2004 North Carolina State Auditor election

none 2004 11 02 North Carolina 2004 North Carolina State Auditor election presidential no 2000 North Carolina Council of State election#State Auditor 2000 2008 North Carolina Council of State election#State Auditor 2008 2004 North Carolina state auditor election results map by county.svg 325px County resultsMerritt: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Campbell: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% Les Merritt Les Merritt.jpg North Carolina Republican Party North Carolina Democratic Party Ralph Campbell Jr. Ralph Campbell Jr.jpg 1,662,354 50.44% 1,633,639 49.56% State Auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. North Carolina Democratic Party Les Merritt North Carolina Republican Party The 2004 North Carolina State Auditor election was held on November 2, 2004, to elect the North Carolina State Auditor, concurrently with the 2004 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, the Council of State, and other state, local and judicial elections. Primary elections were held on July 20.07/20/2004 OFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=07/20/2004 February 21, 2026 North Carolina State Board of Elections Incumbent Democratic state auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. ran for re-election to a fourth term in office, but lost to Republican candidate Les Merritt in a rematch of the 2000 election for the same office. Campbell conceded the race on November 10, and later alleged a factor in him losing re-election was because he was African-American.November 11, 2004 Campbell concedes state auditor race to Merritt https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2004/11/12/campbell-concedes-state-auditor-race-to-merritt/30765561007/ February 21, 2026 Wilmington Star-NewsJanuary 6, 2005 Campbell: Race May Have Been Factor In State Auditor Campaign https://www.wral.com/story/114899/ February 21, 2026 WRAL News Following this election, Merritt became the first elected Republican state auditor in North Carolina history.November 11, 2004 Merritt To Become State's First Elected Republican Auditor https://www.wral.com/story/113855/ February 21, 2026 WRAL News Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Ralph Campbell Jr., incumbent state auditor (1993–present)January 15, 2011 Former NC Auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. dies at 64 https://www.wvgazettemail.com/former-nc-auditor-ralph-campbell-jr-dies-at-64/article_32892c9e-6a33-5c0c-9a11-fd1ce0d3b95f.html February 21, 2026 Charleston Gazette-Mail Results Democratic primary results07/20/2004 OFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=07/20/2004&county_id=0&office=COS&contest=2 February 21, 2026 North Carolina State Board of Elections Ralph Campbell Jr. (incumbent) North Carolina Democratic Party Republican primary Candidates Nominee Les Merritt, former member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners (1994–1998) and nominee for state auditor in 2000November 3, 2004 Merritt Takes State Auditor Post; Two Still Undecided In Council Of State https://www.wral.com/story/1090711/ February 21, 2026 WRAL News Eliminated in primary Jasper AlbrightJuly 21, 2004 Primary Election held July 20th https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn97064600/2004-07-21/ed-1/seq-6.pdf February 21, 2026 The Taylorsville Times 1 Results 300px|thumb|Republican primary results by county #E27F7F Merritt #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% Republican primary results North Carolina Republican Party Les Merritt 190,408 66.83 North Carolina Republican Party Jasper Albright 94,512 33.17 284,920 100.0 General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered SamplesizeKey:A – all adultsRV – registered votersLV – likely votersV – unclear "Key" Marginof error RalphCampbell Jr. (D) LesMerritt (R) UndecidedTel Opinion Research/John Locke FoundationHood John October 21, 2004 JLF poll shows high voter interest, mixed views on issues and races https://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/2004102170.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20041023233540/https://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/2004102170.html October 23, 2004 February 21, 2026 John Locke FoundationHood John October 22, 2004 NC’s Rising Conservative Tide https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/ncs-rising-conservative-tide/ February 21, 2026 The Carolina Journal October 18–20, 2004 600 (LV) ± 4.0%38%27%35% Results 2004 North Carolina State Auditor election11/02/2004 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2004&county_id=0&office=COS&contest=2 February 21, 2026 North Carolina State Board of Elections North Carolina Republican Party Les Merritt 1,662,354 50.44 North Carolina Democratic Party Ralph Campbell Jr. (incumbent) 1,633,639 49.56 3,295,993 100.0 North Carolina Republican Party North Carolina Democratic Party Notes References State Auditor Category:November 2004 in the United States