The State Map shows the boundaries of North Carolina and the boundaries of each of the 100 counties that make up our state. There are some services that are important to people in all of the 100 counties (roads that span the entire state, for example), and so people everywhere in the state elect officials to see that these services are provided. Our state elected officials meet in Raleigh, North Carolina's capital. Raleigh is in Wake County, which you should be able to find on the State Map.

There are three different categories of elected state officials that work in Raleigh - executive officials, legislative officials, and judicial officials.

The first category, executive, includes the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the council of state. All of these officials are elected every four years by voters from every part of North Carolina.

The governor is the highest ranking elected state official in North Carolina. One of the governor's most important jobs is to see that the laws of North Carolina are followed. The governor also draws up a budget for the state and then sees that the approved funds are spent as they should be. In addition to these duties, the governor has charge of how state agencies are organized and appoints people to boards and commissions. If for any reason a governor cannot complete the term of office, the lieutenant governor becomes the governor.

The secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, attorney general, commissioner of labor, commissioner of agriculture, and commissioner of insurance are also elected officials and they serve on the council of state which is the main advisory body to the governor. In addition to serving on the council, each of these people has other specific jobs to do. The secretary of state, for example, is responsible for keeping North Carolina's records and other important papers and for administering the oath of office to other state officials. The auditor checks the books (the financial records) of all the state agencies, and the treasurer is responsible for collecting taxes and distributing money to the state agencies. The lieutenant governor also serves on the council, and the governor serves as chair of the council.

The members of the Council of State are elected officials. In addition to these elected officials, the Governor also meets with certain officials he appoints, his cabinet members.

Cabinet Members
Dept. of Administration - W. Britt Cobb Jr.
Dept. of Correction - Theodis Beck
Dept. of Crime Control & Public Safety - Bryan E. Beatty
Dept. of Cultural Resources - Lisbeth (Libba) Evans
Dept. of Commerce - Jim Fain
Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources - William G. Ross, Jr.
Dept. of Health and Human Services - Carmen Hooker Odom
Dept. of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention - George L. Sweat
Dept. of Revenue - Norris Tolson
Dept. of Transportation - Lyndo Tippett

The legislative officials are state senators and representatives who are elected every two years. The Senate and the House of Representatives together are called the General Assembly of North Carolina. The responsibility of the General Assembly is to make laws that apply to the whole state. The senators and representatives also appropriate, or set aside, funds necessary to implement or carry out the laws. The senate has 50 members, elected by voters from their district. When the senate meets, the lieutenant governor serves as president or presiding officer. This duty means that the lieutenant governor, an executive official, also has some legislative responsibilities.

The House of Representatives has 120 members, and they are also elected only by voters from their district. Although voters from the entire state elect executive officials, only voters in certain areas or districts can elect legislative officials.

To know who the state senators and representatives are from YOUR district, you must first know the number of your senate and house district. This information appears on voter registration cards, so first check with someone at your home for this information. If no one there can help you, there are several other ways to find out what district you live in. If you have a computer, you can go to www.meckboe.org. When the next page appears, click on "Maps to Your Precinct" on the right. The next page lets you enter your house number and street name, andf when you submit the information, the page changes to give you the parcel number and owner of the property. If you click on the parcel number, the next page lists the district numbers for state senators and representatives. You can also call the Board of Elections (704) 336-2133 to ask for help. You must be able to tell them your address, and whether you want the name of a member of the City Council or the name of a County Commissioner. This is the official website of the Mecklenburg Board of Elections. Once you access this page, click on “Where Do I Vote?” and enter your address. This site will give you the name of your state senators and representatives. You can also call the Board of Elections at (704) 336-2133 to ask for help. You must be able to tell them your address, and whether you want the name of your state senator or representative or both. If you already know what district you live in, you can look up the names in the column on the left.

The third category of elected state officials, the judicial category, is made up of judges. These judges hear and decide legal cases, making sure that North Carolina laws are used fairly and that they agree with the state constitution. The highest court in North Carolina is the state Supreme Court. It decides cases about the state constitution and the rights and freedoms of the citizens of North Carolina. The head of North Carolina's Supreme Court is the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice and all six associate judges who serve on the supreme court are elected by voters from the entire state, and the judges serve eight-year terms. The names of the current judges on the state Supreme Court are listed on the left.

For more information on North Carolina government and its elected officials check out the website www.ncgov.com. The general assembly provides a special web site for homework help at http://www.ncleg.net/homePage.pl. Click on "Educational & Homework Resources".