1996 North Carolina Council of State election

1996 North Carolina Council of State election

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All 10 members of the North Carolina Council of State
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 10 0 Seats won 10 0 Seat change

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.

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

Governor

Main article: 1996 North Carolina gubernatorial election

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 ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jim Hunt (incumbent)	1,436,638	55.98
	Republican	Robin Hayes	1,097,053	42.75
	Libertarian	Scott D. Yost	17,559	0.68
	Natural Law	Julia Van Witt	14,792	0.58
Turnout			2,566,042
	Democratic hold		Swing

Lieutenant Governor

Main article: 1996 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election

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]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Dennis A. Wicker (incumbent)	1,500,206	54.50
	Republican	Steve Arnold	1,315,825	44.52
	Natural Law	John Dainotto	23,948	0.97
Turnout			2,866,383
	Democratic hold		Swing

Attorney General

Results by county

Easley:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Edmunds:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

1996 North Carolina Attorney General election ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mike Easley (incumbent)	1,453,196	59.07
	Republican	Robert H. Edmunds Jr.	1,007,027	40.93
Turnout			2,460,223

State Auditor

Results by county

Campbell:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

Daly:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

1996 North Carolina State Auditor election ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ralph Campbell (incumbent)	1,184,665	49.92
	Republican	Jack Daly	1,129,050	47.58
	Libertarian	Robert Dorsey	40,835	1.72
	Natural Law	Theodore Janowski	18,643	0.79
Turnout			2,373,193

Commissioner of Agriculture

Results by county

Graham:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Davidson:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	James A. Graham (incumbent)	1,409,801	57.80
	Republican	Tom Davidson	980,224	40.18
	Natural Law	R. Gaines Steer	25,052	1.03
	Libertarian	Eugene Paczelt	24,217	0.99
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 ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	James E. Long (incumbent)	1,388,894	56.74
	Republican	Mike Causey	1,010,782	40.93
	Libertarian	Sean Haugh	26,258	1.07
	Natural Law	Stephen Wolfe	21,939	0.90
Turnout			2,447,873

Commissioner of Labor

Results by county

Payne:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

Walker:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

1996 North Carolina Commissioner of Labor election ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Harry Payne (incumbent)	1,212,057	50.98
	Republican	Tracy Walker	1,082,537	45.53
	Natural Law	Mary Ann Cooke	58,342	2.45
	Libertarian	Seth Fehrs	24,574	1.03
Turnout			2,377,510

Secretary of State

Main article: 1996 North Carolina Secretary of State 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 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Elaine Marshall	1,333,994	53.48
	Republican	Richard Petty	1,126,701	45.17
	Libertarian	Stephen Richter	20,734	0.83
	Natural Law	Lewis Guignard	12,896	0.52
Turnout			2,494,325

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Results by county

Ward:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Robinson:

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

1996 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael E. Ward	1,243,423	52.00
	Republican	Vernon Robinson	1,103,288	46.14
	Libertarian	Chris Spruyt	26,431	1.11
	Natural Law	Starr Von Stade	18,036	0.75
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 ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Harlan E. Boyles (incumbent)	1,219,594	50.62
	Republican	Ann Duncan	1,144,749	47.52
	Libertarian	Lewis Hunter	31,492	1.31
	Natural Law	Peter Lyda	13,251	0.55
Turnout			2,409,086

See also

• 1996 North Carolina gubernatorial election
• 1996 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election
• 1996 North Carolina Secretary of State election

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". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
9. "Superintendent of Public Instruction". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
10. "State Treasurer". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2010.