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North Carolina Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2016
2020 →
← 2012
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March 15, 2016[1] |
November 8, 2016 |
Dan Forest (R) |
Dan Forest (R) |
Governor • Lt. Governor Secretary of State • Attorney General Down Ballot Auditor • Insurance Commissioner Agriculture Commissioner Superintendent of Schools • Treasurer Labor Commissioner |
December 21, 2015 |
March 15, 2016[2] |
June 9, 2016 |
July 26, 2016 |
November 8, 2016 |
January 7, 2017 |
North Carolina held an election for lieutenant governor on November 8, 2016. Incumbent Dan Forest (R) won re-election.
Overview
For North Carolina, the lieutenant governor is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government. The officer's primary responsibility is to preside over the North Carolina Senate.
North Carolina was under Republican trifecta control since Governor Pat McCrory (R) assumed office in 2013. The state had been under Democratic trifecta control as recently as 2010. Prior to Republican Dan Forest's election in 2012, Democrats had held the lieutenant governor's office since 1994. Forest was one of only two Republican lieutenant governors to ever hold the office.
Forest was unopposed for the Republican nomination and automatically advanced to the general election. Linda Coleman (D), whom Forest defeated in 2012 by a margin of 0.2 percent, again won her party's nomination to run for lieutenant governor. Coleman, Forest, and Libertarian Jacki Cole competed on November 8. Forest won the general election on November 8, 2016.
Candidates
Linda Coleman (D)
Former director of state personnel, former state rep.
Dan Forest (R)
Lieutenant governor since 2013
Jacki Cole (Lib.)
Technology sales and marketing professional
| Click [show] to view candidates who were defeated in the primary elections or declined to run in this race. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Results
General election
Incumbent Dan Forest defeated Linda Coleman and Jacki Cole in the North Carolina lieutenant governor election.
| North Carolina Lieutenant Governor, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Dan Forest Incumbent |
51.87% | 2,370,028 | |
| Democratic | Linda Coleman | 45.28% | 2,068,741 | |
| Libertarian | Jacki Cole | 2.85% | 130,236 | |
| Total Votes | 4,569,005 | |||
| Source: ABC11 | ||||
Primary elections
Democratic primary election
Primary election results
| North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Linda Coleman |
51.1% | 500,128 | ||
| Holly Jones | 28.7% | 281,132 | ||
| Robert Earl Wilson | 10.5% | 102,870 | ||
| Ronald L. Newton | 9.6% | 94,312 | ||
| Total Votes | 978,442 | |||
| Election results via North Carolina State Board of Elections. | ||||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Dan Forest (R) was unopposed for the Republican nomination and did not appear on the primary election ballot.
Context of the 2016 election
Primary elections
A primary election is an election in which voters select the candidate they believe should represent a political party in a general election. Primaries usually take place several months before a general election. North Carolina utilizes a hybrid primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.[7]
In North Carolina, when more than two candidates run in a primary election and one candidate does not receive more than 40 percent of the vote, the second-place candidate can request a runoff primary, sometimes referred to as a second primary. However, because of the redrawing of congressional and state legislative district boundaries, state executive elections in 2016 did not feature a runoff primary. This means the 2016 primary elections for state executives were unique and particularly competitive in that the winning candidate automatically received the party nomination regardless of the percentage of votes received.
North Carolina's primary elections took place on March 15, 2016.
Incumbent Dan Forest (R)
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest was first elected to the position in 2012 after narrowly defeating his Democratic opponent, Linda Coleman, by a 0.2% margin (or less than 7,000 votes out of over 4.3 million votes cast).[8] Forest announced that he would seek re-election in 2016; no Republicans challenged him in the Republican primary.[9]
Party control in North Carolina
North Carolina had been under Republican trifecta control since Governor Pat McCrory (R) assumed office in 2013. This represented a fairly rapid shift in partisan control for the state, which had been under Democratic trifecta control as recently as 2010. North Carolina's electoral votes went to the Republican presidential candidate in every election cycle since 1980, with the exception of 2008 when the state voted to elect Barack Obama (D).[10] North Carolina began attracting significant attention as a presidential battleground state with Obama's unexpected 2008 win in the state—the first Democratic candidate to do so since Jimmy Carter (D) in 1976. For the past two presidential elections, the state's presidential preference influenced statewide elections. This influence, coupled with the recent trend of close elections in the state, promised competitive races in 2016.
Both Republican and Democratic candidates gained success in recent elections. Democrat Bev Perdue won the gubernatorial election and Democrat Kay Hagan defeated incumbent Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2008. The state swung back to Republicans in 2012 when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney narrowly beat President Obama by a margin of 2 percentage points. McCrory defeated his Democratic rival by a small margin of victory that same year. The trend of close statewide elections in North Carolina continued into 2014: Republican Thom Tillis narrowly defeated incumbent Senator Kay Hagan (D) in a statewide race that year, earning 48.8 percent of the vote to Hagan's 47.3 percent.[11]
Prior to Republican Dan Forest's election in 2012, Democrats had held the lieutenant governor's office since 1994. In fact, Forest is one of only two Republican lieutenant governors to ever hold the office, the other being Jim Gardner, who was elected in 1988.[12]
North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2025
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 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | R |
Campaigns
Key endorsements
Below were key endorsements for Coleman, Jones, Newton and Wilson:[13][14]
| Key endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman | Jones | Newton | Wilson |
| Charlotte Observer | Indy Week | Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bothwell | Eastern North Carolina Civic Group |
| NC State AFL-CIO | Winston-Salem Journal | ||
| Wilmington Journal | |||
| State Employees Association of North Carolina | |||
Campaign finance
Note: If a candidate does not appear below, he or she did not meet or exceed minimum reporting requirements.
General election candidates
| Dan Forest Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 2015 Year End Semi-Annual | January 28, 2016 | $247,632.05 | $248,136 | $(179,797) | $315,970.9 | ||||
| 2016 First Quarter | 02/29/2016 | $315,970.9 | $121,093 | $(91,281.48) | $345,782.7 | ||||
| 2016 Second Quarter | 6/30/2016 | $345,782.7 | $363,941.45 | $(499,355.90) | $210,368.27 | ||||
| Third Quarter | 10/22/2016 | $210,368.27 | $600,684.67 | $(643,978.66) | $167,074.28 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $1,333,855.12 | $(1,414,413.04) | ||||||||
| Linda Coleman Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 2015 Year End Semi-Annual | February 9, 2016 | $48,340.6 | $106,766.56 | $(76,500.6) | $78,606.54 | ||||
| 2016 First Quarter | 02/29/2016 | $78,606.54 | $45,680.87 | $(37,298.26) | $86,989.15 | ||||
| Second Quarter | 06/30/2016 | $86,989.15 | $226,610.74 | $(215,160.51) | $98,439.38 | ||||
| Third Quarter | 10/22/2016 | $98,439.38 | $351,137.36 | $(186,753.90) | $262,822.84 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $730,195.53 | $(515,713.27) | ||||||||
Primary candidates
| Robert Earl Wilson Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 2016 First Quarter | March 7, 2016 | $3,619.9 | $7,965 | $(4,271) | $7,313 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $7,965 | $(4,271) | ||||||||
| Holly Jones Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 2015 Year End Semi-Annual | January 28, 2016 | $5,031.8 | $190,596.39 | $(81,847.49) | $113,780.7 | ||||
| 2016 First Quarter | March 7, 2016 | $113,780.7 | $70,192 | $(135,978.6) | $47,994.08 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $260,788.39 | $(217,826.09) | ||||||||
| Ronald Newton Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 2015 Year End Semi-Annual | January 29, 2016 | $178.42 | $9,240.03 | $(9,241.55) | $176.9 | ||||
| 2016 First Quarter | $ | $ | $() | $ | |||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $9,240.03 | $(9,241.55) | ||||||||
Polls
| The candidates for Lieutenant Governor are Republican Dan Forest, Democrat Linda Coleman, and Libertarian J.J. Summerell. If the election was today, who would you vote for? | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Dan Forest (R) | Linda Coleman (D) | J.J. Summerell (L) | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling March 18, 2016-March 20, 2016 | 33% | 36% | 6% | 25% | +/-3.4% | 843 | |||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Do you approve or disapprove of the job the General Assembly is doing? | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Approve | Disapprove | Not sure | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling March 18, 2016-March 20, 2016 | 18% | 52% | 30% | +/-3.4% | 843 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted on this issue. Those displayed are a sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign media
Note: If a candidate is not listed below, Ballotpedia staff were unable to locate any campaign media for that candidate. Do you know of any? Tell us!
Democrats
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Republicans
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About the office
The lieutenant governor of the State of North Carolina is an elected constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the executive branch and the first officer in line to succeed the Governor of North Carolina. For North Carolina, the lieutenant governor is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government. The officer's primary responsibility is to preside over the North Carolina Senate.[15]
The lieutenant governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms in office.
Incumbent
The incumbent was Dan Forest, a Republican elected in 2012.[16][17]
Authority
The North Carolina Constitution addresses the office of the lieutenant governor in Article III, the Executive Department.
Under Article III, Section II:
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The Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State... |
Constitutional provisions
The lieutenant governor's role as first in the line of gubernatorial succession is established in Article III, Section 3 of the state constitution. His role as President of the Senate is set under Article III, Section 6.
Qualifications
Candidates for the office of the lieutenant governor must be:
- at least 30 years old
- a citizen of the United States for at least five years
- a resident of North Carolina for at least two years
Additionally, no lieutenant governor-elect may take office until she has taken an oath before the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Past elections
2012
Incumbent Walter Dalton (D) did not run for re-election. Dan Forest (R) defeated Linda Coleman (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.
| Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Linda Coleman | 49.9% | 2,180,870 | |
| Republican | Dan Forest |
50.1% | 2,187,728 | |
| Total Votes | 4,368,598 | |||
| Election results via NC State Board of Elections | ||||
To view the full electoral history for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, click [show] to expand the full section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Carolina state lieutenant governor election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
State profile
| Demographic data for North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 10,035,186 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 48,618 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 69.5% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 21.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.4% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 8.8% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $46,868 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 20.5% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in North Carolina. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
North Carolina voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, six are located in North Carolina, accounting for 2.91 percent of the total pivot counties.[18]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. North Carolina had six Retained Pivot Counties, 3.31 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More North Carolina coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in North Carolina
- United States congressional delegations from North Carolina
- Public policy in North Carolina
- Endorsers in North Carolina
- North Carolina fact checks
- More...
See also
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North Carolina government: |
Previous elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Holly Jones for Lieutenant Governor, "Campaign Home," accessed August 26, 2015
- ↑ Ron Newton: Candidate for Lt. Governor, "Ron Newton announces candidacy for lieutenant governor 2016," accessed December 22, 2015
- ↑ Robert Wilson for Lieutenant Governor, "Campaign Home," accessed August 26, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Brian Irving, Libertarian Party of North Carolina, "18 Libertarians on November ballot," December 22, 2015
- ↑ NC Election Connection, "Who Can Vote in Which Elections?" accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ US Election Atlas, "2012 Lt. Gubernatorial General Election Results," accessed Sept. 15, 2015
- ↑ The News & Observer, "Linda Coleman to run for lieutenant governor again in 2016," accessed Sept. 15, 2015
- ↑ National Archives and Records Administration, "Historical Election Results," accessed September 15, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "11/04/2014 Official General Election Results - Statewide," accessed August 30, 2015
- ↑ The News & Observer, "What’s an NC lieutenant governor worth?" April 28, 2015
- ↑ Citizen-Times, "Holly Jones gets key endorsements -- but not Bothwell's," March 4, 2016
- ↑ Robert E. Wilson for Lt. Governor, "Endorsements," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ Office of the North Carolina Lieutenant Governor, "Office of the Lt. Governor," accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "November 6, 2012 General Election - Official Results," updated November 18, 2013
- ↑ Office of the North Carolina Lieutenant Governor, "Dan Forest Bio," accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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