North Carolina Secretary of State
North Carolina Secretary of State | |
General information | |
Office Type: | Partisan |
Office website: | Official Link |
Compensation: | $146,421 |
2025 FY Budget: | $19,244,123 |
Term limits: | None |
Structure | |
Length of term: | 4 years |
Authority: | North Carolina Constitution, Article III, Section 7 |
Selection Method: | Elected |
Current Officeholder | |
North Carolina Secretary of State
Elaine Marshall | |
Elections | |
Next election: | November 5, 2024 |
Last election: | November 3, 2020 |
Other North Carolina Executive Offices | |
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission |
The Secretary of State for North Carolina is an elected state executive position in the North Carolina state government. The secretary is a member of the Council of State and the head of the Department of the State, which oversees economic and business-related operations of the state government. The department provides the initial infrastructure for corporate organizations, addresses fraud by providing accurate and timely information, and issues professional credentials. The North Carolina secretary of state does not oversee the state's elections.[1]
The secretary is elected by a statewide vote during presidential election years and serves for a four-year term.
North Carolina has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Elaine Marshall (D). She was first elected in 1996 and has been re-elected six times, most recently in 2020. Marshall succeeded Janice Faulkner (D) in the position.
Authority
The secretary of state's establishment and term of office are derived from Article III, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution.
Article III, Section 7:
A Secretary of State, an Auditor, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Public Instruction, an Attorney General, a Commissioner of Agriculture, a Commissioner of Labor, and a Commissioner of Insurance shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State in 1972 and every four years thereafter, at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected. Their term of office shall be four years and shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified.[2] |
Qualifications
Article VI, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
Every qualified voter in North Carolina who is 21 years of age, except as in this Constitution disqualified, shall be eligible for election by the people to office.[2] |
- Qualified North Carolina voter
- At least 21 years of age
Vacancies
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article III, Section 7.
If a vacancy occurs in the office, the governor appoints another to serve until a successor is elected and qualified. Every such vacancy shall be filled by election at the first election for members of the General Assembly that occurs more than 60 days after the vacancy has taken place, and the person chosen shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.[2]
Duties
The secretary is a member of the Council of State and the head of the Department of the State, which oversees economic and business-related operations of the state government. The department provides the initial infrastructure for corporate organizations, addresses fraud by providing accurate and timely information, and issues professional credentials.[1] Additional duties include, but are not limited to:[3]
- Receiving and keeping all conveyances and mortgages belonging to the state;
- Distributing the statutes and legislative journals annually;
- Issuing and maintaining charters and certificates for the incorporation and dissolution of corporations;
- Receiving and processing lobbyist registrations and the commission of notaries;
- Compiling and keeping data on state agencies for legislative use; and,
- Applying for federal government and other grants in order to effectuate the purposes of the Nonprofit Corporation Act and aiding in the operation of nonprofit corporations.
Elections
The secretary of state in North Carolina is popularly elected every four years in presidential election years. The term of office is four years and begins on the first day of January next after their election.
2024
General election
General election for North Carolina Secretary of State
Incumbent Elaine Marshall and Chad Brown are running in the general election for North Carolina Secretary of State on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
Elaine Marshall (D) | ||
Chad Brown (R) |
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Elaine Marshall advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Secretary of State.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina Secretary of State
Chad Brown defeated Christine Villaverde and Jesse Thomas in the Republican primary for North Carolina Secretary of State on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Chad Brown | 43.3 | 373,166 | |
Christine Villaverde | 30.0 | 258,569 | ||
Jesse Thomas | 26.8 | 230,829 |
Total votes: 862,564 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Darren Eustance (R)
2020
General election
General election for North Carolina Secretary of State
Incumbent Elaine Marshall defeated E.C. Sykes in the general election for North Carolina Secretary of State on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Elaine Marshall (D) | 51.2 | 2,755,571 | |
E.C. Sykes (R) | 48.8 | 2,630,559 |
Total votes: 5,386,130 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Elaine Marshall advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Secretary of State.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina Secretary of State
E.C. Sykes defeated Chad Brown and Michael LaPaglia in the Republican primary for North Carolina Secretary of State on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | E.C. Sykes | 42.9 | 296,457 | |
Chad Brown | 38.0 | 262,595 | ||
Michael LaPaglia | 19.1 | 131,832 |
Total votes: 690,884 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2016
The general election for secretary of state was held on November 8, 2016.
Incumbent Elaine Marshall defeated Michael LaPaglia in the North Carolina secretary of state election.
North Carolina Secretary of State, 2016 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | Elaine Marshall Incumbent | 52.22% | 2,339,783 | |
Republican | Michael LaPaglia | 47.78% | 2,141,132 | |
Total Votes | 4,480,915 | |||
Source: ABC11 |
Full history
To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of North Carolina Secretary of State, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2012Incumbent Elaine Marshall (D) successfully won re-election, defeating Ed Goodwin (R) in the November 6, 2012 general election.
2008On November 4, 2008, Elaine F. Marshall won re-election to the office of North Carolina Secretary of State. She defeated Jack Sawyer (R) in the general election.
2004 On November 2, 2004, Elaine F. Marshall won re-election to the office of North Carolina Secretary of State. She defeated Jay Rao (R) in the general election.
2000 On November 7, 2000, Elaine Marshall won re-election to the office of North Carolina Secretary of State. She defeated Harris Durham Blake (R) in the general election.
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Term limits
There are no limitations on the number of terms an individual may hold the office of secretary of state.
Divisions
The Department of State consists of the following divisions:[4]
- Business Registration
- Charities
- Authentications
- Notary
- Securities
- Trademarks
- Lobbying
- Investor Protection
- Advanced Healthcare Directives
- Uniform Commerical Code
- Publications
- Land Records
State budget
- See also: North Carolina state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of State in Fiscal Year 2025 was $19,244,123.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Article III, Section 9 of the North Carolina Constitution defines the method by which the secretary's compensation is set:
The officers whose offices are established by this Article shall at stated periods receive the compensation and allowances prescribed by law, which shall not be diminished during the time for which they have been chosen.[2] |
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $146,421, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the secretary received a salary of $136,699, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the secretary received a salary of $133,365, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the secretary received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the secretary received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the secretary of state received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the secretary of state received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $124,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the secretary received a salary of $124,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2010
In 2010, the secretary was paid an estimated $123,198, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the North Carolina Secretary of State has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Carolina Secretary of State. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 29622
Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
Physical address:
2 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-2903
Phone: 919-814-5400
E-mail: [email protected]
See also
North Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Secretary of State, "About Us," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 North Carolina State Legislature, "North Carolina State Constitution," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 147-36 (2019)," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ Secretary of State, See "Divisions" tab, accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "House Bill 259," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed April 23, 2011
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