Council of State Elections
Some of the most influential members of the Council of State include the Lieutenant Governor, who serves as President of the North Carolina Senate and as a member of the State Board of Education; the Attorney General, who provides legal advice across the state; and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who leads the North Carolina Board of Education.
Rachel Hunt, a Democrat, won the North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Election. She is the first Democratic candidate elected Lieutenant Governor since 2008 and the second female Lieutenant Governor. The previous Lieutenant Governor, Mark Robinson, did not run for the position since he ran for governor. For the first time since 2017, the state will have a governor and lieutenant governor from the same party when the Council-elect takes office in January.
Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, won the North Carolina Attorney General election. He is the latest in a long line of Democratic attorney generals, as no Republican has won the office since 1896. The previous attorney general was Josh Stein, who ran for governor instead of running for reelection in this office. The attorney general provides legal advice to prosecutors and state officials.
Maurice “Mo” Green, a Democrat, won the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election. Catherine Truitt, the incumbent, lost the Republican primary election. Michele Morrow, the Republican nominee, reportedly made many controversial remarks that aided Mo Green’s campaign. According to WFAE 90.7, Morrow made comments that “called for the execution of former president Barack Obama,” and also made false claims regarding the LGBTQ community’s affiliation with serious criminal offenses. Others criticized her for having never worked in public education and previously homeschooling her children. Mr. Wood commented, “It’s interesting to think that when we’re electing people to represent us as public officials, had she got elected to represent public education, and she makes statements like that, people could view teachers across the state that way, as bigoted, as hateful, as close-minded, and that’s not what we want.” The Superintendent of Public Instruction race matters to Davie High students because the Superintendent oversees the state board of education, influencing our daily school experiences.
Including the Governor-elect, the Council of State will be split even: 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans. This marks a notable development for North Carolina’s government, as the previous Republican majority in the Council of State and General Assembly often weakened Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s ability to pass legislation. Under Governor Josh Stein, the balance of power may shift, as he will hold greater veto power over the General Assembly than Cooper. This could reduce the frequency of veto overrides against the governor. For more details on the 2024 Council of State elections, click here.