Forms of Government and Methods of Election in North Carolina Cities

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Name Style Population Form of Gov.sort descending Governing Body # Mem. Mayor Selection Mayor Term Board Selection Board Term Election Method Statutory Citations Notes
Greenville City 84,554 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL/D 2 Plurality SL 1981, c. 272 GS 160A-101 Five council members are elected from districts and one at large.
Seven Devils Town 192 Council Manager Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board At pleasure of board AL 4S/2 Plurality SL 1979, c. 205 GS 160A-101 Three council members are elected every two years. The two persons receiving the highest number of votes receive four-year terms; the person finishing third receives a two-year term.
Roanoke Rapids City 15,754 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years D 4S Plurality SL 1995, c. 34
Bethel Town 1,577 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1953, c. 609 GS 160A-101 Pr. 1873-74, c. 20
Wilson City 49,167 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 2 Years D 2 Plurality SL 1969, c. 136 SL 1979, c. 334 GS 160A-101
Eden City 15,527 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1967, c. 967 SL 1969, c. 781 GS 160A-101 GS 163-290
New Bern City 29,524 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 4 Years D 4 Majority SL 1985, c. 64 SL 1957, c. 1281 SL 1983, c. 174 GS 160A-101
Wadesboro Town 5,813 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 297 SL 2003-190
Concord City 79,066 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years AL/DAL 4 Plurality SL 1985(86), c. 861 GS 160A-101 Six council members are elected from residence districts, and one is elected at large.
Grifton Town 2,617 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 480 GS 160A-101
Robbins Town 1,097 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1935, c. 63 SL 1979, c. 230 160A-101
Canton Town 4,227 Council Manager Aldermen 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1907, c. 90 Pr. 1911, c. 178 Pr. 1935, c. 119 GS 160A-101
Forest City Town 7,476 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 209 GS 160A-101
Kinston City 21,677 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Partisan SL 1987, c. 169
Beulaville Town 1,296 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 136 GS 160A-101
Edenton Town 5,004 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1985(86), c. 815 Four council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Apex Town 37,476 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1985, c. 356 GS 160A-101
Hudson Town 3,776 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 239 SL 1967, c. 322 GS 160A-101
Mills River Town 6,802 Council Manager Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 4 Years AL/DAL 4S Plurality SL 2003-242 Three council members are elected from residence districts, and two are elected at large.
Lowell City 3,526 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993, c. 111
Cape Carteret Town 1,917 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1959, c. 727 SL 1963, c. 929 SL 1969, c. 284 GS 160A-101
Pinehurst Village 13,124 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Mun. Bd. Control 1980 GS 160A-101
Biltmore Forest Town 1,343 Council Manager Commissioners 3 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality Pr. 1923, c. 32 GS 160A-66 S.L. 2019-27 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator who supervises all town departments. The jurisdiction holds municipal elections in even-numbered years (S.L. 2019-27)
Elizabeth City City 18,683 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 2 Years D 2 Majority SL 2001-227
Wake Forest Town 30,117 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 273 SL 1993, c. 118
Huntersville Town 46,773 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1885, c. 46 GS 160A-66 GS 160A-101
Robersonville Town 1,488 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL/D 2 Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 59 SL 1951, c. 48 GS 160A-101 Four council members are elected from two-member districts, and one is elected at large.
Carolina Beach Town 5,706 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 1973, c. 376 SL 1981, c. 842
Kitty Hawk Town 3,272 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 206 GS 160A-101
Biscoe Town 1,700 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1901, c. 24 SL 1963, c. 656 GS 160A-66 GS 160A-101
Elizabethtown Town 3,583 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 Pr. 1895, c. 156 SL 2004-34
Newport Town 4,150 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1927, c. 225 SL 1969, c. 495 GS 160A-101
Archdale City 11,415 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL/DAL 4S Plurality SL 1969, c. 667 SL 2007-41 Four council members are elected from residence districts, and two are elected at large. In addition, Archdale holds municipal elections in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Walkertown Town 4,675 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1983(84), c. 936 GS 160A-101
Conover City 8,165 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1977, c. 78 GS 160A-101
Indian Beach Town 112 Council Manager Commissioners 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 513 GS 160A-101
Minnesott Beach Town 440 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1971, c. 890
Rockingham City 9,558 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S/2 Plurality SL 1974, c. 1265 SL 1995(96), c. 698 SL 2001-68 Three board members are elected every two years. The two persons receiving the highest number of votes receive four-year terms; the person with the third-highest vote total receives a two-year term.
Knightdale Town 11,401 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1927, c. 155 GS 160A-101
Pineville Town 7,479 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1965, c. 296 G.S. 160A-101 (2015) The council employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Newton City 12,968 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989(90). c. 1042 GS 160A-101
Wallace Town 3,880 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 94 SL 1997-321
Indian Trail Town 33,518 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-257
Sugar Mountain Village 198 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2007-242 SL 1985, c. 395
Mint Hill Town 22,722 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1971, c. 73 GS 160A-101
Shelby City 20,323 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Primary PL1939, c. 252 SL 1961, c. 416, 509 GS 160A-101 GS 163-290
Lumberton City 21,542 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 4 Years D 4S Plurality SL 1963, c. 115 SL 1965, c. 282 SL 1967, c. 237 SL 1971, c. 166 GS 163-290
Carrboro Town 19,582 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 476
Black Mountain Town 7,848 Council Manager Aldermen 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1951, c. 747 SL 1969, c. 1034 GS 160A-101 SL 2019-27 Elections are held in even numbered years (SL 2019-27)
Winston-Salem City 229,617 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 4 Years D 4 Partisan Pr. 1927, c. 232 Pr. 1933, c. 60 SL 1947, c. 601 SL 1965, c. 53 GS 163-279 GS 160A-101 SL 2011-141 Winston-Salem municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Elkin Town 4,001 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 740 SL 2014-35 Elkin holds municipal elections in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Asheboro Town 25,012 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Primary SL 1967, c. 481 SL 1989(90), c. 921 GS 160A-101
Summerfield Town 10,232 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1995, c. 426 GS 160A-101
Jacksonville City 70,145 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1967, c. 911 GS 163-290 GS 160A-101 Four council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Hamlet Town 6,495 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1969, c. 506 GS 160A-101 GS 163-290
Siler City Town 7,887 Council Manager Commissioners 7 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Plurality Pr. 1887, c. 88 SL 1989, c. 16 Five commissioners are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Rocky Mount City 57,477 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years D 4S Majority SL 2003-327
Carthage Town 2,205 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1999-239 Although the town chater, SL 1999-239, styles the town governing board as the town council, the town actually styles the board as the board of commissioners.
LaGrange Town 2,873 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 163-290 SL 1979(80), c. 1151 GS 160A-101 Although the town charter styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Pittsboro Town 3,743 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 348
Winterville Town 9,269 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 1993(94), c. 603
Asheville City 83,393 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality Pr. 1935, c. 30 SL 1969, c. 165 GS 160A-101 Pr. 1931, c. 121 SL 2018-123 Asheville holds municipal elections in even-numbered years (SL 2018-123). One council member is at-large; the remaining five members are elected from districts. (SL 2018-123)
Walnut Cove Town 1,425 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1991, c. 447
Cornelius Town 24,866 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1991(92), c. 852 GS 160A-101 SL 1971, c. 288
Jamestown Town 3,382 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary SL 1981, c. 370
Surf City Town 1,853 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1963, c. 829 GS 160A-101
Mocksville Town 5,051 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1963, c. 74 GS 160A-101
Rolesville Town 3,786 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 PL 1941, c. 84 SL 1977, c. 346
Cary Town 135,234 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Majority SL 2005-117 Four council members are elected from districts and two are elected at large.
Franklinton Town 2,023 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993, c. 160 SL 2007-138
Lake Lure Town 1,192 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 194
Blowing Rock Town 1,241 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 419 GS 160A-101
Cramerton Town 4,165 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 2013 178 SL 1967, c. 1061 SL 2013-178
Swansboro Town 2,663 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S/2 Plurality Pr. 1895, c. 207 GS 160A-101 SL 1971, c. 561 SL 1955, c. 443
Madison Town 2,246 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 289 SL 2004-54

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