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North Carolina > Elections And Election Laws > Time of Primaries and Elections (§ § 163-1 through 163-18) Article 1. Time of Primaries and Elections (§ § 163-1 through 163-7)

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

Overview of Statute

Section provides for the specific titles, terms, and elections of the enumerated public positions.

Statute

(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                    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; S.L. 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b).)

Definition [United States]

“United States,” used in the territorial sense, means the several states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

§ 163A-1336 (8). Definitions.

Definition [political party]

The term “political party” means any political party organized or operating in this State, whether or not that party is recognized under the provisions of G.S. 163A-950. A special definition of “political party organization” that applies only in Part 2 of this Article is set forth in G.S. 163A-1475. An affiliated party committee is deemed a political party for this Article as set forth in G.S. 163A-1416 and G.S. 163A-1417.

§ 163A-1411 (76). Definitions.

Definition [State]

“State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

§ 163A-1336 (5). Definitions.

Definition [Ballot]

(Effective until January 1, 2018 or September 1, 2019 – see note) “Ballot” means an instrument on which a voter indicates that voter’s choice for a ballot item so that it may be recorded as a vote for or against a certain candidate or referendum proposal. The term “ballot” may include a paper ballot to be counted by hand, a paper ballot to be counted on an electronic
scanner, the face of a lever voting machine, the image on a direct record electronic unit, or a ballot used on any other voting system.

(Effective January 1, 2018 or September 1, 2019 – see note) “Ballot” means an instrument on which a voter indicates that voter’s choice for a ballot item so that it may be recorded as a vote for or against a certain candidate or referendum proposal, and is evidenced by an individual paper document that bears marks made by the voter by hand or through electronic
means, whether preprinted or printed in the voting enclosure.

§ 163A-1095 (1). Definitions.

Definition [Office]

(4) Office. – The elected office for which the candidate has filed or petitioned.
(2006-155, s. 1; 2006-259, s. 48(a); 2017-6, s. 3.)

§ 163A-1025 (4). Definitions.

Definition [election]

The term “election” means any general or special election, a first or second primary, a run-off election, or an election to fill a vacancy. The term “election” shall not include any local or statewide referendum.

§ 163A-1411 (30). Definitions.

Definition [Election]

“Election” means the event in which voters cast votes in ballot items concerning proposals or candidates for office in this State or the United States. The term includes primaries, general elections, referenda, and special elections.

§ 163A-1095 (4). Definition

Definition [candidate]

The term “candidate” means any individual who, with respect to a public office listed in G.S. 163A-1411(80), has taken positive action for the purpose of bringing about that individual’s nomination, retention, or election to public office. Examples of positive action include any of the following:

a. Filing a notice of candidacy, filing a notice to be retained, or a petition requesting to be a candidate.

b. Being certified as a nominee of a political party for a vacancy.

c. Otherwise qualifying as a candidate in a manner authorized by law.

d. Making a public announcement of a definite intent to run for public office in a particular election.

e. Receiving funds or making payments or giving the consent for anyone else to receive funds or transfer anything of value for the purpose of bringing about that individual’s nomination or election to office. Transferring anything of value includes incurring an obligation to transfer anything of value. Status as a candidate for the purpose of this Article continues if the individual is receiving contributions to repay loans or cover a deficit or is making expenditures to satisfy obligations from an election already held. Special definitions of “candidate” and “candidate campaign committee” that apply only in Part 2 of this Article are set forth in G.S. 163A-1475.

§ 163A-1411 (9). Definitions.

Definition [Candidate]

“Candidate” means any individual who, with respect to a public office listed in G.S. 163A-1411(80), has filed a notice of candidacy, notice of retention, or a petition requesting to be a candidate, or has been certified as a nominee of a political party for a vacancy, or has otherwise qualified as a candidate in a manner authorized by law, or has filed a statement of organization under G.S. 163A-1412 and is required to file periodic financial disclosure statements under G.S. 163A-1418.

§ 163A-1475 (2). Definitions.

Cases

North Carolina Cases

Out-of-State Cases

Federal Cases

Case Name: Republican Party of North Carolina v. Martin

Citation: 980 F.2d 943

Federal Circuit Court: 4th Circuit Court

Year: 1992

Case PDF: Republican Party of North Carolina v. Martin

Case Summary: Matter challenging the method of election North Carolina Superior Court judges. The action was dismissed as the county board of elections have no constitutional power to independently place candidate(s) on the ballot in elections, nor could the county boards remove candidate(s) as they were merely acting in ministerial capacity and could only carry out its enumerated duties. [Judicial Action] The action challenging a method of electing North Carolina Superior Court judges was dismissed against the county board of elections as the county boards have no power to independently place candidate(s) on an election ballot. Moreover, the county boards could not remove candidates from such ballot, as they merely function in ministerial capacity and could only carry out those duties as detailed by statute.