County Commissioners are elected in November of each even-numbered year. Commissioners are elected to either 2-year or 4-year terms. This varies by county.
County elections are held in conjunction with state and federal elections. To be eligible to serve as a county commissioner, you must reside in the county you wish to serve, be a registered voter and be at least 21 years of age. There are no other formal requirements, and there are no limitations on how many terms a commissioner can serve.
The typical county board in North Carolina consists of 5 or 7 commissioners, although some counties have as many as 9. Boards generally meet at least 2 times per month at the county courthouse or administrative building.
- County Elections Methods
County Commissioners are elected either at large, by a district, a combination of the 2, or via a limited voting system. The below table shows the election method used by each county as well as the length of their terms of office.
County No. of Comms. Election Method Combined Description Terms of Office Footnotes Alamance 5 al 4S Alexander 5 al 4S Alleghany 5 al 4S Anson 7 d 4S Ashe 5 al 2/4S Avery 5 al 2/4S Beaufort 7 l 4S 1 Bertie 5 dal 4S Bladen 9 m 6d; 3al; l 4S 2 Brunswick 5 dal 4S Buncombe 7 cda 6d; 1al 4S 3 Burke 5 al 4S Cabarrus 5 al 4S Caldwell 5 al 4S Camden 5 dal 3d; 2al 4S Carteret 7 dal 4S Caswell 7 cda 5d, 2al 4S Catawba 5 al 4S Chatham 5 dal 4S Cherokee 5 dal 4S Chowan 7 cda 6d; 1al 4S 4 Clay 5 al 4S Cleveland 5 al 4S Columbus 7 d 4S Craven 7 d 4 5 Cumberland 7 cda 5d; 2al 4S Currituck 7 cdal 2al; 5dal 4S Dare 7 dal 4S Davidson 7 al 4S Davie 5 al 4S Duplin 5 d 4S Durham 5 al 4 Edgecombe 7 d 4S Forsyth 7 cda 1al; 6d 4S 6 Franklin 7 cda 2al; 5d 4S Gaston 7 dal 4S Gates 5 dal 4S Graham 5 al 2/4S 7 Granville 7 d 4S Greene 5 al 4S Guilford 9 cda 8d; 1al 4S Halifax 6 cda 3d; 3al 4S Harnett 5 d 4S Haywood 5 al 4S Henderson 5 dal 4S Hertford 5 dal 4S Hoke 5 al 4S Hyde 5 dal 4S Iredell 5 al 2/4S Jackson 5 dal 4S 3 Johnston 7 dal 4S Jones 7 d 4 12 Lee 7 cda 3al; 4d 4S Lenoir 7 cda 2al; 5d 4S Lincoln 5 al 4S Macon 5 dal 4S Madison 5 al 4S Martin 5 l 4S 8 McDowell 5 al 4S Mecklenburg 9 cda 3al; 6d 2 Mitchell 5 al 2/4S Montgomery 5 cda 2al; 3d 4S Moore 5 dal 4S Nash 7 d 4S New Hanover 5 al 4S Northampton 5 al 4S Onslow 7 al 4S 11 Orange 7 cdal 2al; 5d 4S Pamlico 7 cdal 2al; 5d 4S Pasquotank 7 cdal 3al; 4d 4S Pender 5 dal 4S Perquimans 6 l 4S 1 Person 5 al 4S Pitt 9 d 4S 9 Polk 5 al 2/4S Randolph 5 dal 4S Richmond 7 al 4S Robeson 8 d 4S Rockingham 5 al 4S Rowan 5 al 4S Rutherford 5 dal 4S Sampson 5 d 4S Scotland 7 dal 4S Stanly 7 al 4S Stokes 5 al 4S Surry 5 dal l 4S Swain 5 al 4S 3 Transylvania 5 al 4S Tyrrell 5 l/al 4S 10 Union 5 al 4S Vance 7 d 4S Wake 7 dal 4S Warren 5 dal 4S Washington 5 cda 4d; 1al 4S Watauga 5 dal 2/4S Wayne 7 cda 1al; 6d 4 Wilkes 5 al 4S Wilson 7 d 4 Yadkin 5 al 2/4S Yancey 5 al 2/4S TABLE ABBREVIATIONS
Election method and descriptions:
al = All commissioners nominated and elected at large (pure at large).
d = All commissioners nominated and elected by district (pure district).
dal = Residence in district required, but nominated and elected at-large.
l = Limited voting plan.
cda = Combination of pure district and pure at large seats.
cdal = Combination of pure at large seats with some seats requiring residency in districts, but still nominated/elected at large.
S = If S appears beside length of term, means not all seats are up for election in the same year.TABLE FOOTNOTES
1. Limited voting system. Candidates file as a group for open seats and voters may vote for only 1 candidate. Both primary and general election results are determined by plurality.
2. Six members elected to numbered seats from 3 2-member districts; 3 at-large members elected concurrently. Primary result is determined by plurality, with each voter limited to 1 vote.
3. Chair elected separately.
4. Six members elected to numbered seats from 3 2-member districts for staggered 4-year terms; at-large member elected for 4-year term.
5. Two members nominated and elected by district; 5 nominated by district and elected at large across the 5 remaining districts.
6. One 2-member district; 1 4-member district; 1 at-large member.
7. Member elected with highest number of votes serves as chair.
8. Limited voting plan. One 2-member district; 1 3-member district. Voters in 2 member district may vote for only 1 candidate. Voters in 3-member district may vote for 2 candidates.
9. Six single-member districts; 3 consolidated districts formed by combining single-member districts.
10. Commissioners are elected at-large with a limited voting plan. Primaries are conducted on a partisan basis, with the top vote-getters in each party moving to the general election.
11. Voters in Onslow County approved referendum in 2016 to add two Board seats, to be elected in 2018, increasing the Board from 5 to 7 members.
12. Effective in 2018, the Jones County board increased from 5 to 7 members, elected by district. - County Election Results
Data on county-by-county elections demographics (race, gender and political party) for each county’s Board of Commissioners is compiled bi-annually after each election. The data reflects the results immediately after the election and does not take into account any changes that may have occurred between elections due to deaths or resignations of sitting commissioners.
- Makeup of County Boards by Decade
Historical data on the election results and demographics of County Commissioners have been recorded from 1974 to the most recent election.
2020s Total Seats 587 Democrats 231 Republicans 349 Unaffiliated/Other Parties 7 New Commissioners 105 Vacancies 5 Females 128 African Americans 120 American Indians 5 Asian 2 Latino 1 Democratic Boards 37 Republican Boards 61 2010s 2018 2016 2014 2012 2010 Total seats 587 583 583 580 578 Democrats 242 256 275 271 295 Republicans 334 322 304 303 277 Independents/Other Parties 7 5 3 6 6 New commissioners 97 107 131 121 145 Vacancies 4 1 0 0 Females 98 91 93 93 93 African-Americans 116 109 111 112 108 American Indians 5 5 6 7 7 Asian 0 0 0 0 0 Hispanic 0 0 0 0 0 Democratic boards 41 45 47 45 50 Republican boards 56 55 52 53 49 2000s 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 Total seats 576 572 570 568 566 Democrats 350 338 316 322 337 Republicans 221 231 254 245 227 Independents 5 1 0 1 2 New commissioners 122 130 119 140 142 Vacancies 0 2 0 0 0 Females 96 88 82 88 82 African-Americans 112 97 105 104 87 Native Americans 7 7 Indian 0 1 Hispanic 0 1 Democratic boards 64 60 56 57 62 Republican boards 36 40 44 43 38 1990s 1998 1996 1994 1992 1990 Total seats 566 566 560 551 538 Democrats 342 326 343 390 367 Republicans 221 238 217 161 171 Independents 3 2 0 0 0 New commissioners 153 140 160 166 158 Vacancies 2 0 2 1 0 Females 83 75 67 74 64 African-Americans 94 93 89 88 79 Democratic boards 61 59 58 73 68 Republican boards 38 41 42 27 32 1980s 1988 1986 1984 1982 1980 Total seats 521 501 492 494 492 Democrats 364 360 392 431 398 Republicans 157 141 100 63 94 New commissioners 130 147 125 148 101 Vacancies 2 1 2 0 0 Females 58 49 45 42 30 African-Americans 62 42 35 35 21 Democratic boards 67 69 77 89 80 Republican boards 33 31 23 11 20 Three members 8 9 10 10 11 Five members 75 80 83 81 80 Six members 1 2 2 4 4 Seven members 14 9 5 5 5 Nine members 2 0 0 0 0 Turnover of all seats 25% 29.50% 25.40% 29.90% 20.60% Turnover of available seats 51.20% 49.50% 55.30% 51.80% 40.70% 1970s 1978 1976 1974 1972 1970 Total seats 493 484 477 Democrats 428 437 396 Republicans 65 46 80 New commissioners 154 143 157 Vacancies 0 1 0 Females 29 27 17 African-Americans 18 14 13 Democratic boards 85 89 86 Republican boards 15 11 14 Three members 11 14 17 Five members 79 79 76 Six members 5 2 3 Seven members 5 5 4 Turnover of all seats 31.20% 29.60% 32.90% These results reflect the results immediately after the election and do not take into account any changes that may have occurred between elections due to, for example: deaths; resignations of sitting commissioners; or subsequent appointments.
Local Sales Tax Referenda
In 2007 legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly gave counties a local-option, quarter-cent sales tax. The sales tax (G.S. 105-535) must be approved by voters in a referendum before it can be adopted by a county. The NCACC compiles information on the results of these referendum and provides a FAQ on the local option sales tax and a sample model resolution.
Information
Educational Efforts
Counties With Upcoming Sales Tax Referenda
Bladen County: Article 46 — November 2022 election
Cleveland County: Article 46 — November 2022 election
Macon County: Article 46 — November 2022 election
New Hanover County: Article 43 (quarter-cent) — November 2022 election
Wayne County: Article 46 — November 2022 election
- Counties Levying Article 43, Article 46, or Both
2022 quarter-cent sales tax referendum
County Date on Ballot Result Alleghany 2022-5-18 Successful Guilford 2022-5-18 Unsuccessful 2020 quarter-cent sales tax referendum
County Date on Ballot Result Alamance 2020-03-01 Unsuccessful Alleghany 2020-11-01 Unsuccessful Bertie 2020-03-01 Successful Carteret 2020-11-01 Unsuccessful Chatham 2020-03-01 Successful Chowan 2020-11-01 Unsuccessful Forsyth 2020-03-01 Successful Guilford 2020-11-01 Unsuccessful Madison 2020-03-01 Successful Stokes 2020-03-01 Unsuccessful Washington 2020-03-01 Unsuccessful Wayne 2020-03-01 Unsuccessful Yadkin 2020-11-01 Unsuccessful 2019 quarter-cent sales tax referendum
County Date on Ballot Result Cleveland 2019-11-01 Unsuccessful Mecklenburg 2019-11-01 Unsuccessful 2018 quarter-cent sales tax referendum
County Date on Ballot Result Alamance 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Alleghany 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Avery 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Bertie 2018-05-01 Unsuccessful Bertie 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Bladen 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Caldwell 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Caswell 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Clay 2018-05-01 Successful Columbus 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Davie 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Forsyth 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Gaston 2018-05-01 Successful Graham 2018-11-01 Successful Iredell 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Jones 2018-05-01 Successful Lenoir 2018-05-01 Unsuccessful Lenoir 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Lincoln 2018-05-01 Successful Madison 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful McDowell 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Moore 2018-11-01 Successful Pasquotank 2018-05-01 Successful Person 2018-05-01 Unsuccessful Rockingham 2018-05-01 Successful Rutherford 2018-05-01 Successful Scotland 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful Stanly 2018-11-01 Successful Swain 2018-11-01 Successful Washington 2018-05-01 Unsuccessful Watauga 2018-05-01 Unsuccessful Wayne 2018-11-01 Unsuccessful