Who is North Carolina's Governor? An Expert's Perspective

Learn about who is currently serving as Governor of North Carolina and how they were elected. Get an expert analysis on their powers and restrictions.

Who is North Carolina's Governor? An Expert's Perspective

The North Carolina General Assembly may vote and declare, by a two-thirds majority of both houses, that the governor is not fit for the mental disability charge. Cooper and the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly have failed to agree on legislation pertaining to governor's powers, election policies and other issues, leading to several governmental vetoes and overrides of the legislative veto. As the Republican force grew in North Carolina after 1950, state elections for governor became increasingly competitive. Well into the 20th century, North Carolina's Constitution made the state's governor one of the weakest in the nation. North Carolina governors are restricted to two consecutive terms in office, after which they must wait for a term before being eligible to run again.

In addition, the governor of North Carolina has broad powers of appointment of executive branch officials, some judges, and members of boards and commissions. The governor's term begins Jan. 1 after his election, but they cannot serve until they have taken and signed the oath or affirmation of office before a North Carolina Supreme Court judge. After McCrory's concession, conflicts began to arise between Cooper and the North Carolina General Assembly. Until an amendment to the state constitution was added in 1977, North Carolina governors could only serve a single four-year term and could not run for re-election. As with other state officials, only qualified voters in North Carolina are eligible to be elected governors.

The following link is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Governor of North Carolina. In addition, no elected governor can take office until he has been sworn in before the Chief Justice of North Carolina. The legislation included efforts to restructure the state board of elections, require Senate approval of cabinet-level appointments, and reduce the number of judges appointed by the governor to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The table below shows the partisanship of the North Carolina state government and the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI) ranking for the years studied. North Carolina is one of only six states in which the governor cannot exercise party veto authority.

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