Chapter 163.

Elections and Election Laws.

SUBCHAPTER I. TIME OF PRIMARIES AND ELECTIONS.

Article 1.

Time of Primaries and Elections.

§ 163‑1.  Time of regular elections and primaries.

(a) Unless otherwise provided by law, elections for the officers listed in the tabulation contained in this section shall be conducted in all election precincts of the territorial units specified in the column headed "Jurisdiction" on the dates indicated in the column headed "Date of Election." Unless otherwise provided by law, officers shall serve for the terms specified in the column headed "Term of Office."

(b) On Tuesday next after the first Monday in March preceding each general election to be held in November for the officers referred to in subsection (a) of this section, there shall be held in all election precincts within the territory for which the officers are to be elected a primary election for the purpose of nominating candidates for each political party in the State for those offices.

(c) On Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in the year 1968, and every four years thereafter, or on such days as the Congress of the United States shall direct, an election shall be held in all of the election precincts of the State for the election of electors of President and Vice‑President of the United States. The number of electors to be chosen shall be equal to the number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which this State may be entitled. Presidential electors shall not be nominated by primary election; instead, they shall be nominated in a State convention of each political party as defined in G.S. 163‑96 unless otherwise provided by the plan of organization of the political party; provided, that in the case of a candidate for President of the United States who has qualified to have his name printed on the general election ballot as an unaffiliated candidate under G.S. 163‑122, that candidate shall nominate presidential electors. One presidential elector shall be nominated from each congressional district and two from the state‑at‑large, and in addition, the State convention of each party and the unaffiliated candidate shall each nominate first and second alternate electors who shall serve if their slate is elected as provided by G.S. 163‑209 and if there is a vacancy as provided by G.S. 163‑210.

(d) If primaries for the State Senate or State House of Representatives are temporarily moved from the date provided in subsection (b) of this section for any election year, all primaries shall be held on the same day.

 

OFFICE JURISDICTION DATE OF ELECTION TERM OF OFFICE

Governor State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Lieutenant State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

Governor first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Secretary of State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

State first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Auditor State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Treasurer State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Superintendent State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

of Public first Monday in November first day of January

Instruction 1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

Attorney

General State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Commissioner State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

of Agriculture first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Commissioner State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

of Labor first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

Commissioner State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

of Insurance first Monday in November first day of January

1968 and every four years next after election

thereafter

 

All other State State Tuesday next after the Four years, from

officers whose first Monday in November first day of January

terms last for 1968 and every four years next after election

four years thereafter

 

All other State State Tuesday next after the Two years, from

officers whose first Monday in November first day of January

terms are not 1968 and every two years next after election

specified by law thereafter

 

State Senator Senatorial Tuesday next after the Two years

district first Monday in November

1968 and every two years

thereafter

 

Member of Representative Tuesday next after the Two years

State House of district first Monday in November

Representatives 1968 and every two years

thereafter

 

Justices and State Except as provided in Eight years, from

Judges of the Article 1A of Chapter 7A first day of January

Appellate of the General Statutes, next after election

Division at the regular election

for members of the General

Assembly immediately

preceding the termination

of each regular term

 

Judges of the Superior At the regular election Eight years, from

superior courts Court District for members of the General first day of January

Assembly immediately after next election

preceding the termination

of each regular term

 

Judges of the District At the regular election Four years, from the

district courts court district for members of the General first day in January

Assembly immediately next after election

preceding the termination

of each regular term

 

District District At the regular election Four years, from

Attorney Attorney for members of the General first day of January

district Assembly immediately next after election

preceding the termination

of each regular term

 

Members of Congressional Tuesday next after the Two years

House of district, first Monday in November

Representatives except as 1968 and every two years

of the Congress modified thereafter

of the United by G.S. 163‑104

States

 

United States State At the regular election Six years

Senators immediately preceding the

termination of each

regular term

 

County County At the regular election Two years, from the

Commissioners for members of the General first Monday in

Assembly immediately December next after

preceding the termination election

of each regular term

 

Clerk of County At the regular election Four years, from the

superior court for members of the General first Monday in

Assembly immediately December next after

preceding the termination election

of each regular term

 

Register of County At the regular election Four years, from the

Deeds for members of the General first Monday in

Assembly immediately December next after

preceding the termination election

of each regular term

 

Sheriff County At the regular election Four years, from the

for members of the General first Monday in

Assembly immediately December next after

preceding the termination election

of each regular term

 

Coroner County At the regular election Four years, from the

for members of the General first Monday in

Assembly immediately December next after

preceding the termination election

of a regular term

 

County County Tuesday next after the Two years, from the

treasurer (in first Monday in November first Monday in

counties in 1968 and every two years December next after

which elected) thereafter election

 

All other County Tuesday next after the Two years, from the

county officers first Monday in November first Monday in

to be elected 1968 and every two years December next after

by the people thereafter election

(Const., art. 4, s. 24; 1901, c. 89, ss. 1‑4, 73, 74, 77; Rev., ss. 4293, 4294, 4296‑4299; 1915, c. 101, s. 1; 1917, c. 218; C.S., ss. 5914, 5915, 5917‑5920, 6018; 1935, c. 362; 1939, c. 196; 1943, c. 134, s. 4; 1947, c. 505, s. 1; 1951, c. 1009, s. 2; 1953, c. 1191, s. 1; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; cc. 1264, 1271; 1969, c. 44, s. 80; 1971, c. 170; 1973, c. 793, s. 93; 1977, c. 265, s. 1; c. 661, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 782, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 738, s. 2; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 2; 2003‑434, 1st Ex. Sess., s. 6; 2004‑127, s. 12; 2005‑425, s. 3.2; 2015‑66, s. 3; 2017‑3, s. 2; 2017‑6, s. 3; 2018‑21, s. 1; 2018‑146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)