North Carolina State Senate elections
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This page displays election information for the North Carolina State Senate.
Elections
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.
2026
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.
2024
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was March 5, 2024, and the primary runoff was May 14, 2024. The filing deadline was December 15, 2023.
In the November 2024 election, the Republican Party maintained its 30-20 majority.
| North Carolina State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 20 | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 30 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
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.[1][2]
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.[3] The candidate filing deadline was December 21, 2015.[4] 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:[5]
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:[6]
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:[7] During the 2008 election, the total contributions to Senate candidates amounted to $15,853,266. The top 10 contributors were:[8]
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:[9]
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:[10]
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:[11]
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:[12]
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Historical party control
Republicans won control of the North Carolina State Senate in 2010. In 2024, 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 2024. 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: 1992-2024
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 | '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 39 | 26 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 20 |
| Republicans | 11 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 35 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 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: 1992-2025
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 |
Footnotes
- ↑ 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 2008 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ 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
