How runoffs work in North Carolina
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Voters are casting ballots today in primaries across the state, but it may take several days or weeks to determine the winners of some races.
Why it matters: The primaries are crucial in North Carolina, since Republicans and Democrats who advance often cruise to victory in November because of how districts are drawn and populations are sorted.
How it works: A handful of runoffs and recounts are possible this election.
- Runoffs can be held if no candidate wins 30% of the vote. The candidates in first and second would go head-to-head. The runoff, if needed, would be held May 12.
- Recounts thresholds depend. If it's something on ballots statewide, like U.S. Senate, the threshold is 0.5%. If it's a local matter, like district attorney, it's 1%.
Zoom in: We're especially watching the 1st congressional district for a potential runoff. Five Republicans are competing to face incumbent Democrat Don Davis, and several of them have solid resumes.
- It's the district Republicans redrew last year to give themselves an advantage, and President Trump held off on endorsing before Primary Day.
Flashback: The state dropped the runoff threshold from 50% to 40% in 1989, and to the current 30% in 2017, to make runoffs less likely, political science professors Chris Cooper and Michael Bitzer wrote for Old North State Politics.
Fun fact: Runoffs produce different winners about a third of the time, Cooper and Bitzer's 2024 analysis found.
- One notable occasion sent Madison Cawthorn to Congress in 2020, despite him placing second in the initial Republican primary.
What's next: Polls close at 7:30 tonight, and election results will begin rolling in soon after.
Keep reading: Inside North Carolina's 2026 high-stakes primary races