Forms of Government and Methods of Election in North Carolina Cities

Name Style Population Form of Gov. Governing Bodysort descending # Mem. Mayor Selection Mayor Term Board Selection Board Term Election Method Statutory Citations Notes
Littleton Town 674 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2002-20
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.
Calypso Town 538 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 264
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
Princeville Town 2,082 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years D 4 Plurality SL 1977, c. 688 GS 160A-101
Middlesex Town 822 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1953, c. 1178 SL 1961, c. 44 GS 160A-101 Pr. 1908, c. 21 SL 2013-177 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Walnut Cove Town 1,425 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1991, c. 447
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.
Hookerton Town 409 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1985, c. 253
Cameron Town 285 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Laws 1876-77, c. 14 GS 163-279 GS 160A-101
Winton Town 769 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1961, c. 674 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator who supervises all departments.
Cove City Town 399 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1957, c. 427 GS 163-279 GS 160A-101
Bethania Town 328 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 By and from Governing Board At pleasure of board AL 4S Plurality SL 1995, c. 74
Oakboro Town 1,859 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1915, c. 51 SL 2015-253 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments. Oakboro municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Angier Town 4,350 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 2008-63
Ellerbe Town 1,054 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1967, c. 310 Pr. 1931, c. 24
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.
Raeford City 4,611 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 371 GS 160A-101
Midway Town 4,679 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2006-37.
Ansonville Town 631 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 2003-190 Mun. Bd. Control 1928 GS 163-290
Louisburg Town 3,359 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1961, c. 1022 GS 160A-101 The council employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Raleigh City 403,892 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 2 Years AL/D 2 Majority SL 1949, c. 1184 SL 1957, c. 121 SL 1973, c. 319 GS 160A-101 Five council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
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.
Forest City Town 7,476 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 209 GS 160A-101
Swepsonville Town 1,154 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 4 Years AL 4S Plurality 1997-448
Apex Town 37,476 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1985, c. 356 GS 160A-101
Smithfield Town 10,966 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1965, c. 827 SL 1989, c. 203 Pr. 1933, c. 36, 61 SL 1959, c. 56 Three council members are elected from districts, and four are elected at large.
Kinston City 21,677 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Partisan SL 1987, c. 169
Forest Hills Village 365 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1997-345
Cedar Rock Town 300 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1997-317
Lowell City 3,526 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993, c. 111
Roxboro City 8,362 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Majority SL 1997-282
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
Mineral Springs Town 2,639 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1999-175
Washington City 9,744 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1995 (96) c. 736
Cerro Gordo Town 207 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 1044 Although the town charter, SL 1973, c. 1044, styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Orrum Town 91 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1983(84), c. 993 SL 2017-58
Tabor City Town 2,511 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 40 Pr. 1935, c. 18 SL 1957, c 255 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.
Southern Pines Town 12,334 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary SL 1981, c. 352 GS 160A-101
Kitty Hawk Town 3,272 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 206 GS 160A-101
Indian Trail Town 33,518 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-257
Yanceyville Town 2,039 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1985, c. 501 SL 2000-86
Chadbourn Town 1,856 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989(90), c. 895 SL 2007-271
Ossipee Town 543 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2002-137.
Tar Heel Town 117 Mayor Council Council Members 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1963, c. 763
Archer Lodge Town 4,292 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-466
Lumber Bridge Town 94 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1911, c. 99 SL 1967, c. 226 SL 1995(96), c. 570 Although the legislation cited above styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Southern Shores Town 2,714 Council Manager Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 1979, c. 203
Knightdale Town 11,401 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1927, c. 155 GS 160A-101
Rural Hall Town 2,937 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973(74), c. 1100 GS 160A-101
Danbury Town 189 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1991, c. 169 GS 160A-101
Raynham Town 72 Mayor Council Council Members 3 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1975, c. 388 SL 1977, c. 16 GS 160A-101 SL 2017, c. 58
Foxfire Village Village 902 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board At pleasure of board AL 4S Plurality SL 1977, c. 237
Chapel Hill Town 57,233 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 473 SL 1981, c. 911 GS 160A-101
Tarboro Town 11,415 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 4 Years D 4S Plurality SL 1995, c. 73
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
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
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
Red Cross Town 742 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2002-56. SL 2015-253 Red Cross municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Misenheimer Village 728 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2003-268 SL 2004-19. SL 2015-253 Misenheimer municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Franklin Town 3,845 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 26 Pr. 1935, c. 5 GS 160A-66, -101 The board of aldermen employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Charlotte City 731,424 Council Manager Council Members 11 Elected 2 Years AL/D 2 Partisan SL 2000-26 Seven council members are elected from districts and four are elected at large.
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)
Sparta Town 1,770 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 Mun. Bd. Control 1924
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.
Jamestown Town 3,382 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary SL 1981, c. 370
Rutherford College Town 1,341 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1977, c. 452 GS 160A-101 The council employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
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.
Cherryville City 5,760 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1969, c. 581
Taylortown Town 722 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board At pleasure of board AL 2 Plurality SL 1987, c. 601
Lake Park Village 3,422 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993(94), c. 620
Rutherfordton Town 4,213 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 350 GS 160A-101
Casar Town 297 Mayor Council Council Members 3 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1971, c. 775 PL 1903, c. 359 GS 160A-101

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