The 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Democratic state Attorney General Roy Cooper won his first term in office, narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Pat McCrory.
Primary elections were held March 15. Both McCrory and Cooper won their primaries by overwhelming margins. Lon Cecil, a consultant and electrical engineer, was the Libertarian nominee. This race was expected to be among the most competitive in the country in the 2016 gubernatorial election cycle.
On election night, the race was too close to call, with Cooper leading by fewer than 5,000 votes out of more than 4.6 million cast. That lead eventually widened to 10,281 votes. Cooper claimed victory that night, with thousands of provisional ballots still yet to be counted, saying, "We have won this race." However, McCrory refused to concede, claiming that the race was still too close to call and the winner had not yet been determined. He cast doubt on the authenticity of 90,000 late-arriving votes from Durham County, which put Cooper in the lead. McCrory's campaign filed complaints alleging voter fraud in over 50 counties. Both campaigns anticipated a protracted legal battle over the results.
On November 22, 2016, McCrory formally requested a statewide recount;N.C. governor seeks recount amid voter-fraud complaints, won't concede once all ballots are counted, North Carolina election law allows either candidate to request a recount if the margin is fewer than 10,000 votes. On November 30, 2016, the North Carolina State Board of Elections ordered a recount of certain votes in Durham County. The recount was slated to be completed on December 5, 2016. However, when early results made it apparent that the margin would not change, McCrory conceded the race to Cooper on the afternoon of December 5.
This was the first time since North Carolina governors became eligible for immediate reelection in 1976 that a sitting officeholder was defeated in a bid for a second term and the only North Carolina gubernatorial election since 1896 in which neither major party nominee received over 50% of the vote.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared Robert Brawley, former state representative Pat McCrory, incumbent governor Charles Moss, preacher, former Randolph County Soil & Water Conservation Board member, Democratic state senate candidate in 2004, and candidate for governor in 2012
Declined Greg Brannon, physician, Tea Party activist and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (running for U.S. Senate) Dan Forest, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina (running for re-election)
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error PatMcCrory CharlesMoss RobertBrawley UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 11–13, 2016 749 ± 3.6% 70% 7% 6% 17%High Point UniversityHigh Point University March 9–10, 2016 734 ± 2.5% 73% 6% 8% 13%SurveyUSASurveyUSA March 4–7, 2016 688 ± 3.6% 66% 6% 9% 19%SurveyUSASurveyUSA February 14–16, 2016 437 ± 4.5% 67% – 17% 16%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 14–16, 2016 597 ± 4.0% 69% 4% 5% 22%High Point UniversityHigh Point University January 30–February 4, 2016 477 ± 4.5% 75% 3% 2% 20%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling January 18–19, 2016 433 ± 3.2% 68% 6% 4% 22%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error PatMcCrory DanForest UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 12–16, 2015 406 ± 4.9% 60% 20% 20%
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared Roy Cooper, North Carolina Attorney General Kenneth Spaulding, former state representative and candidate for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district in 1984
Withdrawn James Protzman, businessman and former Chapel Hill town council member
Declined Janet Cowell, North Carolina State Treasurer (not seeking re-election or running for any other office) Anthony Foxx, United States Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of Charlotte Kay Hagan, former U.S. Senator, and former State Senator Charles Meeker, former mayor of Raleigh (running for Labor Commissioner) Heath Shuler, former U.S. Representative Josh Stein, state senator and former deputy attorney general of North Carolina (running for Attorney General)
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error RoyCooper KennethSpaulding Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 11–13, 2016 746 ± 3.6% 53% 17% — 30%High Point University March 9–10, 2016 669 ± 2.5% 64% 18% — 19%SurveyUSA March 4–7, 2016 687 ± 3.8% 51% 19% — 30%SurveyUSA February 14–16, 2016 449 ± 4.7% 50% 21% — 29%Public Policy Polling February 14–16, 2016 575 ± 4.1% 55% 12% — 33%High Point University January 30–February 4, 2016 478 ± 4.5% 49% 11% — 40%Public Policy Polling January 18–19, 2016 461 ± 3.2% 55% 10% — 35%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling December 5–7, 2015 555 ± 2.8% 54% 10% — 36%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 23–25, 2015 421 ± 4.8% 58% 13% — 29%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error RoyCooper AnthonyFoxx KayHagan CharlesMeeker KennethSpaulding Other/Undecided 400 ± 5% 31% 7% 43% 3% 4% 12%
Results
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared Lon Cecil, retired engineer and nominee for NC-12 in 2010
Withdrawn Ken Fortenberry, newspaper publisher, author, journalist and Republican candidate for North Carolina's 10th congressional district in 2012
Declined Sean Haugh, pizza delivery man and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2014 (running for U.S. Senate)
Write-in candidates
Declared
Daniel Orr, navy veteran
General election
Debates Complete video of debate, October 11, 2016 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 18, 2016 - C-SPAN
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report August 12, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 1, 2016 Governing October 27, 2016
Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated PatMcCrory (R) RoyCooper (D) Other/UndecidedMarginReal Clear PoliticsReal Clear PoliticsOctober 23 – November 6, 2016November 6, 201646.2%48.4%5.4%Cooper +2.2%