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The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2016 were held on November 8, 2016 to select the nine officers (ten, if the Governor, who chairs the Council, is included) of the North Carolina Council of State. This election coincided with the U.S. presidential election, U.S. House elections, the gubernatorial election and the statewide judicial elections. Primary elections were held March 15.
Contents
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Candidates
- State Auditor
- General Election Results
- State Treasurer
- Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Commissioner of Agriculture
- Commissioner of Labor
- Commissioner of Insurance
- References
The nine members of the North Carolina Council of State are statewide-elected officers serving four-year terms. The pre-election partisan makeup of the Council of State consisted of 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans (4, including the Governor). After the election, the partisan makeup was reversed: 6 Republicans and 3 Democrats (4 Democrats, including the Governor).
Governor
Republican Pat McCrory, the incumbent, faced Democratic nominee Roy Cooper, the incumbent North Carolina Attorney General, and Libertarian nominee Lon Cecil in the general election. Cooper won with 49% of the vote.
Lieutenant Governor
Republican Dan Forest, the incumbent, faced Democratic nominee Linda Coleman, a former Director of the Office of State Personnel, former State Representative and nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 2012, and Libertarian nominee Jacki Cole in the general election. Forest won with more than 51% of the vote.
Attorney General
Democrat Roy Cooper, the incumbent, ran for governor.
Josh Stein, State Senator and former Deputy Attorney General of North Carolina, was the Democratic nominee for the post, and Buck Newton, another State Senator, was the Republican nominee. Stein won with just over 50% of the vote.
Secretary of State
Democrat Elaine Marshall, the incumbent, ran for a sixth term.
Candidates
Candidates
State Auditor
Democrat Beth A. Wood, the incumbent, ran for reelection to a third term.
Candidates
Candidates
General Election Results
Stuber called for a recount even before the election results were officially certified, and it seemed likely that the margin of difference between the candidates would remain well under the 10,000-vote threshold that a recount requires. But as the recount neared completion and the outcome remained the same, Stuber conceded the election on Dec. 9.
State Treasurer
Janet Cowell, a Democrat and the incumbent Treasurer, announced she would not run for reelection.
Candidates
Candidates
General Election Results
Folwell became the first North Carolina State Treasurer elected from a party other than the Democratic Party since William H. Worth, a Populist, was elected in 1896.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Democrat June Atkinson, the incumbent, ran for a fourth term in 2016. When it was believed that Atkinson was not going to run for re-election, State Rep. Tricia Cotham was considered a potential Democratic candidate.
Candidates
Candidates
General Election Results
Johnson became the first Republican (or member of any party other than the Democratic Party) elected Superintendent since 1896, when Charles H. Mebane was elected.
Commissioner of Agriculture
Republican Steve Troxler, the incumbent, ran for a fourth term.
Candidates
Candidates
Commissioner of Labor
Republican Cherie Berry, the incumbent, ran for reelection to a fifth term.
Candidates
Candidates
Commissioner of Insurance
Democrat Wayne Goodwin, the incumbent, ran for re-election to a third term in 2016.
Candidates
Candidates
Withdrawn
General Election Results
Causey became the first Republican ever elected to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance.