filed for a recount.

  • November 18, 2024: Griffin and the state Republican Party filed a lawsuit claiming that that election officials did not provide data that could have helped Griffin's campaign file protests over votes the campaign said were ineligible.

Recount laws in North Carolina

See also: Recount laws in North Carolina

The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in North Carolina.

• Does state law require automatic recounts?
  • Yes, if election officials discover a substantial error while conducting a random-sample partial recount as part of a requested recount. The specific circumstances can be found below.
• When must an automatic recount be completed?
  • No set deadline.
• Can a recount be requested?
  • Yes, in the event of specific close vote margins, described below. The deadline to request a recount for offices governed by the state board of elections is no later than 12:00 p.m. on the second business day after the canvass. For races governed by a county board of elections, the deadline is no later than 5:00 p.m. on the first business day after the canvass. There is no deadline for completion.
• Who pays for a requested recount?
  • There is no mention in state law, but the general practice is that the state covers the cost of a requested recount.
• Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
  • Not applicable. The state covers the cost of requested recounts.
• Can a partial recount be requested?
  • No.

Requested recount procedures

North Carolina allows candidates to request a recount under the following circumstances:

• Races governed by a county board of elections:
  • Single-seat elections: if the difference between the votes for the requester and the winning candidate is less than or equal to 1% of the total votes cast in the election.
  • Multi-seat elections: if the difference is less than or equal to 1% of the votes cast for the two winning candidates.
  • The deadline to request such recounts is no later than 5:00 p.m. on the first business day after the canvass.
• Races governed by the state board of elections:
  • Statewide elections: if the difference between the votes for the requester and the winning candidate is less than or equal to 10,000 votes or 0.5% of the votes cast, whichever is less.
  • Non-statewide elections: if the difference is less than or equal to 1% of the votes cast for single-seat elections or 1% of the votes for the two winning candidates for multi-seat elections.
  • The deadline to request such recounts is no later than 12:00 p.m on the second business day after the canvass.

Voting information

See also: Voting in North Carolina

Election information in North Carolina: Nov. 5, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 2, 2024
• By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 11, 2024
• Online: Oct. 11, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Oct. 29, 2024
• By mail: Received by Oct. 29, 2024
• Online: Oct. 29, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Received by Nov. 5, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 17, 2024 to Nov. 2, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (EST)

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Allison Riggs

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• Supreme Court of North Carolina (Assumed office: 2023)
• North Carolina Court of Appeals (2023)

Biography:  Riggs received a bachelor's degree in microbiology, a master's degree in history, and a law degree from the University of Florida. Before she was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Riggs worked as a voting rights attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Riggs said her top priority was "ensuring the North Carolina Supreme Court remains accessible, fair, and impartial, upholding the rights of all citizens and providing important checks and balances in a healthy democracy."

---

Riggs focused on her judicial methodology and said, "I prefer a judicial methodology, as opposed to philosophy, in thinking about how I approach cases. Judicial philosophies seem to me to just be code for a judge’s political leanings...By focusing on process, rather than 'brand,' I believe I am best complying with my constitutional duty to rule without fear or favor."

---

Riggs highlighted her record as an attorney and judge and said, "my record demonstrates...my commitment to our constitution and the protections it provides for the people of this state. I hope to continue doing this work and enforcing the constitution if elected."

---

Show sources

Sources: The Raleigh News & Observer, "‘Candidate for NC Supreme Court, Democrat Allison Riggs, answers our questions," September 25, 2024; The Raleigh News & Observer, "Candidate for NC Supreme Court, Democrat Allison Riggs, answers our questions," February 11, 2024; The Rocky Mount Telegram, "Appointed justice seeks election to NC Supreme Court seat," February 14, 2024; LinkedIn, Allison Riggs," accessed September 18, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for North Carolina Supreme Court in 2024.

Jefferson Griffin

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• North Carolina Court of Appeals (Assumed office: 2021)

Biography:  Griffin received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from North Carolina Central University. He previously worked as an attorney, a district attorney for Wake County, a district court judge, and a Captain in the North Carolina National Guard.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Griffin focused on his experience on the Court of Appeals and said he had "been able to show the people of North Carolina that I’m a constitutional conservative, that I believe in the rule of law."

---

Griffin's website said of his philosophy "Judge Griffin is an originalist and a textualist. Judge Griffin believes the words of the Constitution mean what they say. Judge Griffin believes in the separation of powers, judicial restraint and the independence of the judiciary. "

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Griffin said that voters "want judges who interpret the law and aren’t activists, who don’t go up there with any agenda...I’m there to do my job, I have no policy agenda — I’m there to interpret the law."

---

Show sources

Sources: North State Journal, "Jefferson Griffin looks to join Republican majority on NC Supreme Court," July 20, 2023; Jefferson Griffin 2024 campaign website , "Judge Griffin's Judicial Philosophy," accessed September 18, 2024; The Raleigh News & Observer, "‘The power levers in our state’ run through its courts. Your choices for NC’s next justice," September 4, 2024; LinkedIn, "Jefferson Griffin," accessed September 18, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for North Carolina Supreme Court in 2024.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign ads

Allison Riggs

Jefferson Griffin

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Jefferson Griffin while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

• Allison Riggs
• Jefferson Griffin

Past election results

2024

See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2024

The term of one North Carolina Supreme Court justice expired on December 31, 2024. The one seat was up for partisan election on November 5, 2024. The primary was March 5, 2024, and a primary runoff was May 14, 2024. The filing deadline was December 15, 2023.

Candidates and results

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Incumbent Allison Riggs and Jefferson Griffin ran in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Allison Riggs (D)
		Jefferson Griffin (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The outcome of this election has not been called yet.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court

Incumbent Allison Riggs defeated Lora Cubbage in the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Allison Riggs	69.1	450,268
		Lora Cubbage	30.9	201,336

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 651,604
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Jefferson Griffin advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

2022

See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2022

The terms of two North Carolina Supreme Court justices expired on December 31, 2022. The two seats were up for partisan election on November 8, 2022.

Candidates and results

Seat 3: Hudson vacancy

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Richard Dietz defeated Lucy N. Inman in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Dietz (R)	52.4	1,965,840
		Lucy N. Inman (D)	47.6	1,786,650

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,752,490
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Lucy N. Inman advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Richard Dietz advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Seat 5: Ervin's seat

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Trey Allen defeated incumbent Sam Ervin IV in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Trey Allen (R)	52.2	1,957,440
		Sam Ervin IV (D)	47.8	1,792,873

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,750,313
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Sam Ervin IV advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court

Trey Allen defeated April C. Wood and Victoria Prince in the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Trey Allen	55.4	385,124
		April C. Wood	36.3	252,504
	Submit photo	Victoria Prince	8.3	57,672

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 695,300
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Justices not on the ballot

• Robin Hudson (D)

2020

See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2020

The terms of three North Carolina Supreme Court justices expired on December 31, 2020. The three seats were up for partisan election on November 3, 2020.

Candidates and election results

Chief justice: Beasley's seat

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Paul Martin Newby defeated incumbent Cheri Beasley in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Paul Martin Newby (R)	50.0	2,695,951
		Cheri Beasley (D)	50.0	2,695,550

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,391,501
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Cheri Beasley advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Paul Martin Newby advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Seat 2: Newby's seat

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Phil Berger Jr. defeated Lucy N. Inman in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Phil Berger Jr. (R)	50.7	2,723,704
		Lucy N. Inman (D)	49.3	2,652,187

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,375,891
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Lucy N. Inman advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Phil Berger Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Seat 4: Davis' seat

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Tamara Barringer defeated incumbent Mark A. Davis in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tamara Barringer (R)	51.2	2,746,362
		Mark A. Davis (D)	48.8	2,616,265

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,362,627
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mark A. Davis advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Tamara Barringer advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.

2018

See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2018

The term of one North Carolina Supreme Court justice expired on December 31, 2018. Incumbent Barbara Jackson (R) stood for partisan election on November 6, 2018. Anita Earls (D) defeated Jackson and Chris Anglin (R) to win the position.

Candidates and results

Seat 1: Jackson's seat

General election

General election for North Carolina Supreme Court

Anita Earls defeated incumbent Barbara Jackson and Chris Anglin in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Anita Earls (D)	49.6	1,812,751
		Barbara Jackson (R)	34.1	1,246,263
		Chris Anglin (R)	16.4	598,753

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,657,767 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Election spending

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance

The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
• Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
• State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
• Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

• Presidential elections
• Statewide elections
• State partisanship
• Demographics

See also: Presidential voting trends in North Carolina and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for North Carolina, 2024
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
North Carolina's 1st	Donald Davis	Democratic	R+1
North Carolina's 2nd	Deborah Ross	Democratic	D+15
North Carolina's 3rd	Gregory Murphy	Republican	R+11
North Carolina's 4th	Valerie Foushee	Democratic	D+21
North Carolina's 5th	Virginia Foxx	Republican	R+10
North Carolina's 6th	Kathy Manning	Democratic	R+11
North Carolina's 7th	David Rouzer	Republican	R+8
North Carolina's 8th	Dan Bishop	Republican	R+11
North Carolina's 9th	Richard Hudson	Republican	R+9
North Carolina's 10th	Patrick McHenry	Republican	R+10
North Carolina's 11th	Chuck Edwards	Republican	R+8
North Carolina's 12th	Alma Adams	Democratic	D+23
North Carolina's 13th	Wiley Nickel	Democratic	R+11
North Carolina's 14th	Jeff Jackson	Democratic	R+11

2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, North Carolina
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
North Carolina's 1st	50.4%	48.8%
North Carolina's 2nd	66.9%	31.5%
North Carolina's 3rd	40.7%	58.0%
North Carolina's 4th	72.4%	26.2%
North Carolina's 5th	41.8%	57.2%
North Carolina's 6th	41.2%	57.5%
North Carolina's 7th	43.9%	54.9%
North Carolina's 8th	40.6%	58.3%
North Carolina's 9th	42.4%	56.3%
North Carolina's 10th	41.4%	57.4%
North Carolina's 11th	43.8%	54.8%
North Carolina's 12th	74.4%	24.2%
North Carolina's 13th	40.7%	57.9%
North Carolina's 14th	41.4%	57.5%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Following the 2020 presidential election, 47.1% of North Carolinians lived in one of the state's 22 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 46.3% lived in one of 68 Solid Republican counties. Overall, North Carolina was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in North Carolina following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

North Carolina county-level statistics, 2020
Solid Democratic	22	47.1%
Solid Republican	68	46.3%
Trending Republican	6	2.7%
New Democratic	1	2.2%
Battleground Democratic	1	0.9%
Trending Democratic	1	0.5%
New Republican	1	0.3%
Total voted Democratic	25	50.7%
Total voted Republican	75	49.3%

Historical voting trends

North Carolina presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 18 Democratic wins
• 13 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from North Carolina

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in North Carolina.

U.S. Senate election results in North Carolina
Race	Winner	Runner up
2022	50.5%	47.3%
2020	48.7%	46.9%
2016	51.1%	45.3%
2014	48.8%	47.3%
2010	55.0%	42.9%
Average	51.3	45.3

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of North Carolina

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in North Carolina.

Gubernatorial election results in North Carolina
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	51.5%	47.0%
2016	49.0%	48.8%
2012	54.6%	43.2%
2008	50.3%	46.9%
2004	55.6%	42.9%
Average	52.2	45.8

See also: Party control of North Carolina state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of North Carolina's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from North Carolina
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	4	4
Republican	2	10	12
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	14	16

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in North Carolina's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in North Carolina, May 2024
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Roy Cooper
Lieutenant Governor	Mark Robinson
Secretary of State	Elaine Marshall
Attorney General	Josh Stein

State legislature

North Carolina State Senate

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	20
	Republican Party	30
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

North Carolina House of Representatives

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	48
	Republican Party	72
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		120

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

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

The table below details demographic data in North Carolina and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.

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Demographic Data for North Carolina
	North Carolina	United States
Population	10,439,388	331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)	48,623	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	65%	65.9%
Black/African American	20.9%	12.5%
Asian	3.1%	5.8%
Native American	1%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more	5.9%	8.8%
Hispanic/Latino	10%	18.7%
Education
High school graduation rate	89.4%	89.1%
College graduation rate	33.9%	34.3%
Income
Median household income	$66,186	$75,149
Persons below poverty level	9.5%	8.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

About the North Carolina Supreme Court

See also: North Carolina Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court and is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices has varied from time to time.

Political composition

This was the political composition of the court heading into the 2024 election.

■ Trey Allen		Elected in 2022
■ Tamara Barringer		Elected in 2020
■ Phil Berger Jr.		Elected in 2020
■ Richard Dietz		Elected in 2022
■ Anita Earls		Elected in 2018
■ Paul Martin Newby		Elected in 2004, 2012, and 2020
■ Allison Riggs		Appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D) in 2023

Selection

See also: Judicial selection in North Carolina

Each of the seven justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court serves terms of eight years. In the case of a vacancy, the governor appoints a successor to serve until the next general election which is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. An election is then held for a full eight-year term.

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a person must be licensed to practice law in North Carolina. There is a mandatory retirement age of 72 years.

2024 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:

• California's 47th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
• Florida's 13th Congressional District election, 2024
• Iowa's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024

See also

North Carolina	Judicial Selection	More Courts
Courts in North Carolina North Carolina Court of Appeals North Carolina Supreme Court	Elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in North Carolina	Federal courts State courts Local courts

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• North Carolina Supreme Court

Footnotes

North Carolina courts

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Federal courts:

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina

State courts:

Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts

State resources:

Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina