North Carolina has a Republican runoff in May. How do you vote in it?
Next month, North Carolina Republicans will have the chance to vote in the 2024 primary election ... again.
That’s because state law says if no candidate receives more than 30% of the vote in a primary, the second-place candidate can request a runoff.
During the first primary in March, Republican contests for lieutenant governor, state auditor and the 13th Congressional District all fell into this scenario, meaning the top two vote-getters in each of those GOP races will face off again on May 14.
Here’s what to know about voting in the second primary.
Who is running in the second primary?
The two statewide offices included in the second Republican primary are lieutenant governor and state auditor.
The candidates for lieutenant governor are Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill.
The candidates for state auditor are Jack Clark and David Boliek.
There is also a runoff for U.S. House in the 13th district. The candidates in that race are Kelly Daughtry and Brad Knott.
What about local races?
Some local races will have runoffs too, including the Orange County school board.
The News & Observer recently reported that incumbent school board candidate Jennifer Moore did not have a Ph.D. as she had previously claimed. She resigned from the board, but still faces Bonnie Hauser in a runoff election. Moore said if she wins she does not plan to retake her place on the board.
There will also be a second Republican primary for the Gaston County Board of Commissioners.
Who is eligible to vote in the second primary?
Only Republican candidates are headed to statewide second primaries this year.
That means only registered Republicans and some unaffiliated voters can vote in the May runoff for these races. An unaffiliated voter who either didn’t vote in the March primary or voted Republican is eligible to vote in the second primary.
Registered Democrats, Libertarians and Greens cannot vote in the second primary for lieutenant governor, state auditor and Congress.
Which races can I vote in?
All registered Republicans and eligible unaffiliated voters can participate in the second Republican primary for lieutenant governor and state auditor.
However, only voters living in the 13th Congressional District can participate in that primary. The 13th district encompasses all of Lee, Harnett, Johnston, Franklin, Caswell and Person counties and some of Granville and Wake County.
Voters can check which district they live in on the legislature’s website.
How do I vote in the second primary?
In-person early voting for the second primary begins on Thursday, April 25, and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.
Wake County has three polling sites for early voting:
▪ Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest.
▪ Wake County Board of Elections Office, 1200 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh.
▪ Wake Technical Community College Southern Campus, 9101 Fayetteville Rd. Bldg. N, Raleigh.
Voters can find more polling sites for in-person early voting on the State Board of Elections’ online voting site search.
Voters can also vote by mail or in-person on Election Day, which is May 14.
