North Carolina Council of State election, 2008

North Carolina elections to choose members of the Council of State (who head various executive branch departments) will be held November 4, 2008. This will coincide with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and statewide judicial elections.

Primary elections were held on May 6, 2008 for races in which more than one candidate filed for a party's nomination. [ [http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=29 Primary Election Voter Guide] ]

=Secretary of State=

Incumbent Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (Democratic) will face attorney Jack Sawyer (Republican). [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/profiles/jack_sawyer Jack Sawyer | newsobserver.com projects ] ]

=State Auditor=

Incumbent Auditor Les Merritt (Republican) will face Beth Wood, Former Director of Training for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, [ [http://blog.news-record.com/staff/capblog/archives/2007/08/auditors_race.shtml "Auditor's race" : Capital Beat : Blogs : News-Record.com : Greensboro, North Carolina ] ] [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/profiles/beth_wood Beth Wood | newsobserver.com projects ] ] who defeated [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/profiles/fred_aikens Fred Aikens] , a retired state employee and retired colonel in the North Carolina Army National Guard, in the Democratic primary. [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/fred_aikens_announces_run_for_n_c_auditor Aikens to run for auditor | newsobserver.com projects ] ] Wood won approximately 65% of the vote.

=Attorney General=

Incumbent AG Roy A. Cooper (Democratic) is opposed by Bob Crumley (Republican), an attorney and owner of Crumley and Associates.

=State Treasurer=

Incumbent Richard H. Moore (Democratic) announced on May 22, 2007 that he would seek the 2008 Democratic nomination for Governor.

Candidates to succeed him included three Democrats -- state Sen. Janet Cowell, [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/cowell_for_treasurer Cowell for treasurer | newsobserver.com projects ] ] Michael Weisel, [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/another_shot_for_weisel Another shot for Weisel? | newsobserver.com projects ] ] and Buncombe County Commissioner David Young [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/young_for_treasurer Young for treasurer | newsobserver.com projects ] ] -- and one Republican, state Rep. Bill Daughtridge.

Cowell won the Democratic primary with approximately 46 percent of the vote. Young came in second, with 36 percent.

=Superintendent of Public Instruction=

Incumbent Superintendent June Atkinson (Democratic)won renomination by defeating North Carolina Association of Educators president Eddie Davis in the Democratic primary (with about 53 percent of the vote). [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/davis_considering_run Davis considering run | newsobserver.com projects ] ] Republicans [http://www.electjoejohnson.org/ Joe Johnson] [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/profiles/joe_johnson Joe Johnson | newsobserver.com projects ] ] and [http://www.erichsmith.com/ Eric H. Smith] [ [http://www.erichsmith.com Smith for State Superintendent ] ] lost to former state House co-Speaker Richard T. Morgan in the Republican primary.

=Commissioner of Agriculture=

Incumbent Commissioner Steve Troxler (Republican) is opposed by attorney Ronnie Ansley (Democratic). [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/ansley_to_run_for_ag_commissioner Ansley to run for Ag commissioner | newsobserver.com projects ] ]

=Commissioner of Labor=

Four Democrats -- [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/profiles/robin_anderson Robin Anderson] , chair of the State Personnel Commission, [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/anderson_to_run_for_labor_commissioner Anderson to run for Labor commissioner | newsobserver.com projects ] ] Ty Richardson, Mary Fant Donnan, a former N.C. Department of Labor official, [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/profiles/mary_fant_donnan Mary Fant Donnan profile page] ] and former Labor Commissioner John C. Brooks -- filed to run against incumbent Commissioner Cherie Berry (Republican).

Mary Fant Donnan finished first, with almost 28 percent of the vote, in the May 6 primary. Brooks was the runner-up. Brooks called for a June 24 runoff, which was his right, because no candidate won more than 40 percent of the vote in the first primary. [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/labor_candidates_want_a_recount News & Observer: Labor candidates want a recount] ] [ [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/no_recount_in_labor_race News & Observer: No recount in Labor race] ] Donnan defeated Brooks in the runoff, with approximately 68 percent of the vote, becoming the Democratic nominee. [Romoser, James. [http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/jun/25/runoff-for-labor-post-goes-to-donnan/ Runoff for labor post goes to Donnan] . Winston-Salem Journal, 2008-06-25. Accessed 2008-06-25] [Beckwith, Ryan Teague. [http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1119474.html News & Observer: Donnan wins runoff that few bothered to vote in] . Accessed 2008-06-25]

=Commissioner of Insurance=

Incumbent Commissioner Jim Long (Democratic) surprised observers by not seeking another term. [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_ap?id=118563 FayObserver.com - AP Article Page ] ] His chosen successor, assistant Commissioner and former state Rep. Wayne Goodwin, defeated David C. Smith in the Democratic primary by winning about 56 percent of the vote. John Odom, a former Raleigh city councilman, is the only Republican candidate. Mark McMains is the candidate of the Libertarian Party. [ [http://www.lpnc.org/news.php?news=20080630.php Libertarian Party of NC press release: Libertarians File List of 2008 Candidates] ]

Other North Carolina Council of State elections: 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

References

External links

* [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/council_of_state_republican_primary News & Observer: Council of State Republican primary]
* [http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/council_of_state_democratic_primary News & Observer: Council of State Democratic primary]
* [http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2008/05/general-election-council-of-state.html Public Policy Polling: first General Election polls of Council of State races (minus Labor Commissioner)]
* [http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/1875/4005/en/summary.html State Board of Elections: Primary Election Results]