NC constitutional change required for 'team tickets'
Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor would run together in fall elections should voters agree to the change in a bill that's cleared one legislative committee.
Posted — UpdatedThe House Elections Committee voted 16-11 along party lines Tuesday for a proposal asking voters in 2018 to amend the state constitution to require voters to choose between "team tickets" in general elections. The change would begin in 2020, so it shouldn't affect Gov. Pat McCrory or Lt. Gov. Dan Forest.
Sponsor Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham, said the governor and lieutenant governor should be from the same party, especially as the lieutenant governor moves up if the governor dies in office. The positions were held by opposing parties in the mid- to late 1980s.
Voters would still be allowed to cast ballots in party primaries for lieutenant governor candidates, and the winners would be paired with the winners of the gubernatorial primaries, Jones said.
Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, said that puts anyone seeking to run as unaffiliated candidates at a disadvantage because they would be forced to find another unaffiliated candidate willing to run on the same ticket.
The bill next heads to the full House.
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