[1] Democrats held open seats for Governor, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, and Treasurer.

Republicans flipped the open Commissioner of Labor, which was the first and only win by a Republican for a North Carolina Council of State office (excluding the Governor and Lieutenant Governor) in the 20th century which came just weeks before the end of the century.

The 2000 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000.

The general election was between the Republican nominee, former mayor of Charlotte Richard Vinroot and the Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Mike Easley.

In the general election, Perdue defeated Republican former state senator Betsy Cochrane by 52% to 46%.