2012 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election

2012 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election
November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06)
 
Candidate June Atkinson John Tedesco
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,336,441 1,971,049
Percentage 54.24% 45.76%
Atkinson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Tedesco:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Superintendent of Public Instruction before election

June Atkinson
Democratic

Elected Superintendent of Public Instruction

June Atkinson
Democratic

The 2012 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, concurrently with the 2012 presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, governor, the Council of State, and other state, local, and judicial elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012, with a Republican primary runoff election being held on July 17.[1] A debate was held on October 15, 2012.[2]

Incumbent Democratic state superintendent June Atkinson ran for re-election to a third term in office, becoming the Democratic nominee uncontested. Republican Wake County School Board member John Tedesco won a heavily contested Republican primary, defeating teacher Richard Alexander in a July primary runoff and several other candidates in the May primary election.[3] Atkinson won the general election by around 9 percentage points.[4][5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Withdrew before primary

Results

Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (incumbent) Unopposed
Total votes N/a 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary runoff

Eliminated in primary

Endorsements

Ray Ernest Martin

Newspapers and other media

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		John
Tedesco 		Richard
Alexander 		Mark
Crawford 		Ray
Ernest Martin 		David
Scholl 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling[11] May 5–6, 2012 469 (LV) ± 4.5% 16% 14% 12% 6% 6% 45%
Civitas Institute/National Research[12] April 30–May 2, 2012 400 (LV) ± 4.9% 16% 7% 2% – 7% 67%[b]
Public Policy Polling[13] April 27–29, 2012 486 (LV) ± 4.4% 16% 13% 8% 5% 6% 52%
Civitas Institute/SurveyUSA[14] April 20–23, 2012 – (V) ± 5.0% 21% 9% 10% 5% 8% 47%
Public Policy Polling[15] April 20–22, 2012 521 (V) ± 4.3% 16% 13% 6% 5% 4% 57%
Public Policy Polling[16] February 29–March 1, 2012 411 (LV) ± 4.8% 12% 7% 6% 4% 5% 66%

Results

Primary results by county
  Tedesco
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Alexander
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  Crawford
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
Runoff results by county
  Tedesco
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Alexander
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
Republican primary results[7][17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Tedesco 195,352 28.35%
Republican Richard Alexander 167,354 24.28%
Republican Mark Crawford 150,404 21.82%
Republican Ray Ernest Martin 90,889 13.19%
Republican David Scholl 85,145 12.36%
Total votes 689,144 100.00%
Runoff election
Republican John Tedesco 75,780 54.42%
Republican Richard Alexander 63,461 45.58%
Total votes 139,241 100.00%


General election

Endorsements

June Atkinson (D)

Newspapers and other media

Labor unions

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		June
Atkinson (D) 		John
Tedesco (R) 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20] October 23–25, 2012 880 (LV) ± 3.3% 42% 40% 18%
Public Policy Polling[21] September 27–30, 2012 981 (LV) ± 3.1% 44% 34% 22%
Public Policy Polling[22] August 2–5, 2012 813 (LV) ± 3.4% 44% 37% 19%

Results

2012 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (incumbent) 2,336,441 54.24%
Republican John Tedesco 1,971,049 45.76%
Total votes 4,307,490 100.00%
Democratic hold

By congressional district

Despite losing the state, Tedesco won nine of 13 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat, with the remaining four going to Atkinson, including one that elected a Republican.[24]

District Atkinson Tedesco Representative
1st 77% 23% G. K. Butterfield
2nd 49% 51% Renee Ellmers
3rd 47% 53% Walter B. Jones Jr.
4th 75% 25% David Price
5th 45% 55% Virginia Foxx
6th 48% 52% Howard Coble
7th 48% 52% Mike McIntyre
8th 49% 51% Larry Kissell
Richard Hudson
9th 45% 55% Sue Myrick
Robert Pittenger
10th 46% 54% Patrick McHenry
11th 44% 56% Heath Shuler
Mark Meadows
12th 80% 20% Mel Watt
13th 52% 48% Brad Miller
George Holding

Notes

  1. ^ a b Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ^ Labeled as "Other"

References

  1. ^ "Historical Election Results | Board of Elections | Johnston County, North Carolina". Johnston County, North Carolina. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  2. ^ a b Way, Dan (October 16, 2012). "Superintendent Candidates Articulate Sharp Contrasts at Forum". The Carolina Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  3. ^ Aronson, Issac-Davy (July 16, 2012). "GOP Runoff for Superintendent of Public Instruction". WUNC. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  4. ^ Dalesio, Emery (November 6, 2012). "GOP sees big wins in N.C. offices including governor". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  5. ^ "Republicans Win Governor's Race, Gain Seats in General Assembly". The Carolina Journal. November 7, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Bass, David (April 9, 2012). "GOP Superintendent Candidate Would Put Himself Out of a Job". The Carolina Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  7. ^ a b "NC SBE Contest Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  8. ^ a b Burrows, Sara (June 18, 2012). "Tedesco Faces Runoff Challenge for State Superintendent". The Carolina Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  9. ^ a b DeWitt, Dave (April 25, 2012). "GOP Candidates For State Superintendent". WUNC. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  10. ^ "2012 Primary Endorsements". Indy Week. April 18, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  11. ^ Jensen, Tom (May 6, 2012). "Dalton, McCrory, Amendment lead in North Carolina" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  12. ^ Tynen, Jim (May 3, 2012). "Civitas Poll: GOP Voters Not Making Decision Clear – Runoffs Likely". Civitas Institute. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  13. ^ Jensen, Tom (May 2, 2012). "Lots of shrugged shoulders in N.C. GOP races" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  14. ^ "May Primary Flash Poll". Civitas Institute. April 26, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  15. ^ Jensen, Tom (April 25, 2012). "Romney, McCrory up big in NC" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  16. ^ Jensen, Tom (March 2, 2012). "Santorum leads in North Carolina". Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  17. ^ "NC SBE Contest Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  18. ^ "2012 General Election Voting Guide". Indy Week. October 17, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  19. ^ "Election 2012: Boilermakers recommend candidates". Boilermakers. October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  20. ^ Jensen, Tom (October 25, 2012). "Presidential race all square in North Carolina" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  21. ^ Jensen, Tom (October 1, 2012). "McCrory leads by 10" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  22. ^ Jensen, Tom (August 8, 2012). "Stable Lead for McCrory in NC Governor Race" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  23. ^ "NC SBE Contest Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  24. ^ "north carolina 2012 supinst-by-cd".
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