Forms of Government and Methods of Election in North Carolina Cities

Name Style Population Form of Gov. Governing Body # Mem.sort descending Mayor Selection Mayor Term Board Selection Board Term Election Method Statutory Citations Notes
Love Valley Town 90 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Mun. Bd. Control
Ossipee Town 543 Mayor Council Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2002-137.
Boardman Town 157 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1991(92), c. 876
Halifax Town 234 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. Act 1786, c. 35
Wendell Town 5,845 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1985, c. 107
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.
Marshville Town 2,402 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 313 SL 1973, c. 652 SL 2000-62 SL 2010-21 The council employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Burgaw Town 3,872 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2001-247
Wingate Town 3,491 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1901, c. 55 GS 160A-101 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Stoneville Town 1,056 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1983, c. 287 GS 160A-101 SL 2008-9 The council employs a town administrator who supervises all departments.
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.
Ranlo Town 3,434 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1963, c. 776
Indian Trail Town 33,518 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-257
Saint Pauls Town 2,035 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1991(92), c. 874 SL 1993, c. 158 Four commissioners are elected from districts, and two are elected at large. The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
High Shoals City 696 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 317 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.
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.
Salemburg Town 435 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1967, c. 104 SL 1993(94), c. 703
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
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
Mineral Springs Town 2,639 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1999-175
Alamance Village 951 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 840
Dunn City 9,263 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years D 4 Majority SL 1969, c. 818 SL 1971, c. 104 GS 160A-101
Butner Town 7,591 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 2007-269
Mount Holly City 13,656 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 212
Benson Town 3,311 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1999-91 GS 160A-101 Three council members are elected from districts, and three are elected at large. In the election of at large members, each voter may only vote for one candidate.
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
Durham City 228,330 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL/DAL 4S Primary SL 1975, c. 671 GS 160A-101 Three council members are elected from residence districts, and three are elected at large.
Plymouth Town 3,878 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years D 2 Plurality SL 1995, c. 325 SL 2001-51
Woodfin Town 6,123 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 1971, c. 271 SL 1979, c. 324 SL 1983, c. 291 The board of aldermen employs a town administrator who supervises all departments.
Summerfield Town 10,232 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1995, c. 426 GS 160A-101
Red Springs Town 3,428 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1949, c. 1252 SL 1951, c. 344 SL 1957, c. 457 SL 1969, c. 212
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.
Fremont Town 1,255 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 4 Years D 4 Plurality SL 2009-292 The board of aldermen employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Lewisville Town 12,639 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1991, c. 116
Reidsville City 14,520 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1989(90) c. 957 SL 1993, c. 306 Four council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Bessemer City City 5,340 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years DAL 2 Plurality SL 1989(90), c. 1018
Granite Falls Town 4,722 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 382
White Lake Town 802 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2009-150
Kannapolis City 42,625 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1983, c. 191 GS 160A-101
Madison Town 2,246 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 289 SL 2004-54
Whiteville City 5,394 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987(88), c. 1018 GS 160A-101
Stallings Town 13,831 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1975, c. 758 GS 160A-101
Erwin Town 4,405 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Majority SL 1967, c. 12 GS 160A-101
Monroe City 32,797 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Majority SL 2000-35
Murphy Town 1,627 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4 Plurality SL 1979, c. 261 GS 160A-101
East Spencer Town 1,534 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 374 The board of aldermen employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
Flat Rock Village 3,114 Mayor Council Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Primary SL 1995, c. 48
Eastover Town 3,628 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 2007-267
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.
Manteo Town 1,434 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1899, c. 66 Pr. 1907, c. 198 SL 1993, c. 108 GS 160A-101
Wilmington City 106,476 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1977, c. 495 GS 160A-101
Fairmont Town 2,663 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL,1973, c. 288 GS 160A-101
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
Gastonia City 71,741 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1991, c. 557 SL 1993, c. 136 GS 160A-101
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.
Southport City 2,833 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1983, c. 659
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.
Mooresville Town 32,711 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Primary SL 1975, c. 239 GS 160A-101 Four commissioners are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Connelly Springs Town 1,669 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989, c. 528 SL 1993, c. 37
Carrboro Town 19,582 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987, c. 476
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
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)
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.
Bladenboro Town 1,750 Mayor Council Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1974, c. 1270 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
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.
Spencer City 3,267 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 37 PL 1939, c. 222 SL 1951, c. 325 SL 1957, c. 870 GS 160A-101,
Hickory City 40,010 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 4 Years DAL 4S Primary SL 1961, c. 323 SL 1967, c. 404
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.
Morrisville Town 18,576 Council Manager Commissioners 6 Elected 4 Years AL/DAL 4S Plurality SL 1947, c. 776 SL 1975, c. 802 GS 160A-101 Four commissioners are elected from residence districts, and two are elected at large.
Newton City 12,968 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1989(90). c. 1042 GS 160A-101
Oxford City 8,461 Council Manager Commissioners 7 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1963, c. 971
Rocky Mount City 57,477 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years D 4S Majority SL 2003-327
Lenoir City 18,228 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 4 Years AL 4S Primary SL 1977, c. 118 SL 1997-262

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