Forms of Government and Methods of Election in North Carolina Cities

Name Style Population Form of Gov. Governing Body # Mem. Mayor Selection Mayor Termsort ascending Board Selection Board Term Election Method Statutory Citations Notes
Roxobel Town 240 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1911, c. 439
Bayboro Town 1,263 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1903, c. 110 GS 160A-101
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.
Danbury Town 189 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1991, c. 169 GS 160A-101
Richfield Town 613 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1953, c. 1066 SL 1961, c. 527 GS 163-279 SL 2015-253 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator to supervise all departments. Richfield municipal elections held in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Hamilton Town 408 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1945, c. 302
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
Southport City 2,833 Council Manager Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1983, c. 659
Brunswick Town 1,119 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1925, c. 197
Mayodan Town 2,478 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 501 GS 160A-101
Bear Grass Town 73 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality PL 1909, c. 74 SL 1961, c. 1128
Beaufort Town 4,039 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 435 Pr. 1919, c. 103 GS 160A-101
Everetts Town 164 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1893, c. 321 SL 1979, c. 82
Lewisville Town 12,639 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1991, c. 116
Davidson Town 10,944 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality GS 163-279 GS 160A-101 Pr. 1879, c. 32 SL 1957, c. 36
Richlands Town 1,520 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1905, c. 47 SL 1949, c. 476
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
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.
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.
Ruth Town 440 Mayor Council Commissioners 2 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality PL 1939, c. 53
Maysville Town 1,019 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4 Plurality GS 160A-101 Pr. 1897, c. 171 GS 163-279
Beech Mountain Town 320 Council Manager Council Members 5 Council Member with the most votes 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1981, c. 246
Lexington City 18,931 Council Manager Council Members 8 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 906 SL 1987, c. 64 Six council members are elected from districts, and two are elected at large.
Jamestown Town 3,382 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Primary SL 1981, c. 370
River Bend Town 3,119 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Mun. Bd. Control 1981 GS 160A-66 GS 160A-101
Harmony Town 531 Mayor Council Aldermen 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Mun. Bd. Control
Cherryville City 5,760 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1969, c. 581
Pine Knoll Shores Town 1,339 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 265 GS 160A-101
Speed Town 80 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1923, c. 169 SL 1957, c. 279
Bunn Town 344 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1963, c. 690
Liberty Town 2,656 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 579
Jamesville Town 491 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1951, c. 232 GS 160A-101
Weaverville Town 3,120 Council Manager Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1909, c. 335 GS 160A-101
Teachey Town 376 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1957, c. 253 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator who also acts as clerk.
Harrells Town 202 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1969, c. 466 Although the town charter styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the board of alderman.
Pine Level Town 1,700 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1907, c. 425 SL 1957, c. 50
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,
Franklinville Town 1,164 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1983(84), c. 1017
Lilesville Town 536 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1947, c. 764
Dobbins Heights Town 866 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Majority SL 1983, c. 658
Harrellsville Town 106 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality PL 1955, c. 92 PL 1983, c. 138 Although the legislative acts cited above style the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Pinebluff Town 1,337 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1979, c. 243 GS 160A-101
Spencer Mountain Town 37 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1963, c. 473 Although the Spencer Mountain charter styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the council.
Burlington City 49,963 Council Manager Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4 Primary SL 1961, c. 119 GS 160A-101 SL 2014-74
Saint Helena Village 389 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1987(88), c. 942 GS 160A-101
McFarlan Town 117 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1885, c. 102 PL 1947, c. 771 Although the legislation cited above styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Belville Town 1,936 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1977, c. 84 GS 160A-101 The board of commissioners employs a town administrator who supervises all departments.
Faison Town 961 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1973, c. 378
Weddington Town 9,459 Mayor Council Council Members 4 Elected 2 Years DAL 4S Plurality SL 1983, c. 256 GS 160A-101 The council employs a town administrator to supervise all departments.
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.
Fuquay-Varina Town 17,937 Council Manager Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality Pr. 1915, c. 167 SL 1959, c. 774
Mesic Town 220 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1971, c. 626 GS 160A-101
Faith Town 807 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1961, c. 159 SL 1979(80), c. 1111
Alamance Village 951 Mayor Council Aldermen 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 840
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
Hassell Town 84 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1903, c. 96 SL 1965, c. 279
Gamewell Town 4,051 Mayor Council Council Members 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1981, c. 31 Although the town charter, SL 1981, c. 31, styles the governing board as the board of commissioners, the town actually styles the board as the town council.
Butner Town 7,591 Council Manager Council Members 6 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality GS 160A-101 SL 2007-269
Salisbury City 33,662 Council Manager Council Members 5 By and from Governing Board 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1987, c. 205
Micro Town 441 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1963, c. 762
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.
Falcon Town 258 Mayor Council Commissioners 4 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 318
Linden Town 130 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1913, c. 398 SL 2001-472
Kelford Town 251 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1907, c. 163 GS 160A-101
Albemarle Town 15,903 Council Manager Council Members 7 Elected 2 Years AL/D 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 259 SL 1987(88), c. 881 GS 160A-101 SL 2015-253 Four council members are elected from districts and three are elected at large. Albemarle holds municipal elections in even-numbered years, rather than odd-numbered years.
Dover Town 401 Mayor Council Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality Pr. 1901, c. 375 GS 163-290
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.
Trent Woods Town 4,155 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1959, c. 718 GS 163-279
Clarkton Town 837 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1955, c. 440 SL 1985, c. 36
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.
Spring Lake Town 11,964 Council Manager Aldermen 5 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1977, c. 742 GS 160A-101
Garland Town 625 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Elected 2 Years AL 4S Plurality SL 1979, c. 393
Middleburg Town 133 Mayor Council Council Members 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality
Falkland Town 96 Mayor Council Commissioners 3 Elected 2 Years AL 2 Plurality PL 1947, c. 1059 SL 1985(86), c. 832
Alliance Town 776 Mayor Council Commissioners 5 Council Member with the most votes 2 Years AL 2 Plurality SL 1965, c. 760

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