2012 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election

The 2012 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the other elections to the Council of State and the gubernatorial election. Primary elections were held May 8. The offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected independently. The incumbent, Lt. Gov. Walter H. Dalton, announced on Jan. 26, 2012 that he would run for Governor.

In the general election, Republican Dan Forest won 50.08% of the vote, narrowly defeating Democrat Linda Coleman. The election result was in doubt for almost two weeks after Election Day, and was within the margin in which Coleman could ask for a recount, but she chose not to do so on Nov. 19.

When he took office in January 2013, Forest became the state's first Republican lieutenant governor since Jim Gardner left office two decades earlier.

Declared

 * Linda Coleman, former state representative, state personnel director
 * Eric L. Mansfield, state senator

Declined

 * Cal Cunningham, former state senator
 * Hampton Dellinger, attorney

Results
[[File:2012 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary county map.svg|thumb|300px|Primary results by county: Coleman

{{legend|#011966|Coleman—71-80%}}

{{legend|#0030c0|Coleman—61-70%}}

{{legend|#154bef|Coleman—51-60%}} Mansfield

{{legend|#002400|Mansfield—71-80%}}

{{legend|#003900|Mansfield—61-70%}}

{{legend|#006400|Mansfield—51-60%}} ]]

Candidates

 * Declared
 * Dale Folwell, state representative, former Winston-Salem School Board member, accountant and investment advisor
 * Dan Forest, architect, son of Congresswoman Sue Myrick
 * Tony Gurley, Wake County Commissioner, pharmacist, ex-race car driver
 * Grey Mills, state representative
 * Arthur Rich, businessman

Results
[[File:2012 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary county map.svg|thumb|300px|Primary results by county: Forest

{{legend|#d60f0f|Forest—51-60%}}

{{legend|#ff0000|Forest—41-50%}}

{{legend|#f29b8a|Forest—31-40%}}

{{legend|#f8dbd5|Forest—21-30%}} Gurley

{{legend|#ffff00|Gurley—51-60%}}

{{legend|#f2f26c|Gurley—41-50%}}

{{legend|#f2f2a0|Gurley—31-40%}} Folwell

{{legend|#006400|Folwell—51-60%}}

{{legend|#59d622|Folwell—41-50%}}

{{legend|#90ee90|Folwell—31-40%}}

{{legend|#bfff92|Folwell—21-30%}} Mills

{{legend|#4872f1|Mills—41-50%}}

{{legend|#00ffff|Mills—31-40%}}

{{legend|#a1ffff|Mills—21-30%}} ]]

Under state law, if no candidate receives 40 percent of the vote in the primary, the second-place candidate can request a second primary (runoff). According to unofficial May 8 primary election results, Gurley came in second, and he announced that he would request such a runoff.

By congressional district
Forest won 10 of the state's 13 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.