Cities in North Carolina

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* Municipal elections, 2018
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Municipal government
Top counties
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Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in the 100 largest cities in America by population and the largest counties that overlap those cities. This encompasses all city, county, judicial, school district, and special district offices appearing on the ballot within those cities. Ballotpedia also covers mayors, city councils, and district attorneys in all state capitals.

This page includes the following resources:

* The city governments covered by Ballotpedia in North Carolina
* An overview of local elections in North Carolina
* An overview of the initiative process in North Carolina

## Contents

* 1 Cities
* 1.1 City government
* 2 Elections
* 2.1 2026
* 2.2 2025
* 2.3 2024
* 2.4 2023
* 2.5 2022
* 2.6 2021
* 2.7 2020
* 2.8 2019
* 2.9 2018
* 2.10 2017
* 2.11 2016
* 2.12 2015
* 3 Initiative process availability
* 4 See also
* 5 External links
* 6 Footnotes

## Cities[edit]

### City government[edit]

Click the links in the table below for information about the cities in Ballotpedia's coverage scope and the county governments that overlap those cities:

City | County

|

Charlotte | Mecklenburg County
Durham | Durham County
Greensboro | Guilford County
Raleigh | Wake County
Winston-Salem | Forsyth County

According to a 2022 study from the U.S. Census Bureau, this state's local governments consist of 100 counties, 552 cities, towns, and villages, and 313 special districts.[1]

## Elections[edit]

Click the links below for information about the elections held in each municipality. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of municipalities that held elections each year in this state; click here to learn more about Ballotpedia's local government coverage scope.

### 2026[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2026 and School board elections, 2026

* Raleigh, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judge
* Forsyth County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commission, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, and district court judges
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commission, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, superior court judges, and district court judges
* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commission, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, superior court judges, and district court judges
* Wake County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commission, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, superior court judges, and district court judges
* All local elections by county

* North Carolina school board elections

### 2025[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2025 and School board elections, 2025

* Charlotte, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Greensboro, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- Sedgefield Sanitary District
* All local elections by county
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2024[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2024 and School board elections, 2024

* Raleigh, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Winston-Salem, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham County, North Carolina \- Register of deeds, board of commissioners, soil and water conservation district, district court judges, and superior court judges
* Forsyth County, North Carolina \- Register of deeds, board of commissioners, soil and water conservation district, districts court judges, and superior court judges
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- Register of deeds, board of commissioners, soil and water conservation district, districts court judges, and superior court judges
* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina \- Register of deeds, board of commissioners, soil and water conservation district, and district court judges
* Wake County, North Carolina \- Register of deeds, board of commissioners, soil and water conservation district, districts court judges, and superior court judges
* All other local elections by county
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2023[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2023 and School board elections, 2023

* Charlotte, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- Sedgefield Sanitary District
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2022[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2022 and School board elections, 2022

* Charlotte, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Greensboro, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Raleigh, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judge
* Forsyth County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commissioners, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judge
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commissioners, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judge
* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commissioners, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judges
* Wake County, North Carolina \- District attorney, sheriff, county commissioners, soil and water district board, clerk of superior court, district court judges, and superior court judge
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2021[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2021 and School board elections, 2021

* Durham, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- Special districts
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2020[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2020 and School board elections, 2020

* Winston-Salem, North Carolina \- Mayor, city council
* Durham County, North Carolina \- County commissioners, register of deeds, soil and water conservation district supervisor, judicial offices
* Forsyth County, North Carolina \- County commissioners, clerk of superior court (special election), judicial offices, register of deeds, soil and water conservation district supervisor
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- County commissioners, register of deeds, judicial offices, soil and water conservation district supervisor
* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina \- County commissioners, register of deeds, soil and water conservation district, judicial offices
* Wake County, North Carolina \- County commissioners, judicial offices, register of deeds, soil and water conservation district supervisor
* North Carolina school board elections

Past elections

### 2019

See also: United States municipal elections, 2019, North Carolina local elections, 2019, and School board elections, 2019

* Charlotte, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Durham, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council
* Raleigh, North Carolina \- Mayor and city council

During the 2019 election cycle, Ballotpedia temporarily expanded its coverage of North Carolina in order to provide voters with a comprehensive statewide sample ballot. This coverage included North Carolina elections spanning 503 cities, towns, and villages, nine school districts, and 17 special districts. No North Carolina counties held elections in 2019. Click here for more information about North Carolina's local elections.

### 2018

See also: United States municipal elections, 2018 and School board elections, 2018

* Durham County, North Carolina \- District attorney, county sheriff, clerk of court, special district board members, and local judgeships
* Forsyth County, North Carolina \- County commissioner, clerk of superior court, county sheriff, district attorney, special district board members, and local judgeships
* Guilford County, North Carolina \- County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, and special district board members
* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina \- County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, special district board members, and local judgeships
* Wake County, North Carolina \- County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, special district board members, and local judgeships
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2017

See also: United States municipal elections, 2017 and School board elections, 2017

* Charlotte, North Carolina
* Durham, North Carolina
* Greensboro, North Carolina
* Raleigh, North Carolina
* Guilford County, North Carolina
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2016

See also: United States municipal elections, 2016 and School board elections, 2016

* Winston-Salem, North Carolina
* North Carolina school board elections

### 2015

See also: United States municipal elections, 2015 and School board elections, 2015

* Charlotte, North Carolina
* Durham, North Carolina
* Greensboro, North Carolina
* Raleigh, North Carolina
* North Carolina school board elections

## Initiative process availability[edit]

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in North Carolina

State law NC Gen. Stat. Section 160A-104 mandates an initiative process for citizens to propose and vote on charter amendments regarding specific subject matters outlined in NC Gen. Stat. Section 160A-101.

State law does not grant ordinance initiative power to all cities. However, the North Carolina General Assembly has granted initiative power to certain cities, such as Raleigh and Greensboro, through special acts. In any city where an initiative has been made available, NC Gen. Stat. Section 159-17 states, "The adoption and amendment of the budget ordinance or any project ordinance and the levy of taxes in the budget ordinance are not subject to the provisions of any city charter or local act concerning initiative or referendum."[2][3][4]

## See also[edit]

North Carolina | Municipal government | Other local coverage

|
|

* North Carolina
* North Carolina elections, 2026
* Public policy in North Carolina
* Endorsers in North Carolina

* Top counties
* 100 largest cities
* Current mayors
* Current council officials

* 2026 municipal elections
* School board elections, 2026
* Local ballot measure elections in 2026
* 2026 local judicial elections

## External links[edit]

* Search Google News for this topic
* North Carolina municipal code library
* North Carolina state government website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "2022 Census of Governments – Organization," accessed October 16, 2023
2. ↑ Ballotpedia, "Types and #'s of local government by state," September 1, 2012
3. ↑ Municode, "Raleigh City Charter and Ordinances," accessed August 23, 2013
4. ↑ Municode, "Greensboro City Charter and Ordinances," accessed August 23, 2013

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