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 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).)