The chart above displays the two leading presidential candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Two other candidates with significant support are Libertarian Gary Johnson, who is polling at 3 per cent, and Jill Stein of the Green Party, who is polling at 0.7 per cent. Read about our methodology.
Who won past presidential races in North Carolina?
North Carolina
National
Year
Margin of victory (pts)
Margin of victory (pts)
2012
Romney
+2
Obama
+3.9
2008
Obama
+0.3
Obama
+7.3
2004
Bush (G.W.)
+12.4
Bush (G.W.)
+2.5
2000
Bush (G.W.)
+12.8
Bush (G.W.)
+0.5
1996
Dole
+4.7
Clinton (B.)
+8.5
1992
Bush (G.H.W.)
+0.8
Clinton (B.)
+5.6
1988
Bush (G.H.W.)
+16.3
Bush (G.H.W.)
+7.7
1984
Reagan
+24
Reagan
+18.2
1980
Reagan
+2.1
Reagan
+9.7
1976
Carter
+11.1
Carter
+2.1
1972
Nixon
+40.6
Nixon
+23.2
Key data about North Carolina
Economic and demographic indicators relative to the national average (%). Darker lines indicate multiple states with similar values.
Methodology: The FT poll tracker is based on Real Clear Politics (RCP) data and checks for new polls at least once an hour as polls are added by RCP staff.
The poll tracker is based on a four-way race, which includes Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Republican candidate Donald Trump, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. In states where Stein is not on the ballot (Nevada, Oklahoma and South Dakota), a three-way polling average is used. In Utah, where independent candidate Evan McMullin is polling significantly, a five-way polling average is used.
The FT’s US election poll tracker switched from two-way polling averages to four-way polling averages on September 21 to better reflect the options available to voters.
A state is considered ‘solid’ if the difference in polling averages between two candidates is above 10 per cent; ‘leaning’ if it is between 10 and 5 per cent; and a ‘toss-up’ if it falls below 5 per cent.
Most states use a ‘winner-take-all’ method of electoral college vote allocation. Maine and Nebraska, however, use an alternative method called the congressional district method in which the state is divided into congressional districts and the winner of each district takes that district’s electoral vote. The winner of the statewide vote is awarded two electoral votes.
