1996 North Carolina Council of State election

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1996 North Carolina Council of State election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
← 1992November 5, 1996 (1996-11-05) 2000  →
All 10 members of the North Carolina Council of State
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election100
Seats won100
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg

The North Carolina Council of State election of 1996 was held on 5 November 1996, to elect the Council of State. All the races were won by Democrats. All were incumbents except for Elaine Marshall, who won the post of Secretary of State, and Michael E. Ward, who was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction. Both Marshall and Ward succeeded fellow Democrats.

Contents

As of 2024 this is the last election where Democrats held all council offices.

Governor

The 1996 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1996. The general election was fought between the Democratic nominee, incumbent Governor Jim Hunt and the Republican nominee, state representative Robin Hayes. Hunt won by 56% to 43%, winning his fourth term as governor.

Gubernatorial results by county Hunt: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Hayes: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 1996 North Carolina gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
Gubernatorial results by county
Hunt:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Hayes:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
1996 North Carolina gubernatorial election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Jim Hunt (incumbent) 1,436,638 55.98
Republican Robin Hayes 1,097,05342.75
Libertarian Scott D. Yost17,5590.68
Natural Law Julia Van Witt14,7920.58
Turnout 2,566,042
Democratic hold Swing

Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant gubernatorial results by county Wicker: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Arnold: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% NC Lieutenent gubernatorial election, 1996.svg
Lieutenant gubernatorial results by county
Wicker:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Arnold:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
1996 North Carolina lieutenant governor election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Dennis A. Wicker (incumbent) 1,500,206 54.50
Republican Steve Arnold1,315,82544.52
Natural Law John Dainotto23,9480.97
Turnout 2,866,383
Democratic hold Swing

Attorney General

1996 North Carolina Attorney General election [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Mike Easley (incumbent)1,453,19659.07
Republican Robert H. Edmunds Jr. 1,007,02740.93
Turnout 2,460,223

State Auditor

1996 North Carolina State Auditor election [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Ralph Campbell (incumbent)1,184,66549.92
Republican Jack Daly 1,129,05047.58
Libertarian Robert Dorsey 40,8351.72
Natural Law Theodore Janowski 18,6430.79
Turnout 2,373,193

Commissioner of Agriculture

1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic James A. Graham (incumbent)1,409,80157.80
Republican Tom Davidson 980,22440.18
Natural Law R. Gaines Steer 25,0521.03
Libertarian Eugene Paczelt 24,2170.99
Turnout 2,439,294

Commissioner of Insurance

Results by county Long: 80-90% 70-80% 60-70% 50-60% 40-50% Causey: 60-70% 50-60% 40-50% 1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance election results map by county.svg
Results by county
Long:     80-90%     70-80%     60-70%     50-60%     40-50%
Causey:     60-70%     50-60%     40-50%
1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance election [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic James E. Long (incumbent)1,388,89456.74
Republican Mike Causey 1,010,78240.93
Libertarian Sean Haugh 26,2581.07
Natural Law Stephen Wolfe21,9390.90
Turnout 2,447,873

Commissioner of Labor

1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Labor election [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Harry Payne (incumbent)1,212,05750.98
Republican Tracy Walker 1,082,53745.53
Natural Law Mary Ann Cooke58,3422.45
Libertarian Seth Fehrs 24,5741.03
Turnout 2,377,510

Secretary of State

1996 North Carolina Secretary of State election
Flag of North Carolina.svg
← 1992November 5, 1996 2000  →
  Elaine Marshall IACA 2018 (cropped).jpg Richard Petty - NASCAR Photography by Darryl Moran 93 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Elaine Marshall Richard Petty
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,333,9941,126,701
Percentage53.48%45.17%
1996 North Carolina Secretary of State election results map by county.svg
County results
Marshall:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Petty:     40-50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Secretary of State before election

Rufus Edmisten
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Elaine Marshall
Democratic

Secretary of State Rufus Edmisten resigned in 1996 following an SBI investigation, creating an opportunity for Republicans to win their first Secretary of State election since 1900. [8] [9] Stock car racer and Randolph County commissioner Richard Petty, known as "The King," ran uncontested in the Republican primary. [10] Petty was expected to be a boon for the Republican Council of State ticket, as future Insurance Commissioner and 1996 candidate Mike Causey said “I need to draw the Democrat vote, and I know he can do that.” [11] His candidacy was troubled by scandal, most notably a hit-and-run incident that caused some voters to question his temperament and readiness for office. [12] Attorney and former State Senator Elaine Marshall won a crowded Democratic primary and heavily criticized Petty's lack of seriousness and questionable dedication to the job of Secretary of State. [11] Marshall would go on to be re-elected seven times.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results by county: Marshall .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Marshall-70-80% Marshall-60-70% Marshall-50-60% Marshall-40-50% Marshall-30-40% Marshall-<30% Lee Lee-50-60% Lee-40-50% Lee-30-40% Lee-<30% Pollard Pollard-30-40% Pollard-<30% Kramer Kramer-<30% Langston Langston-<30% Hurst Hurst-<30% Tie Marshall & Kramer Tied 1996 North Carolina Secretary of State Democratic primary election results map by county.svg
Democratic primary results by county:
Marshall
  •   Marshall-70-80%
      Marshall-60-70%
      Marshall-50-60%
      Marshall-40-50%
      Marshall-30-40%
      Marshall-<30%
Lee
  •   Lee-50-60%
      Lee-40-50%
      Lee-30-40%
      Lee-<30%
Pollard
  •   Pollard-30-40%
      Pollard-<30%
Kramer
  •   Kramer-<30%
Langston
  •   Langston-<30%
Hurst
  •   Hurst-<30%
Tie
  •   Marshall & Kramer Tied
Democratic primary results [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Elaine Marshall 130,52027.13%
Democratic Valeria Lynch Lee 98,58120.49%
Democratic Brenda Pollard83,33217.32%
Democratic Howard Kramer70,00014.55%
Democratic Joyce Hill-Langston67,58314.05%
Democratic Mort Hurst31,1436.47%
Total votes481,159 100.0%
Runoff results (2,378 of 2,522 precincts reporting) [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Elaine Marshall 68,25860.48%
Democratic Valeria Lynch Lee 44,60139.52%
Total votes112,859 100.0%

General election

Secretary of state results by county Marshall: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Petty: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 1996 North Carolina Secretary of State election results map by county.svg
Secretary of state results by county
Marshall:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Petty:     40-50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
1996 North Carolina Secretary of State election [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Elaine Marshall 1,333,99453.48
Republican Richard Petty 1,126,70145.17
Libertarian Stephen Richter20,7340.83
Natural Law Lewis Guignard12,8960.52
Turnout 2,494,325

Superintendent of Public Instruction

1996 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Michael E. Ward 1,243,42352.00
Republican Vernon Robinson1,103,28846.14
Libertarian Chris Spruyt 26,4311.11
Natural Law Starr Von Stade 18,0360.75
Turnout 2,391,178

State Treasurer

State treasurer results by county. Boyles: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Duncan: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 1996 North Carolina State Treasurer election results.svg
State treasurer results by county. Boyles:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%Duncan:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%
1996 North Carolina State Treasurer election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Harlan E. Boyles (incumbent)1,219,59450.62
Republican Ann Duncan 1,144,74947.52
Libertarian Lewis Hunter 31,4921.31
Natural Law Peter Lyda 13,2510.55
Turnout 2,409,086

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Lieutenant Governor". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Attorney General". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  4. ↑ "State Auditor". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Commissioner of Agriculture". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Commissioner of Insurance". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Commissioner of Labor". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Secretary of State Edmisten Will Resign". WRAL News. March 11, 1996. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  9. ↑ Lanzone, Maya (February 28, 2024). "Nascar Icon Richard Petty's Failed State Campaign & Iconic Quote After Defeat as Candidates Still Seek His Endorsement". The U.S. Sun. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ "You Can Look, But You Won't Find Richard Petty On Primary Ballot". Hickory Daily Record. May 4, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  11. 1 2 McKee, Sandra (October 10, 1996). "Petty Running a Different Race: The Longtime Stock Car King is On the Road Again, This Time Campaigning for State Office in North Carolina" . Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ahearn, Lorraine (September 18, 1996). "Richard Petty Faces Hit-and-Run Charge". Greensboro News & Record. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 N.C. Secretary of State (May 5, 1996). "North Carolina Secretary of State, The Democrats". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Secretary of state candidates tout experience". Raleigh News and Observer. June 1, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  15. ↑ "North Carolina Manual 1997-1998". North Carolina Secretary of State. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Marshall to face Petty for N.C. office". Charlotte Observer. June 5, 1995. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Secretary of State". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Superintendent of Public Instruction". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  19. ↑ "State Treasurer". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.

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