2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes Article 10 - Primary Elections.
SUBCHAPTER V. NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES.
Article 10.
Primary Elections.
§ 163‑104. Primaries governed by general election laws; authority of State Board of Elections to modify time schedule.
Unless otherwise provided in this Chapter, primary elections shall be conducted as far as practicable in accordance with the general election laws of this State. All provisions of this Chapter and of other laws governing elections, not inconsistent with this Article and other provisions of law dealing specifically with primaries, shall apply as fully to primary elections and to the acts and things done thereunder as to general elections. Nevertheless, for purposes of primary elections the State Board of Elections may, by general rule, modify the general election law time schedule with regard to ascertaining, declaring, and reporting results.
All acts made criminal if committed in connection with a general election shall likewise be criminal, with the same punishment, when committed in a primary election held under the provisions of this Chapter. (1915, c. 101, s. 3; 1917, c. 218; C.S., s. 6020; 1967, c. 775, s. 1.)
§ 163‑105. Payment of expense of conducting primary elections.
The expense of printing and distributing the poll and registration books, blanks, and ballots for those offices required by G.S. 163‑109(b) to be furnished by the State, and the per diem and expenses of the State Board of Elections while engaged in the discharge of primary election duties imposed by law upon that Board, shall be paid by the State.
The expenses of printing and distributing the ballots for those offices required by G.S. 163‑109(c) to be furnished by counties, and the per diem (or salary) and expenses of the county board of elections and the chief judges and judges of election, while engaged in the discharge of primary election duties imposed by law upon them, shall be paid by the counties. (1915, c. 101, s. 7; 1917, c. 218; C.S., s. 6026; 1927, c. 260, s. 21; 1933, c. 165, s. 14; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1985, c. 563, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 762, s. 30.)
§ 163‑106. Notices of candidacy; pledge; with whom filed; date for filing; withdrawal.
(a) Notice and Pledge. – No one shall be voted for in a primary election without having filed a notice of candidacy with the appropriate board of elections, State or county, as required by this section. To this end every candidate for selection as the nominee of a political party shall file with and place in the possession of the board of elections specified in subsection (c) of this section, a notice and pledge in the following form:
"Date __________
I hereby file notice as a candidate for nomination as ____________ in the ____________ party primary election to be held on ____________, ____________. I affiliate with the ____________ party, (and I certify that I am now registered on the registration records of the precinct in which I reside as an affiliate of the ____________ party.)
I pledge that if I am defeated in the primary, I will not run for any office as a write‑in candidate in the next general election.
Signed ____________________________________________________
(Name of Candidate)
Witness:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
(Title of witness)"
Each candidate shall sign the notice of candidacy in the presence of the chairman or secretary of the board of elections, State or county, with which the candidate files. In the alternative, a candidate may have the candidate's signature on the notice of candidacy acknowledged and certified to by an officer authorized to take acknowledgments and administer oaths, in which case the candidate may mail or deliver by commercial courier service the candidate's notice of candidacy to the appropriate board of elections.
In signing the notice of candidacy the candidate shall use only that candidate's legal name and may use any nickname by which he is commonly known. A candidate may also, in lieu of that candidate's legal first name and legal middle initial or middle name (if any) sign a nickname, provided that the candidate appends to the notice of candidacy an affidavit that the candidate has been commonly known by that nickname for at least five years prior to the date of making the affidavit. The candidate shall also include with the affidavit the way that candidate's name (as permitted by law) should be listed on the ballot if another candidate with the same last name files a notice of candidacy for that office.
A notice of candidacy signed by an agent or any person other than the candidate shall be invalid.
Prior to the date on which candidates may commence filing, the State Board of Elections shall print and furnish, at State expense, to each county board of elections a sufficient number of the notice of candidacy forms prescribed by this subsection for use by candidates required to file with county boards of elections.
(b) Eligibility to File. – No person shall be permitted to file as a candidate in a primary if, at the time he offers to file notice of candidacy, he is registered on the appropriate registration book or record as an affiliate of a political party other than that in whose primary he is attempting to file. No person who has changed his political party affiliation or who has changed from unaffiliated status to party affiliation as permitted in G.S. 163‑82.17, shall be permitted to file as a candidate in the primary of the party to which he changed unless he has been affiliated with the political party in which he seeks to be a candidate for at least 90 days prior to the filing date for the office for which he desires to file his notice of candidacy.
A person registered as "unaffiliated" shall be ineligible to file as a candidate in a party primary election.
(c) Time for Filing Notice of Candidacy. – Candidates seeking party primary nominations for the following offices shall file their notice of candidacy with the State Board of Elections no earlier than 12:00 noon on the second Monday in February and no later than 12:00 noon on the last business day in February preceding the primary:
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
All State executive officers
United States Senators
Members of the House of Representatives of the United States
District attorneys
Candidates seeking party primary nominations for the following offices shall file their notice of candidacy with the county board of elections no earlier than 12:00 noon on the second Monday in February and no later than 12:00 noon on the last business day in February preceding the primary:
State Senators
Members of the State House of Representatives
All county offices.
(d) Notice of Candidacy for Certain Offices to Indicate Vacancy. – In any primary in which there are two vacancies for United States Senator from North Carolina, each candidate shall, at the time of filing notice of candidacy, file with the State Board of Elections a written statement designating the vacancy to which he seeks nomination. Votes cast for a candidate shall be effective only for his nomination to the vacancy for which he has given notice of candidacy as provided in this subsection.
(e) Withdrawal of Notice of Candidacy. – Any person who has filed notice of candidacy for an office shall have the right to withdraw it at any time prior to the date on which the right to file for that office expires under the terms of subsection (c) of this section. If a candidate does not withdraw before the filing deadline, except as provided in G.S. 163‑112, his name shall be printed on the primary ballot, any votes for him shall be counted, and he shall not be refunded his filing fee.
(f) Candidates required to file their notice of candidacy with the State Board of Elections under subsection (c) of this section shall file along with their notice a certificate signed by the chairman of the board of elections or the director of elections of the county in which they are registered to vote, stating that the person is registered to vote in that county, stating the party with which the person is affiliated, and that the person has not changed his affiliation from another party or from unaffiliated within three months prior to the filing deadline under subsection (c) of this section. In issuing such certificate, the chairman or director shall check the registration records of the county to verify such information. During the period commencing 36 hours immediately preceding the filing deadline the State Board of Elections shall accept, on a conditional basis, the notice of candidacy of a candidate who has failed to secure the verification ordered herein subject to receipt of verification no later than three days following the filing deadline. The State Board of Elections shall prescribe the form for such certificate, and distribute it to each county board of elections no later than the last Monday in December of each odd‑numbered year.
(g) When any candidate files a notice of candidacy with a county board of elections under subsection (c) of this section or under G.S. 163‑291(2), the chairman or director of elections shall, immediately upon receipt of the notice of candidacy, inspect the registration records of the county, and cancel the notice of candidacy of any person who is not eligible under subsection (c) of this section. The Board shall give notice of cancellation to any candidate whose notice of candidacy has been cancelled under this subsection by mail or by having the notice served on him by the sheriff.
(h) No person may file a notice of candidacy for more than one office described in subsection (c) of this section for any one election. If a person has filed a notice of candidacy with a board of elections under this section for one office, then a notice of candidacy may not later be filed for any other office under this section when the election is on the same date unless the notice of candidacy for the first office is withdrawn under subsection (e) of this section; provided that this subsection shall not apply unless the deadline for filing notices of candidacy for both offices is the same. Notwithstanding this subsection, a person may file a notice of candidacy for a full term as United States Senator, and also file a notice of candidacy for the remainder of the unexpired term of that same seat in an election held under G.S. 163‑12, and may file a notice of candidacy for a full term as a member of the United States House of Representatives, and also file a notice of candidacy for the remainder of the unexpired term in an election held under G.S. 163‑13.
(i) Repealed by Session Laws 2001‑403, s. 3, effective January 1, 2002. (1915, c. 101, ss. 6, 15; 1917, c. 218; C.S., ss. 6022, 6035; 1921, c. 217; 1923, c. 111, s. 13; C.S., s. 6055(a); 1927, c. 260, s. 19; 1929, c. 26, s. 1; 1933, c. 165, s. 12; 1937, c. 364; 1947, c. 505, s. 7; 1949, c. 672, s. 4; c. 932; 1951, c. 1009, s. 3; 1955, c. 755; c. 871, s. 1; 1959, c. 1203, s. 4; 1965, c. 262; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; c. 1063, s. 2; 1969, c. 44, s. 83; c. 1190, s. 56; 1971, cc. 189, 675, 798; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; c. 793, s. 36; c. 862; 1975, c. 844, s. 2; 1977, c. 265, ss. 4, 5; c. 408, s. 2; c. 661, ss. 2, 3; 1979, c. 24; c. 411, s. 5; 1981, c. 32, ss. 1, 2; 1983, c. 330, s. 1; 1985, c. 472, s. 2; c. 558, s. 1; c. 759, s. 6; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 957, s. 1; 1987, c. 509, s. 13; c. 738, s. 124; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1028, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 762, s. 31; 1995, c. 243, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 8; 1999‑456, s. 59; 2001‑403, s. 3; 2001‑466, s. 5.1(a); 2002‑158, ss. 8, 9; 2002‑159, s. 55(a).)
§ 163‑107. Filing fees required of candidates in primary; refunds.
(a) Fee Schedule. – At the time of filing a notice of candidacy, each candidate shall pay to the board of elections with which he files under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106 a filing fee for the office he seeks in the amount specified in the following tabulation:
Office Sought Amount of Filing Fee
Governor One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
Lieutenant Governor One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
All State executive offices One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
All District Attorneys of the General One percent (1%) of the annual salary of
Court of Justice the office sought
United States Senator One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
Members of the United States House One percent (1%) of the annual salary of
of Representatives the office sought
State Senator One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
Member of the State House of One percent (1%) of the annual salary of
Representatives the office sought
All county offices not compensated by fees One percent (1%) of the annual salary of the office sought
All county offices compensated partly One percent (1%) of the first annual
by salary and partly by fees salary to be received (exclusive of fees)
The salary of any office that is the basis for calculating the filing fee is the starting salary for the office, rather than the salary received by the incumbent, if different. If no starting salary can be determined for the office, then the salary used for calculation is the salary of the incumbent, as of January 1 of the election year.
(b) Refund of Fees. – If any person who has filed a notice of candidacy and paid the filing fee prescribed in subsection (a) of this section, withdraws his notice of candidacy within the period prescribed in G.S. 163‑106(e), he shall be entitled to have the fee he paid refunded. If the fee was paid to the State Board of Elections, the chairman of that board shall cause a warrant to be drawn on the Treasurer of the State for the refund payment. If the fee was paid to a county board of elections, the chairman of the Board shall certify to the county finance officer that the refund should be made, and the county finance officer shall make the refund in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act. If any person who has filed a notice of candidacy and paid the filing fee prescribed in subsection (a) of this section dies prior to the date of the primary election provided by G.S. 163‑1, the personal representative of the estate shall be entitled to have the fee refunded if application is made to the board of elections to which the fee was paid no later than one year after the date of death, and refund shall be made in the same manner as in withdrawal of notice of candidacy.
If any person files a notice of candidacy and pays a filing fee to a board of elections other than that with which he is required to file under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106(e), he shall be entitled to have the fee refunded in the manner prescribed in this subsection if he requests the refund before the date on which the right to file for that office expires under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106(e). (1915, c. 101, s. 4; 1917, c. 218; 1919, cc. 50, 139; C.S., ss. 6023, 6024; 1927, c. 260, s. 20; 1933, c. 165, s. 12; 1939, c. 264, s. 2; 1959, c. 1203, s. 5; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1969, c. 44, s. 84; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; c. 793, s. 37; 1977, c. 265, s. 6; 1983, c. 913, s. 56; 1995, c. 464, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 9; 2001‑403, s. 4; 2002‑158, s. 10; 2005‑428, s. 8.)
§ 163‑107.1. Petition in lieu of payment of filing fee.
(a) Any qualified voter who seeks nomination in the party primary of the political party with which he affiliates may, in lieu of payment of any filing fee required for the office he seeks, file a written petition requesting him to be a candidate for a specified office with the appropriate board of elections, State, county or municipal.
(b) If the candidate is seeking the office of United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or any State executive officer, the petition must be signed by 10,000 registered voters who are members of the political party in whose primary the candidate desires to run, except that in the case of a political party as defined by G.S. 163‑96(a)(2) which will be making nominations by primary election, the petition must be signed by ten percent (10%) of the registered voters of the State who are affiliated with the same political party in whose primary the candidate desires to run, or in the alternative, the petition shall be signed by no less than 10,000 registered voters regardless of the voter's political party affiliation, whichever requirement is greater. The petition must be filed with the State Board of Elections not later than 12:00 noon on Monday preceding the filing deadline before the primary in which he seeks to run. The names on the petition shall be verified by the board of elections of the county where the signer is registered, and the petition must be presented to the county board of elections at least 15 days before the petition is due to be filed with the State Board of Elections. When a proper petition has been filed, the candidate's name shall be printed on the primary ballot.
(c) County, Municipal and District Primaries. – If the candidate is seeking one of the offices set forth in G.S. 163‑106(c) but which is not listed in subsection (b) of this section, or a municipal or any other office requiring a partisan primary which is not set forth in G.S. 163‑106(c) or (d), he shall file a written petition with the appropriate board of elections no later than 12:00 noon on Monday preceding the filing deadline before the primary. The petition shall be signed by ten percent (10%) of the registered voters of the election area in which the office will be voted for, who are affiliated with the same political party in whose primary the candidate desires to run, or in the alternative, the petition shall be signed by no less than 200 registered voters regardless of said voter's political party affiliation, whichever requirement is greater. The board of elections shall verify the names on the petition, and if the petition is found to be sufficient, the candidate's name shall be printed on the appropriate primary ballot. Petitions for candidates for member of the U.S. House of Representatives, District Attorney, and members of the State House of Representatives from multi‑county districts or members of the State Senate from multi‑county districts must be presented to the county board of elections for verification at least 15 days before the petition is due to be filed with the State Board of Elections, and such petition must be filed with the State Board of Elections no later than 12:00 noon on Monday preceding the filing deadline. The State Board of Elections may adopt rules to implement this section and to provide standard petition forms.
(d) Nonpartisan Primaries and Elections. – Any qualified voter who seeks to be a candidate in any nonpartisan primary or election may, in lieu of payment of the filing fee required, file a written petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the registered voters in the election area in which the office will be voted for with the appropriate board of elections. Any qualified voter may sign the petition. The petition shall state the candidate's name, address and the office which he is seeking. The petition must be filed with the appropriate board of elections no later than 60 days prior to the filing deadline for the primary or election, and if found to be sufficient, the candidate's name shall be printed on the ballot. (1975, c. 853; 1977, c. 386; 1985, c. 563, s. 13; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 12; 2001‑403, s. 7; 2002‑158, s. 11.)
§ 163‑108. Certification of notices of candidacy.
(a) Within three days after the time for filing notices of candidacy with the State Board of Elections under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106(c) has expired, the chairman or secretary of that Board shall certify to the Secretary of State the name, address, and party affiliation of each person who has filed with the State Board of Elections, indicating in each instance the office sought.
(b) No later than 10 days after the time for filing notices of candidacy under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106(c) has expired, the chairman of the State Board of Elections shall certify to the chairman of the county board of elections in each county in the appropriate district the names of candidates for nomination to the following offices who have filed the required notice and pledge and paid the required filing fee to the State Board of Elections, so that their names may be printed on the official county ballots: Superior court judge, district court judge, and district attorney.
(c) In representative districts composed of more than one county and in multi‑county senatorial districts the chairman or secretary of the county board of elections in each county shall, within three days after the time for filing notices of candidacy under the provisions of G.S. 163‑106(c) has expired, certify to the State Board of Elections (i) the names of all candidates who have filed notice of candidacy in his county for member of the State Senate, or, if such is the fact, that no candidates have filed in his county for that office, and (ii) the names of all candidates who have filed notice of candidacy in his county for the office of member of the State House of Representatives or, if such is the fact, that no candidates have filed in his county for that office. The chairman of the county board of elections shall forward a copy of this report to the chairman of the board of elections of each of the other counties in the representative or senatorial district. Within 10 days after the time for filing notices of candidacy for those offices has expired the chairman or secretary of the State Board of Elections shall certify to the chairman of the county board of elections in each county of each multi‑county representative or senatorial district the names of all candidates for the House of Representatives and Senate which must be printed on the county ballots.
(d) Within two days after he receives each of the letters of certification from the chairman of the State Board of Elections required by subsections (b) and (c) of this section, each county elections board chairman shall acknowledge receipt by letter addressed to the chairman of the State Board of Elections. (1915, c. 101, s. 8; 1917, c. 218; C.S., s. 6028; 1927, c. 260, s. 22; 1966, Ex. Sess., c. 5, s. 8; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 793, s. 38; 1979, c. 797, s. 5; 1983, c. 331, s. 1.)
§ 163‑108.1. Nomination of members of House of Representatives.
Chapter 826, Session Laws of 1957; Chapter 484, Session Laws of 1961; Chapter 621, Session Laws of 1959; Chapter 894, Session Laws of 1945; Chapter 442, Session Laws of 1955; Chapter 103, Public‑ Local Laws of 1941; Chapter 439, Session Laws of 1955; Chapter 238, Session Laws of 1959; and all other special and local acts providing for the nomination of candidates for the State House of Representatives by convention in any county, are modified and amended as follows: In the several representative districts of the State containing two or more counties, each political party shall nominate candidates for membership in the State House of Representatives according to the provisions of the statewide primary law, Article 19 [Article 10], Chapter 163 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, or by district convention of the party when so provided by law. In a county assigned to a multi‑county representative district, no political party shall nominate candidates for the State House of Representatives by party convention for the single county. (1966, Ex. Sess., c. 5, s. 16.)
§ 163‑109: Repealed by Session Laws 2002‑159, s. 55.(j), effective January 1, 2003, and applicable to all primaries and elections held on or after that date.
§ 163‑110. Candidates declared nominees without primary.
If a nominee for a single office is to be selected and only one candidate of a political party files for that office, or if nominees for two or more offices (constituting a group) are to be selected, and only the number of candidates equal to the number of the positions to be filled file for a political party for said offices, then the appropriate board of elections shall, upon the expiration of the filing period for said office, declare such persons as the nominees or nominee of that party, and the names shall not be printed on the primary ballot, but shall be printed on the general election ballot as candidate for that political party for that office. For the following offices, this declaration shall be made by the county board of elections with which the aspirant filed notice of candidacy: All county offices, State Senators in single‑county senatorial districts, and members of the State House of Representatives in single‑county representative districts. For all other offices, this declaration shall be made by the State Board of Elections. (1915, c. 101, ss. 13, 19; 1917, c. 218; C.S., ss. 6033, 6039; 1966, Ex. Sess., c. 5, ss. 9, 11; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 793, s. 42; 1975, c. 19, s. 68; 1981, c. 220, ss. 1, 2.)
§ 163‑111. Determination of primary results; second primaries.
(a) Nomination Determined by Substantial Plurality; Definition of Substantial Plurality. – Except as otherwise provided in this section, nominations in primary elections shall be determined by a substantial plurality of the votes cast. A substantial plurality within the meaning of this section shall be determined as follows:
(1) If a nominee for a single office is to be selected, and there is more than one person seeking nomination, the substantial plurality shall be ascertained by multiplying the total vote cast for all aspirants by forty percent (40%). Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a substantial plurality, and the aspirant who obtains a substantial plurality shall be declared the nominee. If two candidates receive a substantial plurality, the candidate receiving the highest vote shall be declared the nominee.
(2) If nominees for two or more offices (constituting a group) are to be selected, and there are more persons seeking nomination than there are offices, the substantial plurality shall be ascertained by dividing the total vote cast for all aspirants by the number of positions to be filled, and by multiplying the result by forty percent (40%). Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a substantial plurality, and the aspirants who obtain a substantial plurality shall be declared the nominees. If more candidates obtain a substantial plurality than there are positions to be filled, those having the highest vote (equal to the number of positions to be filled) shall be declared the nominees.
(b) Right to Demand Second Primary. – If an insufficient number of aspirants receive a substantial plurality of the votes cast for a given office or group of offices in a primary, a second primary, subject to the conditions specified in this section, shall be held:
(1) If a nominee for a single office is to be selected and no aspirant receives a substantial plurality of the votes cast, the aspirant receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared nominated by the appropriate board of elections unless the aspirant receiving the second highest number of votes shall request a second primary in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. In the second primary only the two aspirants who received the highest and next highest number of votes shall be voted for.
(2) If nominees for two or more offices (constituting a group) are to be selected and aspirants for some or all of the positions within the group do not receive a substantial plurality of the votes, those candidates equal in number to the positions remaining to be filled and having the highest number of votes shall be declared the nominees unless some one or all of the aspirants equal in number to the positions remaining to be filled and having the second highest number of votes shall request a second primary in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. In the second primary to select nominees for the positions in the group remaining to be filled, the names of all those candidates receiving the highest number of votes and all those receiving the second highest number of votes and demanding a second primary shall be printed on the ballot.
(c) Procedure for Requesting Second Primary. –
(1) A candidate who is apparently entitled to demand a second primary, according to the unofficial results, for one of the offices listed below, and desiring to do so, shall file a request for a second primary in writing with the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections no later than 12:00 noon on the ninth day (including Saturdays and Sundays) following the date on which the primary was conducted, and such request shall be subject to the certification of the official results by the State Board of Elections. If the vote certification by the State Board of Elections determines that a candidate who was not originally thought to be eligible to call for a second primary is in fact eligible to call for a second primary, the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections shall immediately notify such candidate and permit him to exercise any options available to him within a 48‑hour period following the notification:
Governor,
Lieutenant Governor,
All State executive officers,
District Attorneys of the General Court of Justice,
United States Senators,
Members of the United States House of Representatives,
State Senators in multi‑county senatorial districts, and
Members of the State House of Representatives in multi‑county representative districts.
(2) A candidate who is apparently entitled to demand a second primary, according to the unofficial results, for one of the offices listed below and desiring to do so, shall file a request for a second primary in writing with the chairman or director of the county board of elections no later than 12:00 noon on the ninth day (including Saturdays and Sundays) following the date on which the primary was conducted, and such request shall be subject to the certification of the official results by the county board of elections:
State Senators in single‑county senatorial districts,
Members of the State House of Representatives in single‑county representative districts, and
All county officers.
(3) Immediately upon receipt of a request for a second primary the appropriate board of elections, State or county, shall notify all candidates entitled to participate in the second primary, by telephone followed by written notice, that a second primary has been requested and of the date of the second primary.
(d) Tie Votes; How Determined. –
(1) In the event of a tie for the highest number of votes in a first primary between two candidates for party nomination for a single county, or single‑county legislative district office, the board of elections of the county in which the two candidates were voted for shall conduct a recount and declare the results. If the recount shows a tie vote, a second primary shall be held on the date prescribed in subsection (e) of this section between the two candidates having an equal vote, unless one of the aspirants, within three days after the result of the recount has been officially declared, files a written notice of withdrawal with the board of elections with which he filed notice of candidacy. Should that be done, the remaining aspirant shall be declared the nominee. In the event of a tie for the highest number of votes in a first primary among more than two candidates for party nomination for one of the offices mentioned in this subdivision, no recount shall be held, but all of the tied candidates shall be entered in a second primary.
(2) In the event of a tie for the highest number of votes in a first primary between two candidates for a State office, for United States Senator, or for any district office (including State Senator in a multi‑county senatorial district and member of the State House of Representatives in a multi‑county representative district), no recount shall be held solely by reason of the tie, but the two candidates having an equal vote shall be entered in a second primary to be held on the date prescribed in subsection (e) of this section, unless one of the two candidates files a written notice of withdrawal with the State Board of Elections within three days after the result of the first primary has been officially declared and published. Should that be done, the remaining aspirant shall be declared the nominee. In the event of a tie for the highest number of votes in a first primary among more than two candidates for party nomination for one of the offices mentioned in this subdivision, no recount shall be held, but all of the tied candidates shall be entered in a second primary.
(3) In the event one candidate receives the highest number of votes cast in a first primary, but short of a substantial plurality, and two or more of the other candidates receive the second highest number of votes cast in an equal number, the proper board of elections shall declare the candidate having the highest vote to be the party nominee, unless all but one of the tied candidates give written notice of withdrawal to the proper board of elections within three days after the result of the first primary has been officially declared. If all but one of the tied candidates withdraw within the prescribed three‑day period, and the remaining candidate demands a second primary in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, a second primary shall be held between the candidate who received the highest vote and the remaining candidate who received the second highest vote.
(e) Date of Second Primary; Procedures. – If a second primary is required under the provisions of this section, the appropriate board of elections, State or county, shall order that it be held four weeks after the first primary.
There shall be no registration of voters between the dates of the first and second primaries. Persons whose qualifications to register and vote mature after the day of the first primary and before the day of the second primary may register on the day of the second primary and, when thus registered, shall be entitled to vote in the second primary. The second primary is a continuation of the first primary and any voter who files a proper and timely affidavit of transfer of precinct, under the provisions of G.S. 163‑82.15, before the first primary may vote in the second primary without having to refile the affidavit of transfer if he is otherwise qualified to vote in the second primary. Subject to this provision for registration, the second primary shall be held under the laws, rules, and regulations provided for the first primary.
(f) No Third Primary Permitted. – In no case shall there be a third primary. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the second primary shall be nominated. If in a second primary there is a tie for the highest number of votes between two candidates, the proper party executive committee shall select the party nominee for the office in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 163‑114. (1915, c. 101, s. 24; 1917, c. 179, s. 2; c. 218; C.S., s. 6045; 1927, c. 260, s. 23; 1931, c. 254, s. 17; 1959, c. 1055; 1961, c. 383; 1966, Ex. Sess., c. 5, s. 13; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1969, c. 44, s. 85; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; c. 793, ss. 43, 44; 1975, c. 844, s. 3; 1977, c. 265, s. 9; 1981, c. 645, ss. 1, 2; 1989, c. 549; 1995, c. 243, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 10; 1999‑424, s. 7(e); 2001‑319, s. 11; 2001‑403, s. 5; 2002‑158, s. 12; 2003‑278, s. 10(d).)
§ 163‑112. Death of candidate before primary; vacancy in single office.
(a) Death of One of Two Candidates within 30 Days after the Filing Period Closes. – If at the time the filing period closes, only two persons have filed notice of candidacy for nomination by a political party to a single office, and one of the candidates dies within 30 days after the filing period closes, then the proper board of elections shall, upon notice of the death, reopen the filing period for that party contest, for an additional three days. Should no candidate file during the three days, the board of elections shall certify the remaining candidate as the nominee of his party as provided in G.S. 163‑110.
(b) Death of One of More Than Two Candidates within 30 Days after the Filing Period Closes. – If at the close of the filing period more than two candidates have filed for a single‑seat office, and within 30 days after the filing period closes the board of elections receives notice of a candidate's death, the board shall immediately open the filing period for that party contest, for three additional days in order for candidates to file for that office. The name of the deceased candidate shall not be printed on the ballot.
In the event a candidate's death occurs more than 30 days after the closing of the original filing period, the names of the remaining candidates shall be printed on the ballot. If the ballots have been printed at the time death occurs, the ballots shall not be reprinted and any votes cast for a deceased candidate shall not be counted or considered for any purpose. In the event the death of a candidate or candidates leaves only one candidate, then such candidate shall be certified as the party's nominee for that office.
(c) Vacancy in Group Offices within 30 Days after the Filing Period Closes. – If at the time the filing period closes more persons have filed notice of candidacy for nomination by a political party to an office constituting a group than there are positions to be filled, and a candidate or candidates die within 30 days after the filing period closes, and there remains only the number of candidates equal to or fewer than the number of positions to be filled, the appropriate board of elections shall reopen the filing period for that party contest, for three days for that office. Should no persons file during the three‑day period, then those candidates already filed shall be certified as the party nominees for that office.
(d) Vacancy in Group Offices More Than 30 Days after the Filing Period Closes. – In the event a candidate or candidates death occurs more than 30 days after the original filing period closes for an office constituting a group, then regardless of the number of candidates filed for nomination, the board of elections shall be governed as follows:
(1) If the ballots have not been printed at the time the board of elections receives notice of the death, the deceased candidate's name shall not be printed on the ballot.
(2) If the ballots have been printed at the time the board of elections receives notice of the death, the ballots shall not be reprinted but votes cast for the deceased candidate shall not be counted for any purpose.
(3) In the event the death of a candidate or candidates results in the number of candidates being equal to or less than the number of positions to be filled for that office, then the remaining candidates shall be certified as the party nominees for that office and no primary shall be held for that office.
(4) If death or disqualification of candidates results in the number of candidates being less than the number of positions to be filled for that office, then the appropriate party executive committee shall, in accordance with G.S. 163‑114, make nominations of persons equal to the number of positions to be filled and no primary shall be held and those names shall be printed on the general election ballot.(1959, c. 1054; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1981, c. 434; 1993, c. 553, s. 60; 2001‑466, s. 1(f); 2003‑278, s. 4; 2003‑434, 1st Ex. Sess., s. 5(e); 2004‑127, s. 13.)
§ 163‑113. Nominee's right to withdraw as candidate.
A person who has been declared the nominee of a political party for a specified office under the provisions of G.S. 163‑182.15 or G.S. 163‑110, shall not be permitted to resign as a candidate unless, at least 30 days before the general election, he submits to the board of elections which certified his nomination a written request that he be permitted to withdraw. (1929, c. 164, s. 8; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 2001‑398, s. 6.)
§ 163‑114. Filling vacancies among party nominees occurring after nomination and before election.
If any person nominated as a candidate of a political party for one of the offices listed below (either in a primary or convention or by virtue of having no opposition in a primary) dies, resigns, or for any reason becomes ineligible or disqualified before the date of the ensuing general election, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment according to the following instructions:
Position
President Vacancy is to be filled by appointment of
Vice President national executive committee of
political party in which vacancy occurs
Presidential elector or alternate elector Vacancy is to be filled by appointment of
Any elective State office State executive committee of political
United States Senator party in which vacancy occurs
A district office, including: Appropriate district executive committee of
Member of the United States House political party in which vacancy occurs
of Representatives
District Attorney
State Senator in a multi‑county
senatorial district
Member of State House of
Representatives in a multi‑county
representative district
State Senator in a single‑county County executive committee of political
senatorial district party in which vacancy occurs,
Member of State House of provided, in the case of the State
Representatives in a single‑county Senator or State Representative in a
representative district single‑county district where not all the
Any elective county office county is located in that district, then in
voting, only those members of the
county executive committee who reside
within the district shall vote
The party executive making a nomination in accordance with the provisions of this section shall certify the name of its nominee to the chairman of the board of elections, State or county, that has jurisdiction over the ballot item under G.S. 163‑182.4. If at the time a nomination is made under this section the general election ballots have already been printed, the provisions of G.S.163‑165.3(c) shall apply. If a vacancy occurs in a nomination of a political party and that vacancy arises from a cause other than death and the vacancy in nomination occurs more than 120 days before the general election, the vacancy in nomination may be filled under this section only if the appropriate executive committee certifies the name of the nominee in accordance with this paragraph at least 75 days before the general election.
In a county not all of which is located in one congressional district, in choosing the congressional district executive committee member or members from that area of the county, only the county convention delegates or county executive committee members who reside within the area of the county which is within the congressional district may vote.
In a county which is partly in a multi‑county senatorial district or which is partly in a multi‑county House of Representatives district, in choosing that county's member or members of the senatorial district executive committee or House of Representatives district executive committee for the multi‑county district, only the county convention delegates or county executive committee members who reside within the area of the county which is within that multi‑county district may vote. (1929, c. 164, s. 19; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 793, s. 45; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1265, ss. 4, 5; 1987, c. 509, s. 10; c. 526; c. 738, s. 124; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1037, s. 126.1; 1991, c. 727, s. 8; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 13; 2001‑353, s. 1; 2001‑403, s. 8; 2001‑460, s. 4; 2003‑142, s. 1.)
§ 163‑115. Special provisions for obtaining nominations when vacancies occur in certain offices.
(a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of the clerk of superior court, otherwise than by expiration of the term, or if the people fail to elect, the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Sec. 9(3) of Article IV of the North Carolina Constitution. If the vacancy occurs after the time for filing notice of candidacy in the primary has expired in a year when a regular election is not being held to elect a clerk of the superior court by expiration of term, then the county executive committee of each political party shall nominate a candidate whose name shall appear on the general election ballot. The candidate elected in the general election shall serve the unexpired portion of the term of the person causing the vacancy.
(b) In the event a special election is called to fill a vacancy in the State's delegation in the United States House of Representatives, the provisions of G.S. 163‑13 shall apply.
(c) If a vacancy occurs in an elective State or district office (other than member of the United States House of Representatives) during the period opening 10 days before the filing period for the office ends and closing 30 days before the ensuing general election, a nomination shall be made by the proper executive committee of each political party as provided in G.S. 163‑114, and the names of the nominees shall be printed on the general election ballots.
(d) If a vacancy occurs on a county board of commissioners and G.S. 153A‑27 or G.S. 153A‑27.1 requires that a person shall be elected to the seat vacated for the remainder of the unexpired term, and the vacancy occurs:
(1) Beginning on the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c), a nomination shall be made by the county executive committee of each political party and the names of the nominees shall be printed on the general election ballots.
(2) Prior to the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c), nominations shall be made by primary election as provided by this Article.
(e) If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States Senator, and the vacancy occurs:
(1) Beginning on the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c), a nomination shall be made by the State executive committee of each political party and the names of the nominees shall be printed on the general election ballots.
(2) Prior to the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c), nominations shall be made by primary election as provided by this Article. (1915, c. 101, s. 33; 1917, c. 179, s. 3; c. 218; C.S., s. 6053; 1923, c. 111, s. 16; 1955, c. 574; 1957, c. 1242; 1966, Ex. Sess., c. 5, s. 14; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 793, s. 46; 1985, c. 563, ss. 7, 7.1; c. 759, s. 1; 1997‑456, s. 27.)
§§ 163‑116 through 163‑118. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 793, ss. 47‑ 49.
§ 163‑119. Voting by unaffiliated voter in party primary.
If a political party has, by action of its State Executive Committee reported to the State Board of Elections by resolution delivered no later than the first day of December preceding a primary, provided that unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of that party, an unaffiliated voter may vote in the primary of that party by announcing that intention under G.S. 163‑166.7(a). For a party to withdraw its permission, it must do so by action of its State Executive Committee, similarly reported to the State Board of Elections no later than the first day of December preceding the primary where the withdrawal is to become effective. (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 762, s. 7; 2002‑159, s. 21(a).)
§ 163‑120. Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 163‑121. Reserved for future codification purposes.
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