North Carolina Council of State election, 2012

The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2012 were held November 6, 2012 to select the nine officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This election coincided with the U.S. presidential election, U.S. House elections, the gubernatorial election and the statewide judicial elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012; for races in which no candidate received 40 percent of the vote in the primary, runoff elections (officially known as "second" primaries) were held on July 17.^[1][2]

The nine members of the North Carolina Council of State are statewide-elected officers serving four-year terms.^[3] In the 2012 elections, all incumbents who ran for new terms were re-elected, while the Lieutenant Governor's seat was open following incumbent Walter Dalton's decision to run for Governor. The partisan makeup of the Council of State changed from 7 Democrats (8 including the Governor) and 2 Republicans before the election to 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans (4 including the Governor) afterward.

Governor

Republican Pat McCrory was elected Governor.

Lieutenant Governor

Republican Dan Forest was elected Lieutenant Governor.

Attorney General

Roy Cooper, the Democratic incumbent Attorney General, ran for re-election unopposed.^[4]

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Roy Cooper	2,828,941	100
Total votes			2,828,941	100

Secretary of State

Democratic primary

• Elaine Marshall, the Democratic incumbent Secretary of State, ran for re-election.^[6]

Republican primary

• Michael Beitler, business professor; Libertarian nominee for US Senator in 2010 (changed his registration to Republican to run for Secretary of State)^[7]
• A.J. Daoud, business owner^[8]
• Kenn Gardner, former Wake County commissioner^[9]
• Ed Goodwin, Chowan County commissioner,^[10] retired Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent^[11]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Michael Beitler	A.J. Daoud	Kenn Gardner	Eddy Goodwin	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	496	± 4.4%	8%	11%	23%	14%	45%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	7%	9%	20%	11%	52%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	521	± 4.3%	6%	6%	17%	10%	61%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ed Goodwin	246,641	35.94
	Republican	Kenn Gardner	204,630	29.82
	Republican	Michael (Mike) Beitler	166,061	24.2
	Republican	A. J. Daoud	68,834	10.03
Total votes			686,166	100

As no candidate received 40 percent of the vote, state law allows the runner-up to request a second primary (or "runoff"). Gardner requested a runoff.^[13]

Republican 2nd primary results ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ed Goodwin	74,252	54.48
	Republican	Kenn Gardner	62,044	45.52
Total votes			136,296	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Elaine Marshall (D)	Ed Goodwin (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 23–25, 2012	880 LV	± 3.3%	43%	38%	19%
Public Policy Polling	September 27–30, 2012	981	± 3.1%	41%	34%	24%
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2012	813	± 3.4%	43%	37%	19%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Elaine Marshall	2,331,173	53.79
	Republican	Ed Goodwin	2,003,026	46.21
Total votes			4,334,199	100

State Auditor

Democratic primary

• Beth A. Wood, the Democratic incumbent State Auditor, ran for re-election.^[15]

Republican primary

• Joseph Hank DeBragga,^[16] auditor for North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources^[17]
• Greg Dority, three-time congressional candidate, Beaufort County Republican Party chairman^[18]
• Debra Goldman, Wake County School Board member^[19]
• Fern Shubert, former state senator, former state representative, certified public accountant^[17][20]
• Rudy Wright, Mayor of Hickory,^[21] former certified public accountant^[17]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Joseph DeBragga	Greg Dority	Debra Goldman	Fern Shubert	Rudy Wright	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	496	± 4.4%	5%	16%	17%	11%	8%	44%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	3%	18%	16%	9%	3%	51%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	521	± 4.3%	4%	11%	12%	7%	4%	61%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Debra Goldman	237,473	34.35
	Republican	Greg Dority	164,647	23.82
	Republican	Fern Shubert	126,983	18.37
	Republican	Rudy Wright	108,037	15.63
	Republican	Joseph Hank DeBragga	54,098	7.83
Total votes			691,238	100

As the runner-up, Dority chose not to request a runoff, making Goldman the nominee.^[22]

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Beth Wood (D)	Debra Goldman (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 29–31, 2012	730	± 3.6%	50%	38%	12%
Public Policy Polling	October 23–25, 2012	880 LV	± 3.3%	45%	38%	18%
Public Policy Polling	August 31–September 1, 2012	1,012	± 3.1%	40%	38%	22%
Public Policy Polling	July 5–8, 2012	775	± 3.5%	39%	36%	25%
Public Policy Polling	June 7–10, 2012	810	± 3.4%	36%	36%	29%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beth Wood	2,299,541	53.71
	Republican	Debra Goldman	1,981,539	46.29
Total votes			4,281,080	100

State Treasurer

Democratic primary

• Janet Cowell, the Democratic incumbent State Treasurer, ran for re-election.^[23]
• Ron Elmer, investment consultant^[24]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Janet Cowell	Ron Elmer	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	500	± 4.4%	50%	11%	39%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	500	± 4.4%	38%	11%	51%
Public Policy Polling	March 23–25, 2012	505	± 4.36%	34%	12%	55%
Public Policy Polling	February 29–March 1, 2012	499	± 4.4%	32%	14%	54%

Primary results

Democratic primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Janet Cowell	630,151	76.63
	Democratic	Ron Elmer	192,135	23.37
Total votes			822,286	100

Republican primary

• Frank Roche, talk radio host^[25]
• Steve Royal, certified public accountant^[26]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Frank Roche	Steve Royal	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	496	± 4.4%	24%	30%	47%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	17%	27%	57%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Royal	389,188	57.69
	Republican	Frank Roche	285,439	42.31
Total votes			674,627	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Janet Cowell (D)	Steve Royal (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 29–31, 2012	730	± 3.6%	46%	41%	13%
Public Policy Polling	August 31–September 1, 2012	1,012	± 3.1%	42%	38%	20%
Public Policy Polling	July 5–8, 2012	775	± 3.5%	38%	35%	27%
Public Policy Polling	October 12–14, 2012	1,084	± 3%	34%	33%	33%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Janet Cowell	2,313,877	53.83
	Republican	Steve Royal	1,984,827	46.17
Total votes			4,298,704	100

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Democratic primary

• June Atkinson, the Democratic incumbent Superintendent, ran for re-election.^[27]

Withdrawn Candidates

• Rick Glazier, state representative^[28][29][30]

Republican primary

• Richard Alexander, South Carolina teacher^[17] and former small business owner^[31]
• Mark Crawford, former state representative^[32]
• Ray Martin, teacher^[33]
• David Scholl, businessman and Union County School Board member^[33]
• John Tedesco, Wake County School Board member^[34]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Richard Alexander	Mark Crawford	Ray Martin	David Scholl	John Tedesco	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	496	± 4.4%	14%	12%	6%	6%	16%	45%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	13%	8%	5%	6%	16%	52%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	521	± 4.3%	13%	6%	5%	4%	16%	57%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Tedesco	195,352	28.35
	Republican	Richard Alexander	167,354	24.28
	Republican	Mark Crawford	150,404	21.82
	Republican	Ray E. Martin	90,889	13.19
	Republican	David Scholl	85,145	12.36
Total votes			689,144	100

As the runner-up, Alexander requested a runoff.^[35]

Republican 2nd primary results ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Tedesco	75,366	54.42
	Republican	Richard Alexander	63,119	45.58
Total votes			138,485	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	June Atkinson (D)	John Tedesco (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 23–25, 2012	880 LV	± 3.3%	42%	40%	18%
Public Policy Polling	September 27–30, 2012	981	± 3.1%	44%	34%	22%
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2012	813	± 3.4%	44%	37%	19%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	June Atkinson	2,336,441	54.24
	Republican	John Tedesco	1,971,049	45.76
Total votes			4,307,490	100

Commissioner of Agriculture

Republican primary

• Bill McManus, real estate investor, former attorney and accountant, former Democratic member of Massachusetts House of Representatives^[24]
• Steve Troxler, the Republican incumbent Commissioner, ran for re-election.^[36]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill McManus	Steve Troxler	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	17%	48%	35%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	521	± 4.3%	17%	41%	42%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Troxler	532,664	68.95
	Republican	Bill McManus	239,920	31.05
Total votes			772,584	100

Democratic primary

• Scott Bryant, farmer and former law enforcement officer^[37]
• Walter Smith,^[38] farmer, former USDA official, former mayor of Boonville^[24]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Scott Bryant	Walter Smith	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	500	± 3.1%	21%	19%	60%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	505	± 4.36%	20%	17%	63%
Public Policy Polling	March 23–25, 2012	505	± 4.36%	17%	12%	71%
Public Policy Polling	February 29–March 1, 2012	499	± 4.4%	14%	13%	73%

Primary results

Democratic primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Walter Smith	424,287	55.11
	Democratic	Scott Bryant	345,644	44.89
Total votes			769,931	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Steve Troxler (R)	Walter Smith (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 29–31, 2012	730	± 3.6%	48%	38%	14%
Public Policy Polling	August 31–September 1, 2012	1,012	± 3.1%	45%	35%	20%
Public Policy Polling	July 5–8, 2012	775	± 3.5%	46%	34%	20%
Public Policy Polling	June 7–10, 2012	810	± 3.4%	45%	31%	25%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Troxler	2,303,586	53.22
	Democratic	Walter Smith	2,025,054	46.78
Total votes			4,328,640	100

Commissioner of Labor

Republican primary

• Cherie Berry, the Republican incumbent Commissioner, ran for re-election.^[39]

Democratic primary

• John C. Brooks, former Commissioner of Labor^[9]
• Marlowe Foster, public affairs director for Pfizer (registered lobbyist), former Winston-Salem State University official^[40]
• Ty Richardson, 2008 candidate^[41]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Brooks	Marlowe Foster	Ty Richardson	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	500	± 3.1%	18%	14%	30%	38%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	500	± 4.4%	20%	12%	26%	42%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	500	± 4.4%	18%	10%	18%	54%
Public Policy Polling	March 23–25, 2012	505	± 4.36%	18%	8%	22%	51%
Public Policy Polling	February 29–March 1, 2012	499	± 4.4%	13%	9%	26%	52%

Primary results

Democratic primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John C. Brooks	289,356	37.14
	Democratic	Marlowe Foster	256,964	32.98
	Democratic	Ty Richardson	232,730	29.87
Total votes			779,050	100

As the runner-up, Foster requested a runoff.^[42]

Democratic 2nd primary results ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John C. Brooks	31,216	54.15
	Democratic	Marlowe Foster	26,431	45.85
Total votes			57,647	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Cherie Berry (R)	John Brooks (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 23–25, 2012	880 LV	± 3.3%	43%	37%	19%
Public Policy Polling	September 27–30, 2012	981	± 3.1%	41%	37%	22%
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2012	813	± 3.4%	44%	34%	22%

Results

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Cherie Berry	2,300,500	53.26
	Democratic	John Brooks	2,019,266	46.74
Total votes			4,319,766	100

Commissioner of Insurance

Democratic primary

• Wayne Goodwin, the Democratic incumbent Commissioner, ran for re-election.^[43]

Republican primary

• Mike Causey, former lobbyist^[44]
• James McCall, insurance agent^[45]
• Richard T. Morgan, former state representative^[46]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Causey	James McCall	Richard Morgan	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	May 5–6, 2012	496	± 4.4%	20%	14%	19%	47%
Public Policy Polling	April 27–29, 2012	486	± 4.4%	12%	12%	25%	51%
Public Policy Polling	April 20–22, 2012	521	± 4.3%	13%	10%	17%	60%

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard Morgan	258,935	37.01
	Republican	Mike Causey	245,430	35.08
	Republican	James McCall	195,348	27.92
Total votes			699,713	100

As the runner-up, Causey requested a runoff.^[47] Of all the statewide runoffs held on July 17, the Republican primary for Insurance Commissioner was the only one in which the top vote-getter changed from the first to the second primary.

Republican 2nd primary results ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Causey	80,704	57.39
	Republican	Richard Morgan	59,910	42.61
Total votes			140,614	100

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Wayne Goodwin (D)	Mike Causey (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	October 23–25, 2012	880 LV	± 3.3%	45%	36%	19%
Public Policy Polling	September 27–30, 2012	981	± 3.1%	41%	36%	23%
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2012	813	± 3.4%	40%	36%	24%

General election results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Wayne Goodwin	2,226,344	51.86
	Republican	Mike Causey	2,066,601	48.14
Total votes			4,292,945	100

See also

• North Carolina Council of State elections: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008.

References

1. "Elections". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
2. News & Observer: It's official
3. "Article III". North Carolina Constitution. State of North Carolina. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
4. Daily Reflector
5. State Board of Elections: General election results
6. Staff Reports (October 20, 2011). "Elaine Marshall announces she'll run again". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
7. "Beitler enters state race". Northwest Observer. August 26, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
8. http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/elaine_marshall_touts_better_fundraising_than_the_obama_campaign
9. NC State Board of Elections: Candidate filing list
10. Outer Banks Voice: Chowan commissioner to run for Secretary of State
11. News & Observer: GOP secretary of state candidates trade blows about biographies
12. State Board of Elections: Primary results
13. WFMY-TV
14. State Board of Elections: 2nd Primary results
15. News & Observer: Auditor Beth Wood announces reelection bid
16. WWAY-TV
17. "Primary Voter Guide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
18. News & Observer: Greg Dority switches races
19. News & Observer: Debra Goldman announces for state auditor
20. 2012 Election Tracker
21. Hickory Daily Record
22. News & Observer: GOP auditor candidate won't seek runoff
23. News & Observer: Democratic state treasurer won't seek higher office
24. News & Observer: Two state incumbents face primary challengers
25. News & Observer: Conservative talk radio host joins state treasurer's race
26. Wilkes Journal Patriot
27. News & Observer: Atkinson will seek reelection for state superintendent
28. Barksdale, Andew; Woolverton, Paul (November 7, 2011). "Rep. Rick Glazier may run for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction". Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
29. News & Observer: Glazier says he'll run for superintendent of public instruction nomination
30. News & Observer: Rick Glazier abandons bid for superintendent, will seek reelection
31. News & Observer: Richard Alexander running for superintendent of public instruction
32. Politics1
33. News & Observer: A fellow Democrat wants Atkinson's job
34. News & Observer: Republican school board member enters superintendent race
35. Charlotte Observer
36. News & Observer: Agriculture commissioner announces re-election bid
37. News & Observer: Chatham farmer to run for agriculture commissioner
38. Winston-Salem Journal
39. WRAL.com
40. Bonner, I. (October 18, 2011). "Democrat announces for Labor Commissioner". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
41. Winston-Salem Journal
42. News & Observer: Marlowe Foster seeks runoff
43. "N.C. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin Announces Run for Re-election, Raises Record Campaign Cash". NCDP.org. NC Democratic Party. October 11, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
44. News & Observer: Republican candidate for insurance commissioner announces today
45. News & Observer: Another Republican candidate for insurance commissioner
46. News & Observer: Richard Morgan files for insurance commissioner
47. Blue Ridge Now

External links

• NC State Board of Elections