NC Capitol is WRAL's NC State Capitol Bureau. State Capitol news, plus state government news in Raleigh, the Triangle, and surrounding areas.

<p>The WRAL News team covers the General Assembly and North Carolina politics on air and online. Follow their work at NC Capitol.</p>

NC Capitol

@NCCapitol

Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger is endorsing Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the 2024 GOP primary for North Carolina governor. But he says he doesn't plan to make an endorsement in the presidential primary.

Why NC's most powerful Republican is endorsing a candidate for governor, but not president

Sen. Phil Berger

NC's Students for Trump co-founder accused of hitting woman in head with a pistol

Man loading handgun

NC Democratic candidates seek to woo influential Black political group

View of downtown Durham from Foster Street

The Environmental Protection Agency reversed its decision to allow Chemours to import up to 4.4 million pounds of GenX waste from its Netherlands facility to Fayetteville.

EPA reverses decision to allow Chemours to import GenX waste from the Netherlands to NC

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper joined former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a Biden-Harris campaign call Tuesday, raising his profile as a surrogate for the campaign -- and raising questions about his next steps.

NC Gov. Roy Cooper, facing end of term, ups his profile as Biden surrogate

Facing term's end, Cooper gets closer to Biden/Harris

State Rep. Erin Pare, who represents Holly Springs in the North Carolina House, said in August that she would run for the U.S. House.

Republican state lawmaker changes plans, won't run for Triangle-area US House seat

Decision 2024 WRAL News election coverage

The lawsuit challenging North Carolina's state Senate maps as racially gerrymandered can still continue, although a judge has declined the challengers' request to quickly hold a key hearing.

GOP lawmakers win an early battle in NC gerrymandering lawsuit

voting map, redistricting

Earls is being investigated by the Judicial Standards Commission for comments she made in media interviews about racial, gender and political biases on the state's highest court. Most of the Supreme Court justices are white Republican men; Earls is the only Black woman on the court as well as one of only two Democrats. 

Ethics investigation into NC Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls can continue, federal judge rules

Anita Earls

A new lawsuit against the state's new Senate voting districts is poised to move quickly, and other lawsuits could be on the way as well. Here's what that might mean for impending election deadlines.  

Judge could agree to speed up a hearing to block new NC voting districts

2023 NC Senate map

A new lawsuit against the state's new Senate voting districts could move quickly, and other lawsuits could be on the way as well. Here's what that might mean for impending election deadlines.  

Federal judge could hear request next week to block NC's new Senate districts

NC Legislative Building

North Carolina's new voter ID rules were used for the first time in the 2023 elections. But a federal lawsuit could still block voter ID in 2024, if a trial happens soon enough.

NAACP, state lawmakers jostle over voter ID trial date as 2024 election looms closer

Black Turnout in Alabama Complicates Debate on Voting Laws

North Carolinians donated $58 million from July 2022 through June 2023, according to a state report released Monday. But charities are also struggling with inflation and rising costs. 

NC residents donate more to charity, but inflation takes toll

money generic, cash generic

North Carolina Republican state legislators redrew the district lines for the state legislative seats this year. Opponents say they violate federal voting rights laws.

Black voters sue to strike down NC Senate map, saying it's racially gerrymandered

Senate leader Phil Berger, and other Senate Republicans, roll out their Parents' Bill of Rights legislaiton May 24, 2022.

View More

A new ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee claims U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., voted to send hundreds of millions of dollars to Iran that was then used to financially back "radical" groups including Hamas, a militant group in Gaza designated as a terror group by the United States.

Fact check: Did U.S. send money to Iran, funding groups that attacked Israel?

Hamas Attack on Israel Brings New Scrutiny of Group’s Ties to Iran

Fact check: Are half of American high schoolers unfamiliar with the Holocaust?

Israel_Palestinians_Timeline_40041

Politifact

On the same day Joe Biden held the annual presidential "turkey pardon," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre used Thanksgiving to make a point about slowing inflation.

Fact-checking White House claim about low Thanksgiving dinner costs

Pay Growth and Prices Picked Up, Keeping Fed on Track for Rate Increases

Fact check: Biden compares lost farmland to 'the size of Minnesota, North and South Dakota combined'

Producer_Prices_54921

Fact check: Is U.S. aid to foreign nations mostly military support?

PolitiFact: False

Fact check: 'Lincoln challenged a guy to a sword fight,' senator says defending squabble

PolitiFact: Half-true

Fact check: Harris says decline in inflation due to Biden policies

PolitiFact: Mostly False

Hundreds of thousands in North Carolina will be added to Medicaid rolls this week

State news

14-year-old boy charged with murder after stabbing at NC school kills 1 student, injures another

1 student killed, 1 hospitalized in stabbing at North Carolina high school

University of North Carolina shooting suspect found unfit for trial, sent to mental health facility

Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford, dies at 100

National politics

Blinken seeks a new extension of the Gaza cease-fire as he heads again to the Middle East

Biden visits Boebert's district to reject Republican criticism of green policies

Conservative Supreme Court justices seem open to an attack on the Securities and Exchange Commission

Leonardo Williams is set to replace outgoing Durham Mayor Elaine O'Neal. Williams defeated challenger Mike Woodard on Tuesday.

'There's going to be a new culture': Leo Williams elected as new mayor of Durham

Leonardo Williams

Incumbent Mitch Colvin secured his fourth term as Fayetteville mayor. Freddie de la Cruz ran against Colvin for the second time.

Fayetteville mayor race: Incumbent Mitch Colvin secures fourth term, defeats Freddie de la Cruz

Incumbent Mitch Colvin (left) is seeking to secure his fourth term as Fayetteville mayor.  Freddie de la Cruz (right)  is running against Colvin for the second time.

Jess Anderson is set to replace Pam Hemminger as Chapel Hill mayor.

Jess Anderson to become next Chapel Hill mayor, defeats Adam Searing

Jess Anderson elected as next Chapel Hill mayor

For many voters casting ballots in North Carolina's 2023 municipal elections, it's the first time they've had to show photo identification at the polls. And even people who lack ID will still be allowed to vote, under most circumstances.

Few problems reported as 2023 elections offer first test of new voter ID rules in North Carolina

Voter ID educational information at the Lee County Board of Elections office in Sanford, NC on Aug. 24, 2023. 

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, is an election day in North Carolina, with elections for mayor in Durham and Fayetteville, and a town council runoff election in Cary, among others. Polls open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Who is running, how to vote in local elections on Tuesday

Election Day, I Voted stickers

Voter resources

Students are reported for possession of non-firearm weapons about 20 times as often as they are for firearms. But schools are still relatively safe places, and many crime statistics in schools have been improving for years, experts say. 

Click To Listen Live