2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 163-1. Time of regular elections and primaries.
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 May 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, and nonpartisan candidates as to offices elected under the provisions of Article 25 of this Chapter.
(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 Four years, from
the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Lieutenant State Tuesday next after Four years, from
Governor the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Secretary of State Tuesday next after Four years, from
State the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Auditor State Tuesday next after Four years, from
the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Treasurer State Tuesday next after Four years, from
the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Superinten‑ State Tuesday next after Four years, from
dent of the first Monday first day of
Public in November 1968 January next
Instruction and every four after election
years thereafter
Attorney State Tuesday next after Four years, from
General the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Commissioner State Tuesday next after Four years, from
of the first Monday first day of
Agriculture in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Commissioner State Tuesday next after Four years, from
of Labor the first Monday first day of
in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
Commissioner State Tuesday next after Four years, from
of the first Monday first day of
Insurance in November 1968 January next
and every four after election
years thereafter
All other State Tuesday next after Four years, from
State the first Monday first day of
officers in November 1968 January next
whose terms and every four after election
last for years thereafter
four years
All other State Tuesday next after Two years, from
State the first Monday first day of
officers in November 1968 January next
whose terms and every two after election
are not years thereafter
specified
by law
State Senator Senatorial Tuesday next after Two years
district the first Monday
in November 1968
and every two
years thereafter
Member of Representative Tuesday next after Two years
State House district the first Monday
of Repre‑ in November 1968
sentatives and every two
years thereafter
Justices and State At the regular Eight years,
Judges of the election for from first day
Appellate members of the of January next
Division General Assembly after election
immediately preceding
the termination of
each regular term
Judges of the Superior At the regular Eight years,
superior Court election for from first day
courts District members of the of January next
General Assembly after election
immediately preceding
the termination of
each regular term
Judges of the District court At the regular Four years, from
district district election for the first day in
courts members of the January next
General Assembly after election
immediately preceding
the termination
of each regular
term
District District At the regular Four years, from
Attorney Attorney election for first day of
district members of the January next
General Assembly after election
immediately preceding
the termination
of each regular
term
Members of Congressional Tuesday next after Two years
House of district, the first Monday
Representa‑ except as in November 1968
tives of modified by and every two
the G.S. 163‑104 years thereafter
Congress of
the United
States
United States State At the regular Six years
Senators election immed‑
iately preceding
the termination
of each regular
term
County County At the regular Two years, from
commissioners election for the first
members of the Monday in
General Assembly December next
immediately preceding after election
the termination of
each regular term
Clerk of County At the regular Four years, from
superior election for the first
court members of the Monday in
General Assembly December next
immediately preceding after election
the termination
of each regular term
Register of County At the regular Four years, from
deeds election for the first
members of the Monday in
General Assembly December next
immediately after election
preceding the
termination of
each regular term
Sheriff County At the regular Four years, from
election for the first
members of the Monday in
General Assembly December next
immediately after election
preceding the
termination of
each regular term
Coroner County At the regular Four years, from
election for the first
members of the Monday in
General Assembly December next
immediately after election
preceding the
termination of
a regular term
County County Tuesday next after Two years, from
treasurer the first Monday the first
(in in November 1968 Monday in
counties in and every two December next
which years thereafter after election
elected)
All other County Tuesday next after Two years, from
county the first Monday the first
officers to in November 1968 Monday in
be elected and every two December next
by the years thereafter after election
people
(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.)
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