N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-1 — NC Code / Chapter 163 / Section 163-1
§ 163-1. Time of regular elections and primaries
Status: in_force

(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 first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Lieutenant Governor

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Secretary of State

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Auditor

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Treasurer

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Superintendent of Public Instruction

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Attorney General

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Commissioner of Agriculture

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Commissioner of Labor

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Commissioner of Insurance

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

All other State officers whose terms last for four years

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every four years thereafter

Four years, from first day of January next after election

All other State officers whose terms are not specified by law

State

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years, from first day of January next after election

State Senator

Senatorial district

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years

Member of State House of Representatives

Representative district

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years

Justices and Judges of the Appellate Division

State

Except as provided in Article 1A of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes, at the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Eight years, from first day of January next after election

Judges of the superior courts

Superior Court District

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Eight years, from first day of January after next election

Judges of the district courts

District court district

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Four years, from the first day in January next after election

District Attorney

District Attorney district

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Four years, from first day of January next after election

Members of House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States

Congressional district, except as modified by G.S. 163A-970

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years

United States Senators

State

At the regular election immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Six years

County commissioners

County

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Two years, from the first Monday in December next after election

Clerk of superior court

County

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Four years, from the first Monday in December next after election

Register of deeds

County

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Four years, from the first Monday in December next after election

Sheriff

County

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of each regular term

Four years, from the first Monday in December next after election

Coroner

County

At the regular election for members of the General Assembly immediately preceding the termination of a regular term

Four years, from the first Monday in December next after election

County treasurer (in counties in which elected)

County

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years, from the first Monday in December next after election

All other county officers to be elected by the people

County

Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 1968 and every two years thereafter

Two years, from the first Monday in December next after election