North Carolina has a long history of resistance to a strong executive branch, due to the harsh treatment of the state by British governors in the provincial period prior to the American Revolution. As a result, only qualified voters in North Carolina are eligible to be elected governors, and they are restricted to two consecutive terms in office. The current governor of North Carolina is Roy Cooper, who was elected in 2016 and is a member of the Democratic Party. Since his election, Cooper and the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly have been in conflict over legislation pertaining to governor's powers, election policies and other issues.
This has led to several governmental vetoes and overrides of the legislative veto. In addition, an amendment was added to the state constitution in 1977, allowing governors to serve a single four-year term and run for re-election. The Governor of North Carolina is responsible for preparing and presenting the state budget to the North Carolina General Assembly. They must take and sign an oath or affirmation of office before a North Carolina Supreme Court judge before they can serve.
The governor also has limited party veto authority, as North Carolina is one of only six states in which they cannot exercise this power. The State Quality of Life Index (SQLI) ranking for North Carolina has been in the 30s for most of the years studied, with its lowest ranking in 2003, finishing in 41st place. The most recent stories related to the Governor of North Carolina can be found through a Google news search for the terms Governor of North Carolina.
