Elections to choose members of the North Carolina Council of State (who head executive branch departments) were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004.

Les Merritt, a former Wake County commissioner, and 2000 candidate, narrowly defeated 3-term incumbent State Auditor Ralph Campbell.

On the Republican side, former Wake County board of education member Bill Fletcher easily bested retired professor Jeanne Smoot.

The Democratic primary between state Department of Instruction official June Atkinson, North Carolina Board of Education member J.

Due to the loss of about 4,000 votes in Carteret County, North Carolina, the race for State Agriculture Commissioner could not be resolved for several months.

A Wake County superior court judge overturned this decision on December 17, calling it "arbitrary and capricious" and "contrary to law", requiring the State Board of Elections to revisit the issue.

Five-term incumbent Jim Long defeated a challenge from Republican C. Robert Brawley to win the greatest number of votes for any candidate in the 2004 Council of State elections.