2016 North Carolina Election Report

President

Donald Trump - R (49.9% of NC)

Hillary Clinton - D (46.13% of NC)

Gary Johnson - L (1.23 % of NC) 

Jill Stein - G (0.01% of NC)

• Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, will become the 45^th President of the United States, having secured 289 of the necessary 270 electoral votes as of this morning.  Clinton holds 218 electoral votes.
• Trump won North Carolina with 50 percent of the vote to Clinton's 46 percent.
• North Carolina was a critical battleground state this election, as it was narrowly won by Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and Mitt Romney (R) in 2012. Analysts projected that Trump would have a difficult time winning the election without North Carolina's 15 electoral votes.
• Despite polls and predictions giving Clinton the edge nationally, Trump led most of the evening.
• Trump was able to pick up states that have historically voted for Democrats, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and swing states like North Carolina, Florida and Ohio.

Raleigh News & Observer: Trump wins NC vote for president over Clinton

Charlotte Observer: What will a Trump victory mean for NC businesses?

Old North State Politics: North Carolina on Election Day: Some Basic Information & Political Dynamics

Associated Press: Trump claims astounding victory as America's 45th president

U.S. Senate (N.C. Delegation)

Richard Burr* - R (51.1%)

Deborah Ross - D (45.3%)

• Incumbent U.S. Senator Richard Burr defeated state legislator Deborah Ross to secure his third term.
• The race was one of the most expensive in state history, with more than $58 million spent by outside groups.
• Nationally this was considered one of the more competitive Senate races and was closely watched for its impact on which party would hold the majority.
• Republicans will retain control of the Senate with 52 seats, while Democrats will have 47 members of their caucus.  The New Hampshire Senate contest is too close to call as of this morning.

Raleigh News & Observer: Sen. Richard Burr wins re-election over Democrat Deborah Ross

U.S. House of Representatives (N.C. Delegation)

District 1 - G.K. Butterfield* - D

District 2 - George Holding - R

District 3 - Walter Jones* - R

District 4 - David Price* - D

District 5 - Virginia Foxx* - R

District 6 - Mark Walker* - R

District 7 - David Rouzer* - R

District 8 - Richard Hudson* - R

District 9 - Robert Pittenger* - R

District 10 - Patrick McHenry* - R

District 11 - Mark Meadows* - R

District 12 - Alma Adams* - D

District 13 - Ted Budd - R

• All incumbent U.S. Representatives on the ballot in North Carolina won re-election, with the state delegation makeup remaining 10 Republicans and three Democrats.
• Court-ordered redrawing of congressional districts this year led to an open District 13 seat, which was won by Republican businessman Ted Budd.
• Representative George Holding, who has represented District 13, instead ran in the redrawn District 2.  He defeated Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers in the primary, and secured the seat last night.
• Nationally, Republicans maintained control of the U.S. House.

Raleigh News & Observer: All North Carolina incumbents keep seats in Congress

Greensboror News & Record: Political newcomer Ted Budd wins redrawn U.S. House 13th District

N.C. Governor

Too close to call

Roy Cooper - D (48.97%)

Pat McCrory* - R (48.86%)

• Roy Cooper is claiming victory by a razor thin margin in the race for Governor capturing 2,281,851 votes.
• Governor McCrory was 5,001 votes behind his challenger with 2,276,850 votes.
• The race could ultimately be decided after provisional ballots are counted and certified, which could take more than a week. 

WRAL: Despite tight race, Cooper declares victory over McCrory

N.C. General Assembly

The GOP controlled legislature fared better than many predicted, as supermajorities were maintained in both chambers.  A supermajority means one party controls at least three-fifths of each chamber, giving it the necessary party-line votes to override a veto. 

N.C. Senate

35 Republicans

15 Democrats

• Republicans grew their caucus by one, picking up the seat held by Senator Jane Smith (D-Robeson County) and will control the Senate by a 35-15 margin.
• Republican incumbents in all of the most contested seats came away with victories. 

N.C. House of Representatives

74 Republicans

46 Democrats

• Republicans will maintain a supermajority in the House.
• Many House races were closely contested.  Five races were determined by 750 votes or less.
• Three Republican incumbents lost their re-election bids - Representatives Gary Pendleton and Marilyn Avila in Wake County and Representative Rob Bryan in Mecklenburg County. 
• Democrats picked up a Mecklenburg County seat formerly held by Republican Representative Charles Jeter, who resigned in July.
• Incumbent Republican Bill Brawley won re-election in his suburban Charlotte district.
• Several Wake County Republicans won what were thought to be tough contests, including incumbent Representatives Chris Malone and Nelson Dollar, and newly elected Linda Hunt-Williams.

Charlotte Observer: Democrats, Republicans each lead key state legislative races in Mecklenburg County voting

WRAL: GOP holds NC House, Senate super-majorities despite Wake losses

N.C. Council of State

Lieutenant Governor: Dan Forest* - R

Attorney General: Too close to call 

Auditor: Too close to call

Commissioner of Agriculture: Steve Troxler* - R

Commissioner of Insurance: Mike Causey - R

Commissioner of Labor: Cherie Berry* - R

Secretary of State: Elaine Marshall* - D

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Mark Johnson - R

Treasurer: Dale Folwell - R

• Republicans secured at least six of 10 Council of State positions. 
• In addition to the gubernatorial race, elections for Attorney General and State Auditor remain too close to call as of this morning, and are within the margin eligible for a recount.
• Josh Stein (D) leads Buck Newton (R) by 21,000 votes (out of more than 4.5 million votes cast) in the race for Attorney General. 
• In the race for State Auditor, incumbent Beth Woods (D) has a 3,000-vote lead over Chuck Stuber (R).
• Republican incumbents Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest, Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler, and Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry held their offices.
• Dale Folwell (R) had a clear victory over Dan Blue III (D) in the race for State Treasurer, an open position upon the decision of Janet Cowell (D) not to seek re-election. 
• Republican challengers Mike Causey and Mark Johnson defeated Democratic incumbents Wayne Goodwin and June Atkinson respectively for the positions of Commissioner of Insurance and Superintendent of Public Instruction. 
• Incumbent Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (D) held off Michael LaPaglia (R) by a 4.5-point margin in the race for that position.

Winston-Salem Journal: Folwell, Johnson win Council of State races; two races too close to call

N.C. Judicial Races

• Bucking the trend of a strong night for Republicans in the state, Mike Morgan defeated incumbent Justice Bob Edmunds for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court. 
• Edmunds has served two eight-year terms, having first been elected to that position in 2000. 
• Although races for the Supreme Court are officially nonpartisan, the make-up of the seven-member court will now shift from four registered Republicans and three registered Democrats to four registered Democrats and three registered Republicans.
• Republicans had a strong showing in the N.C. Court of Appeals, sweeping the five races on the ballot. 
• Republicans Rich Dietz, Bob Hunter, and Valerie Zachary all retained their seats for another eight-year term (though Hunter is subject to mandatory retirement when he turns 72 in 2019). 
• Republican challenger Phil Berger Jr. defeated incumbent Judge Linda Stephens (D). 
• In a three-way race for a seat vacated with the resignation of Judge Martha Geer, Republican Hunter Murphy defeated Democrat Margaret Eagles and unaffiliated candidate Donald Buie.

Raleigh News & Observer: Morgan defeats Edmunds in N.C. Supreme Court race

Raleigh News & Observer: GOP headed toward 5-seat sweep in state appeal court races

Mecklenburg County & Charlotte

Mecklenburg County Commission

At-Large - Pat Cotham* - D

At-Large - Trevor Fuller* - D

At-Large - Ella Scarborough* D

District 1 - Jim Puckett* - R

District 2 - Vilma Leake* - D

District 3 - George Dunlap* - D

District 4 - Dumont Clarke* - D

District 5 - Matthew Ridenhour* - R

District 6 - Bill James* - R

• The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners will remain unchanged following the election.
• Democrats once again swept the at-large seats on the Board; all three incumbents retained their seats.
• Matthew Ridenhour, the only district commissioner facing a challenger, was re-elected to his seat.

Charlotte Observer: Cotham leads Mecklenburg County commissioners' at-large race

Mecklenburg  County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor

Brad Johnson

Charlotte Bond Referendums

• Transportation - PASSED (77%) - $148.44 million will fund transportation infrastructure, including street and intersection projects; traffic control system improvements; repair, replacement and new construction of bridges; development of Cross Charlotte Trail (XCLT) and pedestrian safety projects.
• Housing - PASSED (70%) - $15 million will be contributed to the Charlotte Housing Trust Fund to help leverage private investment and provisions for affordable and well-maintained housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in Charlotte.   
• Neighborhood Improvement - PASSED (78%) - $55 million will fund infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, streetscape, curbs and gutters, storm drainage, landscaping and pedestrian lighting in established, high-growth neighborhoods with aging community facilities and assets.

Charlotte Observer: Charlotte voters back bonds for housing, roads, neighborhood upgrades

Wake County

Wake County Commission

District 4 - Erv Portman - D

District 5 - James West* - D 

District 6 - Greg Ford - D

• Democrats won all three of the Wake County commissioner seats on the ballot Tuesday.
• Board of Commissioners Chairman James West ran unopposed in District 5.
• In District 4, Democrat Erv Portman won with 55 percent of the vote over Kenn Gardner.
• In District 6, Greg Ford won with 56 percent of the vote beating longtime Raleigh City Councilman John Odom.

Raleigh News & Observer: Wake County voters approve tax hike for transit

Wake County Sales Tax/Transit Referendum

• Wake County Public Transportation Referendum - PASSED (53%) - a half-cent increase to the local sales tax rate will help fund an expansion of public bus and train services in Wake County.

Raleigh News & Observer: Wake County voters approve tax hike for transit