Forms of Government and Methods of Election in North Carolina Cities

Name Style Population Form of Gov. Governing Body # Mem. Mayor Selectionsort ascending Mayor Term Board Selection Board Term Election Method Statutory Citations Notes
Emerald Isle Town 3,655 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1973, c. 526 GS 160A-101
White Lake Town 802 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-150
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)
Northwest City 735 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993, c. 222
Creswell Town 276 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1907, c. 276 SL 1993(94), c. 626 GS 163-279
Vanceboro Town 1,005 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1929, c. 26
Arapahoe Town 556 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Mun. Bd. Control SL 1969, c. 200
Tobaccoville Village 2,441 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1991, c. 232 The council employs a village administrator who supervises all departments.
Kings Mountain City 10,296 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 2 Years AL/D 2 Plurality SL 1947, c. 684 SL 1951, c. 836 SL 1969, c. 204 GS 160A-101 Five council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Mount Gilead Town 1,181 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 133 SL 1957, c. 163 GS 160A-101
Cedar Rock Town 300 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1997-317
Spindale Town 4,321 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 378 GS 160A-101
Rose Hill Town 1,626 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1901, c. 67 SL 1969, c. 330 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Hertford Town 2,143 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1965, c. 586
Marvin Village 5,579 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1993(94), c. 641 The council employs a village administrator to supervise all employees.
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
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
Salemburg Town 435 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1967, c. 104 SL 1993(94), c. 703
Pollocksville Town 311 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1911, c. 163 SL 1965, c. 202 GS 160A-101 GS 163-279
Gibsonville Town 6,410 Council Manager Aldermen 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 392
Leland Town 13,527 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989, c. 564 GS 160A-101
Enfield Town 2,532 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1993, c. 479 Four commissioners are elected from districts and one is elected at large. The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Whiteville City 5,394 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987(88), c. 1018 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
Norwood Town 2,379 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 212 SL 2001-15 SL 2015-253 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments. Norwood municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Crossnore Town 192 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected At pleasure of board AL 4S/2 Plurality SL 1967, c. 832 Three aldermen are elected every two years. The two persons receiving the highest number of votes receive four-year terms; the third finisher receives a two-year term.
Vandemere Town 254 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1895, c. 311 GS 163-279
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.
Topsail Beach Town 368 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1963, cc. 67, 284 SL 1977, c. 272 SL 1989, c. 153
Kingstown Town 681 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Majority SL 1989, c. 632
Mount Holly City 13,656 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 212
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.
Spring Hope Town 1,320 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1923, c. 207 SL 1973, c. 40 GS 160A-101 Pr. 1889, c. 55
Roseboro Town 1,191 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1891, c. 279 SL 1995, c. 18
Hickory City 40,010 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Primary SL 1961, c. 323 SL 1967, c. 404
Matthews Town 27,198 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary Pr. 1879, c. 60 Pr. 1911, c. 172 SL 1951, c. 179 GS 160A-101
Carolina Shores Town 3,048 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL/DAL 4S Plurality SL 1998-75 SL 2003-78 Three commissioners are elected from residence districts, and two are elected at large.
Powellsville Town 276 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary Pr. 1919, c. 94 GS 163-290
Glen Alpine Town 1,517 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1883, c. 61 SL 1989, c. 131
Lenoir City 18,228 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Primary SL 1977, c. 118 SL 1997-262
Erwin Town 4,405 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Majority SL 1967, c. 12 GS 160A-101
Black Creek Town 769 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1870, c. 104 SL 1951, c. 485 GS 160A-101
Oak City Town 317 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 155 PL 1953, c. 66 Pr. 1891, c. 100 GS 163-290
Dallas Town 4,488 Council Manager Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1979, c. 342 GS 160A-101
Varnamtown Town 541 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987(88), c. 1003
Archer Lodge Town 4,292 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-466
Trent Woods Town 4,155 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1959, c. 718 GS 163-279
Chadbourn Town 1,856 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989(90), c. 895 SL 2007-271
Spring Lake Town 11,964 Council Manager Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1977, c. 742 GS 160A-101
High Point City 104,371 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4 Primary SL 1991, c. 40 GS 160A-101 SL 2006-171 SL 1979, c. 501 SL 2013-261 Six council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large. Municipal elections reverted to being held in odd-numbered years in 2017.
Maxton Town 2,426 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1971, c. 731 GS 160A-101
Carrboro Town 19,582 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 476
Saluda City 713 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1933, c. 123 The board of commissioners employs a city administrator to supervise all departments.
Princeton Town 1,194 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2002-52
Godwin Town 139 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 397 SL 1947, c. 243 GS 163-279 SL 2009-5
Lewiston Woodville Town 549 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL/DAL 2 Plurality SL 1981, c. 266 Four council members are elected from residence districts and one is elected at large.
Eureka Town 197 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1949, c. 459 SL 1981, c. 70
Wilkesboro Town 3,413 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 Pr. 1889, c. 240 SL 1979, c. 645 Although the Wilkesboro charter styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the council.
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)
Oak Island Town 6,783 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1999-66 GS 160A-101 SL 2003-84
Danbury Town 189 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1991, c. 169 GS 160A-101
Vass Town 720 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1907, c 407 SL 1953, c. 817 GS 160A-101 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator who supervises all departments.
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
Trenton Town 287 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1911, c. 174 SL 1949, c. 879
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
Spruce Pine Town 2,175 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 335 SL 1995(96), c. 663 GS 160A-101
High Shoals City 696 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 317 GS 160A-101
Mayodan Town 2,478 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 501 GS 160A-101
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.
Princeville Town 2,082 Council Manager Commissioners 4 Elected 4 Years D 4 Plurality SL 1977, c. 688 GS 160A-101
Goldsboro City 36,437 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years D 4 Primary SL 1973, c. 69 SL 1975, c. 245 SL 1985(86), c. 888 GS 160A-101
Lewisville Town 12,639 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1991, c. 116
Everetts Town 164 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1893, c. 321 SL 1979, c. 82
Williamston Town 5,511 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4 Plurality Pr. 1901, c. 129 SL 1991, c. 374 GS 160A-101 Four commissioners are elected from districts and one is elected at large. The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Bladenboro Town 1,750 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1974, c. 1270 GS 160A-101

Pages