North Carolina State Senate
| North Carolina State Senate | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Party control: | Republican |
| Session start: | April 24, 2024 |
| Session end: | July 31, 2024 |
| Term length: | 2 years |
| Term limits: | None |
| Redistricting: | Legislature-dominant |
| Salary: | $13,951/year + per diem and expenses |
| Members | |
| Total: | 50 |
| Democrats: | 20 |
| Republicans: | 30 |
| Other: | 0 |
| Vacancies: | 0 |
| Leadership | |
| President: | Mark Robinson (R) |
| Maj. Leader: | Paul Newton (R) |
| Min. Leader: | Dan Blue (D) |
| Elections | |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Next election: | November 5, 2024 |
The North Carolina State Senate is the upper chamber of the General Assembly of North Carolina. Alongside the North Carolina House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the North Carolina state government and works alongside the governor of North Carolina to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the North Carolina State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
The North Carolina State Senate meets in the Legislative Building in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On October 25, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted new legislative district boundaries.[1] The legislation adopting the new Senate districts passed the State Senate by a vote of 28-17 and the State House by a vote of 63-40.[2] The legislation adopting the new House districts passed the State Senate by a vote of 27-17 and the State House by a vote of 62-44.[3] All four votes were strictly along party lines with all votes in favor by Republicans and all votes against by Democrats.[4][5][6][7] WUNC's Rusty Jacobs wrote that Catawba College Prof. Michael "Bitzer said Republicans have drawn maps that have a strong chance of preserving their veto-proof super majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Bitzer noted that constitutional provisions, like requiring legislators to keep counties whole when drawing state legislative districts, make it more difficult for lawmakers to gerrymander these maps more aggressively."[8]
The Carolina Journal's Alex Baltzegar reported that "The John Locke Foundation recently released its annual Civitas Partisan Index scores for the legislative maps, which found there to be 28 Republican-leaning seats, 17 Democrat-leaning seats, and five toss-ups in the state Senate map."[1] Baltzegar also reported that "The new state House map would yield approximately 69 Republican and 48 Democratic seats, with three being in the swing category, according to Civitas’ CPI ratings. However, state House districts are smaller, and political outcomes vary to a higher degree. Many of the “lean” Republican or Democrat seats could be won by either party, and political shifts and trends will influence certain districts in the future."[1]
On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court overturned their February 4, 2022, decision that the state's enacted congressional and legislative maps were unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering and vacated both the maps the legislature enacted in 2021 and the remedial maps used for the 2022 elections.[9] In its ruling, the court said, "we hold that partisan gerrymandering claims present a political question that is nonjusticiable under the North Carolina Constitution. Accordingly, the decision of this Court in Harper I is overruled. We affirm the three judge panel’s 11 January 2022 Judgment concluding, inter alia, that partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable, political questions and dismissing all of plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice."Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many Click here for more information about redistricting after the 2020 census.
North Carolina has a divided government where neither party holds a trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor, while the Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature. |
This page contains the following information on the North Carolina State Senate.
- Which party controls the chamber
- The chamber's current membership
- Partisan control of the chamber over time
- Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
- A district map
- How redistricting works in the state
- Legislation currently under consideration
- Legislative session dates
- Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
- A list of committees
Party control
Current partisan control
The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the North Carolina State Senate as of January 2024:
| Party | As of January 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | |
Members
Leadership
The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Senate but can only vote in the event of a tie. The Senate elects other officers from their members, including a president pro tempore. The president pro tempore then appoints members to serve on standing committees.[10][11]
Leadership and members
- Senate president: Mark Robinson (R)
- President pro tem: Phil Berger (R)
- Majority leader: Paul Newton (R)
- Minority leader: Dan Blue (D)
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $13,951/year | $104/day |
Swearing in dates
North Carolina legislators assume office on January 1 the year after their election.[12][13]
Membership qualifications
Article 2, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution states:
| “ | Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.[14][15] | ” |
Historical party control
Republicans won control of the North Carolina State Senate in 2010. In 2022, they won a 30-20 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the North Carolina Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
North Carolina State Senate election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 39 | 26 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 20 |
| Republicans | 11 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 35 | 29 | 28 | 30 |
Trifecta history
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, North Carolina was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 1993-1994, 1999-2010
- Republican trifecta: 2013-2016
- Divided government: 1992, 1995-1998, 2011-2012, 2017-2023
North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2024
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Elections
Elections by year
North Carolina state senators serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. North Carolina holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2024
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. The primary is March 5, 2024. A primary runoff is either April 23 or May 14 depending on if a federal office is involved. The filing deadline was December 15, 2023.
2022
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was held on May 17, 2022. A primary runoff was scheduled to be held on July 5, 2022. The filing deadline was March 4, 2022.
In the November 2022 election, the Republican Party expanded its majority by two seats, from 28-22 to 30-20.
| North Carolina State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 22 | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 30 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2020
Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 3, 2020. The filing deadline was December 20, 2019.
In the November 2020 election, the Republicans lost one seat in the North Carolina State Senate but retained a 28-22 majority.
| North Carolina State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 21 | 22 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | 28 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2018
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2018. The semi-closed primary election took place on May 8, 2018, and a primary runoff took place on June 26, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was February 28, 2018.[16][17]
In the 2018 elections, Republicans lost six seats but maintained control of the North Carolina State Senate.
| North Carolina State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 15 | 21 | |
| Republican Party | 35 | 29 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2016
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016.[18] The candidate filing deadline was December 21, 2015.[19] All 50 seats in the North Carolina State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 34-16 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 35-15 majority.
| North Carolina State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 16 | 15 | |
| Republican Party | 34 | 35 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
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2014Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 28, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 33-17 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 34-16 majority.
2012Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on May 8, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was February 29, 2012. A total of 50 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 31-19 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 32-18 majority.
During the 2012 election, the total value of contributions to the 129 Senate candidates was $15,133,676. The top 10 contributors were:[20]
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
2010Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on May 4, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The primary runoff was held on June 22, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was February 26, 2010. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 30-20 majority. Democrats lost 11 seats in the election, giving Republicans a 31-19 majority.
During the 2010 election, the total value of contributions to the 137 Senate candidates was $18,614,595. The top 10 contributors were:[21]
2008Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 6, 2008, and a general election on November 6, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to the 115 Senate candidates was $15,991,201. The top 10 contributors were:[22]
2006Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 2, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to the 99 Senate candidates was $14,697,182. The top 10 contributors were:[23]
2004Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate consisted of a primary election on July 20, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to the 137 Senate candidates was $13,819,791. The top 10 contributors were:[24]
2002Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 11, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to the 172 Senate candidates was $12,996,012. The top 10 contributors were:[25]
2000Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 2, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to the 111 Senate candidates was $9,180,706. The top 10 contributors were:[26]
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Vacancies
If there is a vacancy in the General Assembly of North Carolina, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement.[27][28]
When making an appointment, the governor must make a decision from a list of recommended candidates submitted by the political party committee that last held the vacant seat.[29] The appointment must be made within seven days of receiving a list of recommended candidates.[28] The person selected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.[28]
See sources: North Carolina Const. Art. 2, Sec. 10 and North Carolina Gen. Stat. § 163-11
District map
The state of North Carolina has 170 legislative districts. Each district elects one legislator. The state Senate has 50 districts and the state House has 120 districts.
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in North Carolina
In North Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. District maps cannot be vetoed by the governor. State legislative redistricting must take place in the first regular legislative session following the United States Census. There are no explicit deadlines in place for congressional redistricting.[30]
State law establishes the following requirements for state legislative districts:[30]
- Districts must be contiguous and compact.
- Districts "must cross county lines as little as possible." If counties are grouped together, the group should include as few counties as possible.
- Communities of interest should be taken into account.
There are no similar restrictions in place regarding congressional districts.[30]
2020
On October 25, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted new legislative district boundaries.[1] The legislation adopting the new Senate districts passed the State Senate by a vote of 28-17 and the State House by a vote of 63-40.[31] The legislation adopting the new House districts passed the State Senate by a vote of 27-17 and the State House by a vote of 62-44.[32] All four votes were strictly along party lines with all votes in favor by Republicans and all votes against by Democrats.[33][34][35][36] WUNC's Rusty Jacobs wrote that Catawba College Prof. Michael "Bitzer said Republicans have drawn maps that have a strong chance of preserving their veto-proof super majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Bitzer noted that constitutional provisions, like requiring legislators to keep counties whole when drawing state legislative districts, make it more difficult for lawmakers to gerrymander these maps more aggressively."[37]
The Carolina Journal's Alex Baltzegar reported that "The John Locke Foundation recently released its annual Civitas Partisan Index scores for the legislative maps, which found there to be 28 Republican-leaning seats, 17 Democrat-leaning seats, and five toss-ups in the state Senate map."[1] Baltzegar also reported that "The new state House map would yield approximately 69 Republican and 48 Democratic seats, with three being in the swing category, according to Civitas’ CPI ratings. However, state House districts are smaller, and political outcomes vary to a higher degree. Many of the “lean” Republican or Democrat seats could be won by either party, and political shifts and trends will influence certain districts in the future."[1]
On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court overturned their February 4, 2022, decision that the state's enacted congressional and legislative maps were unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering and vacated both the maps the legislature enacted in 2021 and the remedial maps used for the 2022 elections.[38] In its ruling, the court said, "we hold that partisan gerrymandering claims present a political question that is nonjusticiable under the North Carolina Constitution. Accordingly, the decision of this Court in Harper I is overruled. We affirm the three judge panel’s 11 January 2022 Judgment concluding, inter alia, that partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable, political questions and dismissing all of plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice."Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
The Court's order also said that the legislature's original 2021 maps were developed based on incorrect criteria and ruled that the General Assembly should develop new congressional and legislative boundaries to be used starting with the 2024 elections: "Just as this Court’s Harper I decision forced the General Assembly to draw the 2022 Plans under a mistaken interpretation of our constitution, the Lewis order forced the General Assembly to draw the 2021 Plans under the same mistaken interpretation of our constitution...The General Assembly shall have the opportunity to enact a new set of legislative and congressional redistricting plans, guided by federal law, the objective constraints in Article II, Sections 3 and 5, and this opinion. 'When established' in accordance with a proper understanding of the North Carolina Constitution, the new legislative plans “shall remain unaltered until the return of” the next decennial census."Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
On February 23, 2022, the Wake County Superior Court approved legislative maps that the General Assembly redrew after the North Carolina Supreme Court issued a 4-3 opinion on February 4, 2022, saying the state's enacted legislative maps violated the state constitution.[39] The state house map was approved by the North Carolina House of Representatives in a 115-5 vote on February 16, and by the North Carolina State Senate in a 41-3 on February 17. The state Senate map was approved by the state Senate in a 26-19 vote, and by the state House in a 67-52 vote on February 17.[40][41] These maps were used for North Carolina's 2022 legislative elections.
On November 4, the North Carolina General Assembly originally voted to enact legislative maps. The house map passed the North Carolina House of Representatives 67-49 on November 2, and the North Carolina State Senate 25-21 on November 4.[42] The senate map passed the North Carolina State Senate 26-19 on November 3 and the North Carolina House of Representatives 65-49 on Nov. 4.[43]
State Senate map
Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
North Carolina State Senate Districts
before 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
North Carolina State Senate Districts
after 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
State House map
Below is the state House map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
North Carolina State House Districts
before 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
North Carolina State House Districts
after 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Click here to read more about the court challenges to North Carolina's congressional and legislative maps after the 2020 census.
District map after 2020 redistricting
Click here to view the enacted map This map took effect for North Carolina's 2022 legislative elections.
2017-2018
In June 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed a federal district court decision finding that 28 state legislative districts (including nine state Senate districts and 19 state House districts) had been subject to an illegal racial gerrymander. The district court then ordered state lawmakers to draft remedial maps for use in the 2018 election cycle. The legislature adopted new state House and Senate district maps on August 30, 2017. On October 26, 2017, the district court appointed an individual, known as a special master, "to assist the Court in further evaluating and, if necessary, redrawing" the revised district maps. On January 19, 2018, the district court issued an order adopting the special master's recommendations, which included redrawn maps for Senate Districts 21 and 28 and House Districts 21, 36, 37, 40, 41, 57, and 105. These were further revisions to the remedial maps adopted by the legislature. On February 6, 2018, the Supreme Court issued a partial stay against the district court's order. The stay applied to five revised state House districts in Wake and Mecklenburg counties (four in Wake County, one in Mecklenburg). The four remaining district maps adopted by the district court (in Hoke, Cumberland, Guilford, Sampson, and Wayne counties) were permitted to stand. On June 28, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a per curiam ruling in North Carolina v. Covington, affirming in part and remanding in part the district court decision. This allowed the court's order to stand as it applied to districts in Hoke, Cumberland, Guilford, Sampson, and Wayne counties but overturned the district court's decision as it applied to districts in Wake and Mecklenburg counties. For more information, see this article.
2010
North Carolina received its local census data on March 1, 2011. The Republican-controlled legislature began the redistricting process on July 11, 2011, when Republicans released their proposed maps. Each chamber's final map passed through the General Assembly on July 27, 2011. The U.S. Department of Justice pre-cleared the plan on November 1, 2011, but lawsuits followed, as Democrats and community groups charged that Republicans had illegally packed black voters into districts to weaken their voting power.
Sessions
Legislation
The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the North Carolina State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by the House and signed by the governor after its passage in the Senate. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.
Dates of legislative sessions in North Carolina by year
2024
- See also: 2024 North Carolina legislative session and Dates of 2024 state legislative sessions
In 2024, the legislature is scheduled to convene on April 24, 2024, and adjourn on July 31, 2024.
2023
In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 11, 2023, and adjourn on October 25, 2023.
| Click [show] for past years' session dates. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
2022In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on May 18, 2022, and adjourn on July 1, 2022. 2021In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 13, 2021, and adjourn on December 30, 2021. 2020In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on April 28, 2020, and adjourn on September 3, 2020.
Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. 2019In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 9, 2019, through October 31, 2019. It reconvened from November 13-15 over redistricting. It was expected to reconvene on January 14, 2020, over redistricting, vetoes, and healthcare. 2018In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 10, 2018, through December 27, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here. 2017In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 11, 2017, through June 30, 2017. Before the legislature adjourned its regular scheduled session, the legislature scheduled the following additional session dates: August 3, August 18 to August 25, August 28 to August 31, and October 4 to October 17.[44] 2016
In 2016, the legislature was in session from April 25 through July 1.
2015
In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 14 through September 30. Major issues in 2015Major issues in the 2015 legislative session included the budget shortfall, Medicaid expansion, increased teacher pay, coal ash clean up, and reforming the state's tax structure.[50] Legislators and Governor Pat McCrory (R) disagreed over religious exemptions for local officials issuing marriage licenses, which is detailed here. 2014
In 2014, the legislature was in session from May 14 through August 20. Major issues in 2014Major issues in the 2014 legislative session included financing the $445 million state budget shortfall, teacher pay, Medicaid, and coal ash ponds.[51] 2013
In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 9 to July 26. Major issues in 2013Major issues in the 2013 legislative session included tax reform, cutting government regulations, and reshaping the state's public schools.[52] 2012
In 2012, the legislature convened on May 16 and adjourned July 3. 2011
In 2011, the legislature was in regular session from January 26 to June 18.[53] A special session dealing with redistricting began July 13 and ended July 28. The redistricting session covered more than just redistricting, with Republicans overriding five of Governor Perdue's (D) vetoes. Some of the overturned vetoes included the Women's Right to Know Act and state regulatory overhaul. Democratic lawmakers achieved victory in sustaining the veto on the voter I.D. bill.[54] A second special session was called for September 12 to consider constitutional amendments, including a potential ban on same-sex marriage.[54] 2010
In 2010, the legislature was in session from May 12 to July 11.[55] |
About legislative sessions in North Carolina
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[56] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.
Section 11 of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution establishes that the General Assembly of North Carolina, which the Senate is a part of, is to convene a new regular session every two years, and that the dates for these sessions are to be set by law. Sessions in the General Assembly of North Carolina last two years and begin on odd numbered years after elections. Sessions begin at noon on the third Wednesday after the second Monday in January.[57]
Legislative roles and procedures
Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, procedures for filling membership vacancies, and redistricting.
Veto overrides
- See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures
State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in North Carolina are listed below.
How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Three-fifths of members in both chambers.
| Three-fifths of members present in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 72 of the 120 members in the North Carolina House of Representatives and 30 of the 50 members in the North Carolina State Senate. North Carolina is one of seven states that requires a three-fifths vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto. |
How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?
| According to Article II, Section 22 of the North Carolina Constitution, vetoes can be overridden in a special veto session that the governor must call if he or she vetoes a bill after the legislature has adjourned. If the governor does not reconvene the legislature, the bill shall become law. If a majority of legislators in both chambers sign a request saying that the session is unnecessary, then the governor does not have to call it. |
Authority: Article II, Section 22 of the North Carolina Constitution.
| "If the Governor approves, the Governor shall sign it and it shall become a law; but if not, the Governor shall return it with objections, together with a veto message stating the reasons for such objections, to that house in which it shall have originated, which shall enter the objections and veto message at large on its journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration three-fifths of the members of that house present and voting shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections and veto message, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered; and if approved by three-fifths of the members of that house present and voting, it shall become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor." |
Role in state budget
- See also: North Carolina state budget and finances
North Carolina on 
|
The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[58]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in October.
- State agency budget requests are submitted in December.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the North Carolina State Legislature in March.
- The legislature adopts a budget between June and August. A simple majority is required to pass a budget.
- The biennial budget cycle begins in July.
North Carolina is one of only seven states in which the governor cannot exercise line item veto authority.[58]
The governor is constitutionally and statutorily required to submit a balanced budget. Likewise, the legislature is constitutionally and statutorily required to pass a balanced budget.[58]
Committees
Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.
- Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
- Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
- Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.
Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The North Carolina State Senate has 18 standing committees:
- Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee
- Appropriations on Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee
- Appropriations on Department of Transportation Committee
- Appropriations on Education/Higher Education Committee
- Appropriations on General Government and Information Technology Committee
- Appropriations/Base Budget Committee
- Commerce and Insurance Committee
- Education/Higher Education Committee
- Health Care Committee
- Pensions and Retirement and Aging Committee
- Redistricting and Elections Committee
- Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee
- Senate Appropriations on Health and Human Services Committee
- Senate Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senate State and Local Government Committee
- Senate Transportation Committee
Constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods in which the North Carolina Constitution can be amended:
The North Carolina Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. North Carolina requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.
Legislature
A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the North Carolina General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 72 votes in the North Carolina House of Representatives and 30 votes in the North Carolina State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Convention
According to Article XIII of the North Carolina Constitution, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote vote of both chambers of state Legislature is required to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. A simple majority vote is required for voters to approve the question. Any amendments proposed by a constitutional convention also require voter approval.
2025 measures:
- See also: 2025 ballot measures
Certified:
- The following measures have been certified for the ballot.
No measures to list
Potential:
- The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2025.
No measures to list
2024 measures:
Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2024 ballot by the legislature or that have made it approximately halfway through the process in the legislature for referral to the ballot in 2024.
- See also: 2024 ballot measures
Certified:
- The following measures have been certified for the ballot.
No measures to list
Potential:
- The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2024.
No measures to list
See also
| Elections | North Carolina State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
- General Assembly of North Carolina
- North Carolina State Senate
- North Carolina House of Representatives
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Carolina Journal, "New state House, Senate, and congressional maps finalized," October 25, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Bill 758 / SL 2023-146," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Bill 898 / SL 2023-149," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #614," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #499," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #504," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #604," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ WUNC, "New district maps show signs of GOP partisan gerrymandering," October 24, 2023
- ↑ The New York Times, "North Carolina Court, With New Partisan Mix, Reverses Itself on a Key Voting Case," April 28, 2023
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Structure of the North Carolina General Assembly," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "North Carolina Senate Leadership 2013-2014," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina Constitution, "Article II, Section 9," accessed February 12, 2021
- ↑ Confirmed via email with the North Carolina Legislature on July 7, 2011
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina State Constitution," accessed February 10, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement, "Candidate Filing Information," accessed November 9, 2017
- ↑ Mecklenburg County Government, "Multi Year Election Schedule," accessed November 9, 2017
- ↑ The primary for U.S. congressional elections was rescheduled to June 7, 2016, following legal challenges to North Carolina's district maps. State races were unaffected.
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 Candidate Filing," archived January 19, 2016
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2008 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "North Carolina State Senate 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "North Carolina Constitution," accessed February 12, 2021 (Article II, Section 10)
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 General Assembly of North Carolina, "North Carolina General Statutes," accessed February 12, 2021 (Statute 163-11(a), NC General Statutes)
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "North Carolina General Statutes," accessed February 12, 2021 (Statute 163-11(b-d), NC General Statutes)
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 All About Redistricting, "North Carolina," accessed April 20, 2015
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Bill 758 / SL 2023-146," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Bill 898 / SL 2023-149," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #614," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #499," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #504," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #604," accessed October 26, 2023
- ↑ WUNC, "New district maps show signs of GOP partisan gerrymandering," October 24, 2023
- ↑ The New York Times, "North Carolina Court, With New Partisan Mix, Reverses Itself on a Key Voting Case," April 28, 2023
- ↑ Supreme Court of North Carolina, Harper v. Hall, February 4, 2022
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "HB 980," accessed February 17, 2022
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "SB 744," accessed February 17, 2022
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "House Bill 976 / SL 2021-175," accessed November 5, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "Senate Bill 739 / SL 2021-173," accessed November 5, 2021
- ↑ MultiState, "2017 Legislative Session Deadlines," accessed August 8, 2017
- ↑ wncn.com, "NC special session reviews proposed new Congressional districts," accessed February 18, 2016
- ↑ newsobserver.com, "NC lawmakers heading for special session Wednesday to discuss LGBT ordinance," accessed March 23, 2016
- ↑ sfchronicle.com, "North Carolina reins in local governments, transgender rule," accessed March 23, 2016
- ↑ newsobserver.com, "LGBT protections end as NC governor signs bill," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ NY Times, "Bathroom Law Repeal Leaves Few Pleased in North Carolina," March 30, 2017
- ↑ www.fayobserver.com, "State lawmakers have no plans to extend Medicaid in North Carolina," January 21, 2015
- ↑ www.jeffersonpost.com, "State legislature reconvenes for short session," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ WRAL, "Ceremony marks opening of legislative session," January 9, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 Associated Press, "N.C. lawmakers leave town after new maps, overrides," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed July 14, 2014(Archived)
- ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "N.C. Gen. Stat. 120-11.1," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
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