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G.S. ch. 163, subch. I, art. 1

G.S. ch. 163, subch. I, art. 1
in effect

G.S. 163-1 Time of regular elections and primaries.

§ 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).)

G.S. 163-2 Repealed by Session Laws 2001-460, s. 2, effective January 1, 2002.

G.S. 163-3 Special elections.

§ 163-3.  Special elections. Special elections shall be called as permitted by law and conducted in accordance with G.S. 163-287. (2013-381, s. 10.2; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)

G.S. 163-4 Reserved for future codification purposes.

G.S. 163-5 Reserved for future codification purposes.

G.S. 163-6 Reserved for future codification purposes.

G.S. 163-7 Reserved for future codification purposes.

G.S. 163-8 Filling vacancies in State executive offices.

§ 163-8.  Filling vacancies in State executive offices. If the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor shall become vacant, the provisions of G.S. 147-11.1 shall apply. If the office of any of the following officers shall be vacated by death, resignation, or otherwise than by expiration of term, it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint another to serve until his successor is elected and qualified: Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Labor, and Commissioner of Insurance. Each such vacancy shall be filled by election at the first election for members of the General Assembly that occurs more than 60 days after the vacancy has taken place, and the person chosen shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired four-year term: Provided, that when a vacancy occurs in any of the offices named in this section and the term expires on the first day of January succeeding the next election for members of the General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of the office. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of any one of these officers for any of the causes stated in the preceding paragraph, the Governor may appoint an acting officer to perform the duties of that office until a person is appointed or elected pursuant to this section and Article III, Section 7 of the State Constitution, to fill the vacancy and is qualified. (1901, c. 89, ss. 4, 73; Rev., s. 4299; C.S., s. 5920; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1983, c. 324, s. 1; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 920, s. 5; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)

G.S. 163-9 Filling vacancies in State and district judicial offices.

§ 163-9.  Filling vacancies in State and district judicial offices. (a) The Governor shall appoint persons to fill vacancies occurring in the offices of Justice of the Supreme Court and judge of the Court of Appeals for causes other than expiration of term from a list of three qualified persons recommended by the political party executive committee of the political party with which the vacating judge was affiliated when elected. If a political party fails to make recommendations under this subsection within 30 days of the occurrence of the vacancy, or if a vacating judge was not affiliated with a political party at the time of the judge's election, the Governor shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. For purposes of this subsection, a qualified person is a person who is a resident of the State who is duly authorized to practice law in this State. An appointee to the office of Justice of the Supreme Court or judge of the Court of Appeals shall hold office until January 1 next following the election for members of the General Assembly that is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs, at which time an election shall be held for an eight-year term and until a successor is elected and qualified. (b) The Governor shall appoint qualified persons to fill vacancies occurring in the office of judge of the superior court. Except for judges specified in subsection (b1) of this section, an appointee to the office of judge of superior court shall hold office until the next election for members of the General Assembly that is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs, at which time an election shall be held to fill the unexpired term of the office. (b1) Appointees under this section for judges of the superior court from any district with only one resident judge or in which no county is subject to section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, shall hold the office until the next election of members of the General Assembly that is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs, at which time an election shall be held to fill an eight-year term. (c) When the unexpired term of the office in which the vacancy has occurred expires on the first day of January succeeding the next election for members of the General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint to fill that vacancy for the unexpired term of the office in accordance with the requirements of this section. (d) Vacancies in the office of district judge which occur before the expiration of a term shall be filled in accordance with G.S. 7A-142.  (1901, c. 89, ss. 4, 73; Rev. s. 4299; C.S., s. 5920; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1969, c. 44, s. 81; 1979, c. 494; 1981, c. 763, s. 3; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 920, s. 6; 1995, c. 98, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 21; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b); 2022-72, s. 5.2(a); 2022-73, s. 7(b); 2023-46, s. 20(a); 2024-57, s. 3C.1(a).)

G.S. 163-10 Filling vacancy in office of district attorney.

§ 163-10.  Filling vacancy in office of district attorney. Any vacancy occurring in the office of district attorney for causes other than expiration of term shall be filled by appointment of the Governor. An appointee shall hold his place until the next election for members of the General Assembly that is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs, at which time an election shall be held to fill the unexpired term of the office: Provided, that when the unexpired term of the office in which the vacancy has occurred expires on the first day of January succeeding the next election for members of the General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint to fill that vacancy for the unexpired term of the office. (1901, c. 89, ss. 4, 73; Rev., s. 4299; C.S., s. 5920; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; 1977, c. 265, s. 2; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 920, s. 7; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)

G.S. 163-11 Filling vacancies in the General Assembly.

§ 163-11.  Filling vacancies in the General Assembly. (a) If a vacancy shall occur in the General Assembly by death, resignation, or otherwise than by expiration of term, the Governor shall immediately appoint for the unexpired part of the term the person recommended by the political party executive committee provided by this section. The Governor shall make the appointment within seven days of receiving the recommendation of the appropriate committee. If the Governor fails to make the appointment within the required period, he shall be presumed to have made the appointment and the legislative body to which the appointee was recommended is directed to seat the appointee as a member in good standing for the duration of the unexpired term. (b) If the district consists solely of one county and includes all of that county, the Governor shall appoint the person recommended by the county executive committee of the political party with which the vacating member was affiliated when elected, it being the party executive committee of the county which the vacating member was resident. (c) If the district consists solely of one county but includes less than all of the county, the Governor shall appoint the person recommended by the county executive committee of the political party with which the vacating member was affiliated when elected, it being the county executive committee of the county which the vacating member was resident, provided that in voting only those county executive committee members who reside in the district shall be eligible to vote. (d) If the district consists of more than one county, the Governor shall appoint for the unexpired portion of the term the person recommended by the State House of Representatives district committee or the Senatorial district committee of the political party with which the vacating member was affiliated when elected. In the case where all of a county is included within a district, the county convention or county executive committee of that political party shall elect or appoint at least one member from that county to serve on the State House of Representatives district executive committee or State Senatorial district executive committee. In the case where only part of a county is included within a district, the county convention or county executive committee of that political party shall elect or appoint at least one member from that county to serve on the State House of Representatives district committee or the State Senatorial district committee, but only the delegates to the county convention or the members of the county executive committee who reside in the district may vote in electing the district committee member. When the State House of Representatives district committee or the State Senatorial district committee meets, a member shall be entitled to cast for his county (or the part of his county within the district) one vote for each 300 persons or major fraction thereof residing within that county, or in the case where less than the whole county is in the district one vote for each 300 persons or major fraction thereof residing in that part of the district within the county. A county convention or county executive committee may elect more than one member to the district committee but in the event that more than one member is selected from that county, then each member shall cast an equal share of the votes allotted to the county. (e) No person is eligible for appointment to fill a vacancy in the Senate or the House of Representatives under this section, unless that person would have been qualified to vote as an elector for that office if an election were to be held on the date of appointment. This section is intended to implement the provisions of Section 8 of Article VI of the Constitution. (1901, c. 89, s. 74; Rev., s. 4298; C.S., s. 5919; 1947, c. 505, s. 1; 1953, c. 1191, s. 1; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1973, c. 35; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1265, s. 3; 2007-391, s. 27(b); 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)

G.S. 163-12 Filling vacancy in United States Senate.

§ 163-12.  Filling vacancy in United States Senate. Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the office of United States Senator from this State, whether caused by death, resignation, or otherwise than by expiration of term, the Governor shall appoint to fill the vacancy until an election shall be held to fill the office. If the Senator was elected as the nominee of a political party, the Governor shall appoint from a list of three persons recommended by the State executive committee of the political party with which the vacating member was affiliated when elected if that party executive committee makes recommendations within 30 days of the occurrence of the vacancy. The Governor shall issue a writ for the election of a Senator to be held at the time of the first election for members of the General Assembly that is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. The person elected shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. The election shall take effect from the date of the canvassing of the returns. (1913, c. 114, ss. 1, 2; C.S., ss. 6002, 6003; 1929, c. 12, s. 2; 1955, c. 871, s. 6; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1985, c. 759, s. 2; 2013-381, s. 8.1; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-102, s. 1; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)

G.S. 163-13 Filling vacancy in United States House of Representatives.

§ 163-13.  Filling vacancy in United States House of Representatives. (a) Special Election. - If at any time after expiration of any Congress and before another election, or if at any time after an election, there shall be a vacancy in this State's representation in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, the Governor shall issue a writ of election, and by proclamation fix the date on which an election to fill the vacancy shall be held in the appropriate congressional district. (b) Nominating Procedures. - If a congressional vacancy occurs beginning on the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163-106(c) preceding the next succeeding general election, candidates for the special election to fill the vacancy shall not be nominated in primaries. Instead, nominations may be made by the political party congressional district executive committees in the district in which the vacancy occurs. The chairman and secretary of each political party congressional district executive committee nominating a candidate shall immediately certify his name and party affiliation to the State Board so that it may be printed on the special election ballots. If the congressional vacancy occurs before the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163-106(c) prior to the next succeeding general election, the Governor shall call a special primary for the purpose of nominating candidates to be voted on in a special election called by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Such a primary election shall be conducted in accordance with the general laws governing primaries, except that the opening and closing dates for filing notices of candidacy with the State Board shall be fixed by the Governor in his call for the special primary. The Governor may also fix the absentee voting period for the special election and for the special first primary, but such period shall not be less than 30 days. (1901, c. 89, s. 60; Rev., s. 4369; C.S., s. 6007; 1947, c. 505, s. 5; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1985, c. 759, ss. 3-5; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)
Source: North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov)URL: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_163.htmlFetched: 10/19/2026

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