North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2020
- Early voting starts: Oct. 15
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (postmarked); Nov. 12 (received)
- Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
- Voter ID: No ID
- Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Presidential election
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- Voter information
2024→ ←2016 |
| Governor of North Carolina |
|---|
 |
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: December 20, 2019 |
| Primary: March 3, 2020 Primary runoff: June 23, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 Pre-election incumbent(s): Gov.Roy Cooper (D) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voting in North Carolina |
| Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic Inside Elections: Lean Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2020 Impact of term limits in 2020 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020 |
| North Carolina executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant Governor |
IncumbentRoy Cooper (D) defeatedDan Forest (R),Al Pisano (C), andSteven DiFiore II (L) in the election forgovernor in North Carolina on November 3, 2020.
Cooper was elected in2016 after defeating incumbentPat McCrory (R). Cooper received 49.0% of the vote to McCrory's 48.8%. Forest, the state's lieutenant governor, was first elected in 2012 and was re-elected in2016 with 52% of the vote to DemocratLinda Coleman's 45%.
Seventeen states elect governors and lieutenant governors separately. North Carolina was, at the time of the election, one of three with a governor and lieutenant governor from different parties (along with Louisiana and Vermont).[1]
North Carolina was, at the time of the election, one of eight states that both voted forDonald Trump (R) in 2016 and had a Democratic governor. In2016, Trump received 50% of the vote toHillary Clinton's (D) 46% in the state.
North Carolina was also one of 14 states with adivided government. Democrats held the governorship and Republicans controlled both the stateHouse of Representatives and stateSenate. Inthe 2020 elections, Democrats needed to flip 10% of state Senate seats and 5% of state House seats to take control of each chamber.
North Carolina was one of11 states that held an election forgovernor in 2020. At the time of the election, there were 24 Democratic governors and 26 Republican governors. In 2020, seven of the 26 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while four of the 24 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Two of the 11 offices up for election were open, meaning that the incumbent governor was not seeking re-election. Clickhere for more information on other 2020 gubernatorial elections.
For more information about the Democratic primary,click here.
For more information about the Republican primary,click here.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of thecoronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
North Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in voting and early voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: The witness signature requirement on completed absentee ballots decreased from two to one. The receipt deadline was extended to 5 p.m. on November 12, 2020, for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.
- Early voting: Early voting sites were required to be open for at least 10 hours on the weekends of October 17-18, 2020, and October 24-25, 2020. Counties had to open at least one early voting site per 20,000 registered voters.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak,click here.
Candidates and results
General election
General election for Governor of North Carolina
IncumbentRoy Cooper defeatedDan Forest,Steven DiFiore II, andAl Pisano in the general election for Governor of North Carolina on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Roy Cooper (D) | 51.5 | 2,834,790 |
 | Dan Forest (R) | 47.0 | 2,586,605 | |
 | Steven DiFiore II (L)  | 1.1 | 60,449 | |
 | Al Pisano (Constitution Party) | 0.4 | 20,934 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 5,502,778 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina
IncumbentRoy Cooper defeatedErnest Reeves in the Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Roy Cooper | 87.2 | 1,128,829 |
 | Ernest Reeves | 12.8 | 165,804 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,294,633 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina
Dan Forest defeatedHolly Grange in the Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Forest | 89.0 | 698,077 |
 | Holly Grange | 11.0 | 86,714 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 784,791 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[2] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.
Party:Democratic Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- Governor of North Carolina (Assumed office: 2017)
- Attorney General of North Carolina (2001-2017)
- North Carolina State Senate(1991-2001)
- North Carolina House of Representatives (1987-1991)
Biography: Cooper received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Cooper worked as an attorney and was a member of the North Carolinians for Community Colleges board of directors. He also taught continuing legal education and Sunday school.
Key Messages
The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages,click here.
Cooper said he was working to rebuild the economy and to expand Medicaid amid the coronavirus pandemic. He criticized Forest's opposition to Medicaid expansion.
Cooper said his record included creating jobs, implementing a plan to fight climate change, repealing HB2, and raising teacher pay.
Cooper's campaign ads said Forest was holding dangerous campaign events during the pandemic.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of North Carolina in 2020.
Party:Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
Lieutenant governor of North Carolina (Assumed office: 2013)
Biography: Forest received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte College of Architecture. He was a senior partner of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting.
Key Messages
The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages,click here.
Forest said he had a plan to reopen schools and businesses while keeping people safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, and he criticized restrictions Cooper implemented.
Forest said he would stand with law enforcement and restore law and order.
Forest said he advocated for policies that created jobs, drove economic growth, and spurred innovation.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of North Carolina in 2020.
Party:Libertarian Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I've lived in North Carolina since 2004 when I moved here at the age of 18. My first home was in Emerald Isle on the Crystal Coast but I later moved to Charlotte to attend UNCC. I live in Charlotte to this day. I am proud to call N.C. my home and believe there is no better place to live, work, and raise a family. I am confident with good leadership we can ensure our state continues to grow and improve. I joined the Libertarian Party in 2008 because I felt the establishment politics of Team Red and Team Blue were not in the best interests of the people. As a local Libertarian Party member and advocate I am motivated to change the status quo and help foster a more community based set of solutions to address the issues facing our state and local communities."
Key Messages
To read this candidate's full survey responses,click here.
The students and parents of our state deserve an education system that will work for them. We have an obligation to provide greater equality of opportunity for working families of limited means. Everyone in our state deserves the chance to enjoy a high quality education.
Healthcare costs have been skyrocketing for years. We need to knock down the barriers our lawmakers have put in place that keep our medical costs high. Certificate of Need (CON) laws need to be repealed immediately. This will allow small and individual healthcare providers the opportunity to provide low cost quality care to the people of North Carolina.
The lives and livelihoods of countless people have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic and our government's response to it. Small businesses, in particular, are in dire need of relief. We owe it to those businesses and their employees to remove as many burdens as possible while this health crisis persists. This includes a moratorium on paying property taxes or licensing fees to the state while a government mandated shutdown is in effect.
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of North Carolina in 2020.
Party:Constitution Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My name is Al Pisano and I was born and raised in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. I attended college at Western Carolina University. In 1987, I graduated Cum Laude earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. After a few years of living in various places all over the country, I returned back to North Carolina. I then embarked on the adventure of a lifetime and walked over 1,000 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains down to the Outer banks. In 1990, I was hired by the Charlotte Police Department. I held multiple roles on the police force and retired after 28 years of being a public servant. In 1999, I found the Constitution Party and became the Chairmen in 2008. I have served in that role ever since. In 2018, I was able to help my party get validation from The State Board of Elections to run as a third party on the ballot. I am running for the office of Governor in North Carolina on November 3rd, 2020."
Key Messages
To read this candidate's full survey responses,click here.
Principles over Politics
The Solution is the Constitution
Swing Away
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of North Carolina in 2020.
Polls
| North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2020: General election polls | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Cooper | Forest | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size | Sponsor |
| SSRS | Oct. 23-30, 2020 | 52% | 42% | 5%[3] | ± 4.0 | 901 | CNN |
| North State Journal/Cardinal Point Analytics | Oct. 27-28, 2020 | 47% | 45% | 8%[4] | ± 3.6 | 750 | -- |
| Marist | Oct. 25-28, 2020 | 59% | 40% | 1% | ± 4.7 | 800 | NBC News |
| Siena College/New York Times | Oct. 23-27, 2020 | 51% | 42% | 6%[5] | ± 3.7 | 1,034 | -- |
| SurveyUSA | Oct. 23-26, 2020 | 53% | 42% | 6%[6] | ± 4.9[7] | 627 | WRAL-TV |
| Click [show] to see older poll results | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Cooper | Forest | Other | Margin of error | Sample size | Sponsor | ||
| YouGov/University of Massachusetts Lowell | Oct. 20-26, 2020 | 54% | 42% | 3% | ± 4.2 | 911 | -- | ||
| Harper Polling | Oct. 22-25, 2020 | 52% | 42% | 6%[8] | ± 4.4 | 504 | Civitas Institute | ||
| Meredith College | Oct. 16-19, 2020 | 52% | 34% | 16%[9] | ± 3.5[10] | 732 | -- | ||
| Civiqs | Oct. 11-14, 2020 | 53% | 46% | 1%[11] | ± 3.3 | 1,211 | Daily Kos | ||
| The New York Times/Siena College | Oct. 9-13, 2020 | 51% | 37% | 12%[12] | ± 4.5 | 627 | -- | ||
| Survey USA | Oct. 8-11, 2020 | 52% | 39% | 10%[13] | ± 4.8[14] | 669 | -- | ||
| Monmouth | Oct. 8-11, 2020 | 51% | 44% | 5%[15] | ± 4.4 | 500 | -- | ||
| Scott Rasmussen/RMG Research | Oct. 7-11, 2020 | 51% | 37% | 12%[16] | ± 4.4 | 500 | -- | ||
| YouGov | Sept. 18-25, 2020 | 54% | 41% | 2% | ± 4.1 | 921 | University of Massachusetts Lowell | ||
| Meredith College | Sept. 18-22, 2020 | 50% | 39% | 11% | ± 3.5 | 705 | -- | ||
| Harper Polling | Sept. 17-20, 2020 | 46% | 39% | 14% | ± 4.0 | 1,092 | Civitas Institute | ||
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | Sept. 12-15, 2020 | 55% | 36% | 9% | +/- 3 | 1,092 | -- | ||
| Siena College/The New York Times/Siena College | Sept. 11-16, 2020 | 47% | 42% | 10% | ± 4.3 | 653 | -- | ||
| Suffolk University | Sept. 10-13, 2020 | 50% | 38% | 12% | ± 4.4 | 500 | -- | ||
| Survey USA/WRAL-TV | Sept. 10-13, 2020 | 49% | 42% | 10% | ± 5.6 | 596 | -- | ||
| SSRS/CNN | Sept. 9-13, 2020 | 53% | 44% | 2% | ± 4.1 | 787 | -- | ||
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | Aug. 30-Sept. 3, 2020 | 54% | 35% | 11% | ± 3.2 | 951 | -- | ||
| Monmouth | Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2020 | 51% | 40% | 7%[17] | ± 4.9 | 401 | -- | ||
Campaign finance
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, pleaseclick here.
| Noteworthy endorsements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Cooper (D) | Forest (R) | ||||
| Newspapers and editorials | ||||||
| Raleigh News & Observer editorial board[18] | ✔ | |||||
| The Charlotte Post editorial board[19] | ✔ | |||||
| The Charlotte Observer editorial board[20] | ✔ | |||||
| Elected officials | ||||||
| PresidentDonald Trump (R)[21] | ✔ | |||||
| Vice PresidentMike Pence (R)[22] | ✔ | |||||
| Individuals | ||||||
| Former PresidentBarack Obama (D)[23] | ✔ | |||||
Timeline
2020
- October 2020 (click to collapse)
October
- Oct. 31, 2020: Vice PresidentMike Pence (R) campaigned with Forest at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport.[24]
- Oct. 30, 2020: An SSRSpoll showed Cooper with 52% support to Forest's 42%. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points.
- Oct. 28, 2020:
- Oct. 27, 2020: A Siena College/New York Timespoll showed Cooper with 51% support to Forest's 42%. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.
- Oct. 23, 2020:The Cook Political Report changed itsrace rating from Lean Democrat to Likely Democrat.[25]
- October 21, 2020:
- Forest spoke at a rally PresidentDonald Trump (R) held at Gastonia Municipal Airport.[26]
- The Charlotte Observer editorial boardendorsed Cooper.[20]
- Oct. 19, 2020: A Meredith Collegepoll showed Cooper with 52% support to Forest's 34%. The poll had a confidence interval of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
- Oct. 18, 2020: An East Carolina Universitypoll showed Cooper with 53% support to Forest's 44%. The poll had a credibility interval of +/- 3.4 percentage points.
- Oct. 14, 2020: A Civiqspoll showed Cooper with 53% support to Forest's 46%. The margin of error was +/- 3.3 percentage points.
- September 2020 (click to expand)
September
- September 25, 2020: A YouGovpoll conducted for the University of Massachusetts Lowell showed Cooper with 54% to Forest's 41%. The margin of error was +/- 4.1 percentage points.[29]
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, pleaseemail us.
Roy Cooper
Supporting Cooper
Opposing Forest
Dan Forest
Supporting Forest
Opposing Cooper
Satellite group ads
Opposing Cooper
Campaign themes
- See also:Campaign themes
Roy Cooper
Cooper’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
| ” |
| —Roy Cooper’s campaign website (2020)[33] | ||
Dan Forest
Forest’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
| ” |
| —Dan Forest’s campaign website (2020)[34] | ||
Steven DiFiore II
DiFiore’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
| ” |
| —Steven DiFiore’s campaign website (2020)[35] | ||
Al Pisano
Pisano’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
| ” |
| —Al Pisano’s campaign website (2020)[36] | ||
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in North Carolina in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in North Carolina, clickhere.
| Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2020 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| North Carolina | Governor | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,510.00 | 1% of annual salary | 12/20/2019 | Source |
| North Carolina | Governor | Unaffiliated | 71,545 | 1.5% of total votes cast for governor in the last election | $1,510.00 | 1% of annual salary | 3/3/2020 | Source |
Past elections
2016
General election
Roy Cooper defeated incumbentPat McCrory andLon Cecil in the North Carolina governor election.
| North Carolina Governor, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Roy Cooper | 49.02% | 2,309,190 | |
| Republican | Pat McCroryIncumbent | 48.80% | 2,298,927 | |
| Libertarian | Lon Cecil | 2.19% | 102,986 | |
| Total Votes | 4,711,103 | |||
| Source:North Carolina Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election results
| North Carolina Governor Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Roy Cooper | 68.7% | 710,658 | ||
| Ken Spaulding | 31.3% | 323,774 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,034,432 | |||
| Election results viaNorth Carolina State Board of Elections. | ||||
| North Carolina Governor Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Pat McCroryIncumbent | 81.7% | 876,885 | ||
| C. Robert Brawley | 10.6% | 113,638 | ||
| Charles Kenneth Moss | 7.7% | 82,132 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,072,655 | |||
| Election results viaNorth Carolina State Board of Elections. | ||||
2012
| Governor of North Carolina General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Walter Dalton | 43.2% | 1,931,580 | |
| Republican | Pat McCrory | 54.6% | 2,440,707 | |
| Libertarian | Barbara Howe | 2.1% | 94,652 | |
| Write-in | Various | 0% | 1,356 | |
| Total Votes | 4,468,295 | |||
| Election results viaNC State Board of Elections | ||||
To view the full electoral history for Governor of North Carolina, click [show] to expand the full section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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About the office
Governor
- Main article:Governor of North Carolina
Thegovernor of the State of North Carolina is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch, and the occupant of the highest state office inNorth Carolina. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms. The 75th and current governor of North Carolina isRoy Cooper (D). He was first elected in2016.
Prior to the November 2016 general elections, North Carolina was one of 23 Republicanstate government trifectas.
State profile
| Demographic data for North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 10,035,186 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 48,618 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 69.5% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 21.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.4% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 8.8% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $46,868 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 20.5% | 11.3% |
| Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in North Carolina. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
North Carolinavoted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted forDonald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won thesePivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, six are located in North Carolina, accounting for 2.91 percent of the total pivot counties.[37]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won asRetained Pivot Counties and those won byJoe Biden (D) asBoomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. North Carolina had six Retained Pivot Counties, 3.31 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More North Carolina coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in North Carolina
- United States congressional delegations from North Carolina
- Public policy in North Carolina
- Endorsers in North Carolina
- North Carolina fact checks
- More...
Pivot Counties
- See also:Pivot Counties by state
Six of 100 North Carolina counties—6 percent—arePivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and forDonald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Bladen County, North Carolina | 9.39% | 1.97% | 2.07% | ||||
| Gates County, North Carolina | 9.07% | 4.11% | 5.22% | ||||
| Granville County, North Carolina | 2.49% | 4.54% | 6.58% | ||||
| Martin County, North Carolina | 0.43% | 4.65% | 4.64% | ||||
| Richmond County, North Carolina | 9.74% | 2.95% | 1.50% | ||||
| Robeson County, North Carolina | 4.27% | 17.41% | 13.78% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election,Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina with 49.8 percent of the vote.Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, North Carolina voted Democratic 53.5 percent of the time and Republican 25 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina voted Republican all five times with the exception of the 2008 presidential election.[38]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in North Carolina. Click[show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled byDaily Kos.[39][40]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 40 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 44 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 80 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 76 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 39.07% | 59.75% | R+20.7 | 32.23% | 64.86% | R+32.6 | R |
| 2 | 45.36% | 53.77% | R+8.4 | 41.98% | 55.70% | R+13.7 | R |
| 3 | 39.50% | 59.71% | R+20.2 | 37.03% | 60.71% | R+23.7 | R |
| 4 | 34.52% | 64.80% | R+30.3 | 32.81% | 65.32% | R+32.5 | R |
| 5 | 66.40% | 33.04% | D+33.4 | 60.73% | 37.68% | D+23.1 | D |
| 6 | 41.31% | 57.70% | R+16.4 | 37.74% | 59.79% | R+22 | R |
| 7 | 61.12% | 38.34% | D+22.8 | 59.67% | 38.69% | D+21 | D |
| 8 | 44.59% | 54.67% | R+10.1 | 44.25% | 53.51% | R+9.3 | R |
| 9 | 43.79% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 44.05% | 52.81% | R+8.8 | R |
| 10 | 32.61% | 66.71% | R+34.1 | 31.37% | 66.58% | R+35.2 | R |
| 11 | 62.10% | 35.81% | D+26.3 | 65.41% | 29.85% | D+35.6 | D |
| 12 | 57.29% | 42.15% | D+15.1 | 53.64% | 44.58% | D+9.1 | D |
| 13 | 31.14% | 67.96% | R+36.8 | 28.23% | 69.48% | R+41.2 | R |
| 14 | 39.87% | 59.05% | R+19.2 | 35.26% | 61.20% | R+25.9 | R |
| 15 | 34.90% | 63.92% | R+29 | 28.94% | 67.59% | R+38.7 | R |
| 16 | 36.25% | 62.86% | R+26.6 | 31.07% | 66.35% | R+35.3 | R |
| 17 | 36.26% | 62.94% | R+26.7 | 32.62% | 65.00% | R+32.4 | R |
| 18 | 62.39% | 36.46% | D+25.9 | 56.14% | 40.55% | D+15.6 | D |
| 19 | 40.85% | 57.94% | R+17.1 | 41.19% | 55.45% | R+14.3 | R |
| 20 | 39.49% | 59.33% | R+19.8 | 40.58% | 55.60% | R+15 | R |
| 21 | 65.25% | 34.32% | D+30.9 | 62.68% | 35.99% | D+26.7 | D |
| 22 | 43.73% | 55.60% | R+11.9 | 39.83% | 58.67% | R+18.8 | D |
| 23 | 62.89% | 36.74% | D+26.2 | 60.17% | 38.60% | D+21.6 | D |
| 24 | 74.47% | 25.04% | D+49.4 | 72.60% | 25.66% | D+46.9 | D |
| 25 | 38.23% | 60.96% | R+22.7 | 35.91% | 61.84% | R+25.9 | R |
| 26 | 38.98% | 59.91% | R+20.9 | 37.76% | 59.07% | R+21.3 | R |
| 27 | 66.33% | 33.28% | D+33 | 62.75% | 36.15% | D+26.6 | D |
| 28 | 32.52% | 66.58% | R+34.1 | 28.54% | 69.16% | R+40.6 | R |
| 29 | 85.11% | 14.02% | D+71.1 | 88.12% | 9.63% | D+78.5 | D |
| 30 | 70.85% | 28.07% | D+42.8 | 77.30% | 19.61% | D+57.7 | D |
| 31 | 82.65% | 16.65% | D+66 | 83.75% | 14.17% | D+69.6 | D |
| 32 | 65.02% | 34.58% | D+30.4 | 61.76% | 36.76% | D+25 | D |
| 33 | 81.34% | 17.53% | D+63.8 | 81.09% | 15.94% | D+65.2 | D |
| 34 | 62.78% | 35.76% | D+27 | 67.28% | 28.80% | D+38.5 | D |
| 35 | 44.44% | 54.51% | R+10.1 | 47.51% | 49.16% | R+1.7 | R |
| 36 | 44.86% | 53.90% | R+9 | 50.19% | 45.86% | D+4.3 | R |
| 37 | 42.89% | 55.76% | R+12.9 | 44.58% | 51.08% | R+6.5 | R |
| 38 | 78.90% | 20.26% | D+58.6 | 78.47% | 19.01% | D+59.5 | D |
| 39 | 57.12% | 41.74% | D+15.4 | 57.85% | 38.85% | D+19 | D |
| 40 | 46.18% | 52.52% | R+6.3 | 52.39% | 43.60% | D+8.8 | D |
| 41 | 50.04% | 48.63% | D+1.4 | 57.26% | 38.74% | D+18.5 | D |
| 42 | 73.16% | 26.19% | D+47 | 71.85% | 25.66% | D+46.2 | D |
| 43 | 67.66% | 31.73% | D+35.9 | 64.79% | 32.77% | D+32 | D |
| 44 | 51.66% | 47.45% | D+4.2 | 50.97% | 45.97% | D+5 | D |
| 45 | 43.67% | 55.55% | R+11.9 | 39.47% | 57.82% | R+18.3 | R |
| 46 | 42.45% | 56.86% | R+14.4 | 35.55% | 63.04% | R+27.5 | R |
| 47 | 58.64% | 40.32% | D+18.3 | 45.40% | 52.38% | R+7 | D |
| 48 | 67.88% | 31.42% | D+36.5 | 60.08% | 38.08% | D+22 | D |
| 49 | 46.75% | 52.19% | R+5.4 | 54.02% | 42.19% | D+11.8 | D |
| 50 | 57.85% | 40.99% | D+16.9 | 58.33% | 38.67% | D+19.7 | D |
| 51 | 40.42% | 58.52% | R+18.1 | 36.86% | 60.20% | R+23.3 | R |
| 52 | 36.18% | 63.11% | R+26.9 | 34.94% | 62.15% | R+27.2 | R |
| 53 | 40.43% | 58.68% | R+18.2 | 37.83% | 59.61% | R+21.8 | R |
| 54 | 52.55% | 46.52% | D+6 | 53.78% | 43.36% | D+10.4 | D |
| 55 | 39.63% | 59.55% | R+19.9 | 33.67% | 64.12% | R+30.5 | R |
| 56 | 76.58% | 21.93% | D+54.7 | 81.22% | 15.78% | D+65.4 | D |
| 57 | 73.72% | 25.56% | D+48.2 | 73.89% | 23.97% | D+49.9 | D |
| 58 | 77.83% | 21.42% | D+56.4 | 78.39% | 19.21% | D+59.2 | D |
| 59 | 40.94% | 58.07% | R+17.1 | 43.10% | 54.02% | R+10.9 | R |
| 60 | 78.79% | 20.56% | D+58.2 | 77.66% | 20.26% | D+57.4 | D |
| 61 | 41.22% | 57.90% | R+16.7 | 43.79% | 53.30% | R+9.5 | R |
| 62 | 43.41% | 55.66% | R+12.2 | 46.55% | 50.23% | R+3.7 | R |
| 63 | 43.77% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 43.91% | 53.48% | R+9.6 | R |
| 64 | 41.50% | 57.66% | R+16.2 | 40.64% | 56.88% | R+16.2 | R |
| 65 | 39.24% | 59.93% | R+20.7 | 34.18% | 63.90% | R+29.7 | R |
| 66 | 50.14% | 49.07% | D+1.1 | 44.86% | 52.75% | R+7.9 | D |
| 67 | 31.16% | 67.81% | R+36.6 | 25.66% | 72.18% | R+46.5 | R |
| 68 | 36.03% | 63.07% | R+27 | 36.68% | 59.73% | R+23.1 | R |
| 69 | 36.47% | 62.53% | R+26.1 | 34.32% | 62.55% | R+28.2 | R |
| 70 | 25.89% | 73.02% | R+47.1 | 22.47% | 75.21% | R+52.7 | R |
| 71 | 73.71% | 25.48% | D+48.2 | 72.37% | 24.90% | D+47.5 | D |
| 72 | 70.87% | 28.46% | D+42.4 | 72.50% | 24.96% | D+47.5 | D |
| 73 | 25.05% | 73.49% | R+48.4 | 19.25% | 78.41% | R+59.2 | R |
| 74 | 39.29% | 59.69% | R+20.4 | 40.06% | 56.70% | R+16.6 | R |
| 75 | 42.46% | 56.51% | R+14.1 | 44.27% | 52.43% | R+8.2 | R |
| 76 | 32.63% | 66.25% | R+33.6 | 26.49% | 71.30% | R+44.8 | R |
| 77 | 37.74% | 61.25% | R+23.5 | 32.03% | 65.52% | R+33.5 | R |
| 78 | 24.09% | 74.93% | R+50.8 | 19.67% | 78.28% | R+58.6 | R |
| 79 | 33.69% | 65.34% | R+31.7 | 33.43% | 63.34% | R+29.9 | R |
| 80 | 26.50% | 72.43% | R+45.9 | 22.95% | 74.61% | R+51.7 | R |
| 81 | 31.87% | 67.00% | R+35.1 | 25.84% | 71.60% | R+45.8 | R |
| 82 | 41.86% | 57.06% | R+15.2 | 43.08% | 53.51% | R+10.4 | R |
| 83 | 40.29% | 58.67% | R+18.4 | 38.03% | 59.11% | R+21.1 | R |
| 84 | 34.47% | 64.56% | R+30.1 | 29.74% | 68.05% | R+38.3 | R |
| 85 | 29.12% | 69.71% | R+40.6 | 22.21% | 75.83% | R+53.6 | R |
| 86 | 38.15% | 60.64% | R+22.5 | 30.31% | 67.09% | R+36.8 | R |
| 87 | 31.49% | 67.12% | R+35.6 | 23.47% | 74.16% | R+50.7 | R |
| 88 | 45.63% | 53.22% | R+7.6 | 54.80% | 40.57% | D+14.2 | D |
| 89 | 32.82% | 66.05% | R+33.2 | 26.16% | 71.32% | R+45.2 | R |
| 90 | 30.65% | 68.17% | R+37.5 | 23.14% | 74.57% | R+51.4 | R |
| 91 | 35.21% | 63.69% | R+28.5 | 28.79% | 68.75% | R+40 | R |
| 92 | 52.61% | 46.42% | D+6.2 | 55.42% | 40.77% | D+14.7 | D |
| 93 | 42.77% | 55.22% | R+12.5 | 41.58% | 54.48% | R+12.9 | R |
| 94 | 29.16% | 69.58% | R+40.4 | 22.48% | 75.35% | R+52.9 | R |
| 95 | 34.05% | 64.95% | R+30.9 | 30.76% | 66.16% | R+35.4 | R |
| 96 | 36.56% | 62.36% | R+25.8 | 33.21% | 63.78% | R+30.6 | R |
| 97 | 30.07% | 68.92% | R+38.9 | 24.95% | 72.61% | R+47.7 | R |
| 98 | 43.13% | 55.96% | R+12.8 | 47.37% | 48.84% | R+1.5 | R |
| 99 | 82.32% | 17.15% | D+65.2 | 80.97% | 16.82% | D+64.1 | D |
| 100 | 73.70% | 25.10% | D+48.6 | 73.96% | 22.47% | D+51.5 | D |
| 101 | 74.92% | 24.37% | D+50.6 | 75.11% | 22.40% | D+52.7 | D |
| 102 | 83.35% | 15.90% | D+67.4 | 80.04% | 16.78% | D+63.3 | D |
| 103 | 44.46% | 54.49% | R+10 | 47.72% | 49.05% | R+1.3 | R |
| 104 | 43.47% | 55.67% | R+12.2 | 52.29% | 43.74% | D+8.5 | R |
| 105 | 42.40% | 56.77% | R+14.4 | 49.86% | 46.71% | D+3.1 | R |
| 106 | 85.84% | 13.48% | D+72.4 | 84.91% | 13.08% | D+71.8 | D |
| 107 | 80.29% | 18.93% | D+61.4 | 78.80% | 18.56% | D+60.2 | D |
| 108 | 38.42% | 60.50% | R+22.1 | 34.04% | 63.24% | R+29.2 | R |
| 109 | 40.80% | 58.27% | R+17.5 | 37.73% | 59.48% | R+21.7 | R |
| 110 | 35.30% | 63.74% | R+28.4 | 30.10% | 67.87% | R+37.8 | R |
| 111 | 35.81% | 63.24% | R+27.4 | 29.81% | 68.35% | R+38.5 | R |
| 112 | 32.80% | 66.12% | R+33.3 | 24.47% | 73.43% | R+49 | R |
| 113 | 37.58% | 61.29% | R+23.7 | 34.83% | 62.59% | R+27.8 | R |
| 114 | 73.38% | 25.18% | D+48.2 | 73.93% | 23.07% | D+50.9 | D |
| 115 | 48.12% | 50.52% | R+2.4 | 47.29% | 49.54% | R+2.2 | D |
| 116 | 43.61% | 55.12% | R+11.5 | 44.41% | 52.24% | R+7.8 | D |
| 117 | 36.77% | 62.07% | R+25.3 | 35.57% | 61.42% | R+25.8 | R |
| 118 | 41.50% | 57.02% | R+15.5 | 32.52% | 64.60% | R+32.1 | R |
| 119 | 47.93% | 50.40% | R+2.5 | 40.80% | 55.45% | R+14.7 | R |
| 120 | 30.12% | 68.56% | R+38.4 | 23.73% | 73.79% | R+50.1 | R |
| Total | 48.48% | 50.53% | R+2 | 46.76% | 50.46% | R+3.7 | - |
| Source:Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
North Carolina government: | Previous elections: | Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Ballotpedia News, "In the past decade, two lieutenant governors have challenged their state’s governor for re-election; two more could do so this year," January 17, 2020
- ↑Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
- ↑DeFiore: 3%
Pisano: 1%
No opinion: 1% - ↑DeFiore: 3%
Pisano: 1%
Undecided: 4% - ↑DeFiore: 1%
Pisano: 1%
Don't know/refused: 4% - ↑Some other candidate: 2%
Undecided: 4% - ↑This poll used acredibility interval instead of a margin of error.
- ↑DeFiore: 1%
Pisano: 1%
Undecided: 4% - ↑DeFiore: 2%
Pisano: 1%
Undecided: 13% - ↑This poll used a confidence intervalinstead of a margin of error.
- ↑DeFiore: 1%
Pisano: 0%
Undecided: 0% - ↑DeFiore: 2%
Pisano: 1%
Undecided: 9% - ↑Some other candidate: 2%
Undecided: 8% - ↑This poll used acredibility interval instead of a margin of error.
- ↑DeFiore: 1%
Pisano: <1%
Undecided: 3% - ↑DeFiore: 3%
Not Sure: 9% - ↑DeFiore: 3%
Pisano: 1%
Undecided: 3% - ↑Raleigh News & Observer, "Endorsement: Our choice for governor of North Carolina," October 5, 2020
- ↑The Charlotte Post, "Endorse Roy Cooper for governor; Yvonne Holley for Lt. governor," October 15, 2020
- ↑20.020.1The Charlotte Observer, "Endorsement: Our choice for governor of North Carolina," updated October 21, 2020
- ↑Associated Press, "Trump Backs Dan Forest in North Carolina Governor's Race," July 3, 2020
- ↑Charlotte Observer, "‘North Carolina matters’: Vice President makes 2 stops Tuesday, Trump up next," October 27, 2020
- ↑Cornelius Today, "Obama endorses 100+ candidates nationwide, including NC Rep. Clark," August 3, 2020
- ↑WRAL, "VP Pence pushes for support of police in campaign stop with Lt. Gov. Forest," October 31, 2020
- ↑The Cook Political Report, "In Final Governor Race Ratings, Competitive Field Shrinks Further," October 23, 2020
- ↑WRAL, "Presidential campaigns separated by 22 miles in NC, yet worlds apart," updated October 22, 2020
- ↑Monmouth, "Prez Race Stays Tight; Dem Senate Candidate Gains," October 13, 2020
- ↑East Carolina University, "ECU Poll of Likely Voters in North Carolina: Biden leads Trump by four points; Tillis leads Cunningham by one; Cooper leads Forest by thirteen points; Other statewide races competitive," accessed October 20, 2020
- ↑University of Massachusetts Lowell, "Survey of North Carolina Likely Voters, Field Dates: September 18-25, 2020," accessed October 12, 2020
- ↑Meredith College, "Meredith College Poll Report September 2020.pdf," accessed October 12, 2020
- ↑Civitas Institute, "Trump and Biden in dead heat," September 23, 2020
- ↑32.032.132.232.3Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑Roy Cooper’s 2020 campaign website, “Meet Roy,” accessed October 7, 2020
- ↑Dan Forest’s 2020 campaign website, “Issues,” accessed October 7, 2020
- ↑Steven DiFiore’s 2020 campaign website, “Issues,” accessed October 7, 2020
- ↑Al Pisano’s 2020 campaign website, “Platform,” accessed October 7, 2020
- ↑The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip ofAtlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
- ↑270towin.com, "North Carolina," accessed June 1, 2017
- ↑Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
