Beverly Marlene Eaves Perdue[1] (née Moore; January 14, 1947)[2] is an American businesswoman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013.

On January 26, 2012, facing sinking approval ratings, Perdue announced that she would not seek reelection in the 2012 gubernatorial election, becoming the first Democratic governor since Robert W. Scott to have served a single term, and is currently the only Democratic governor in the state's history to not seek re-election.

[12] During her last three terms in the Senate, she served as co-chair of the Appropriations Committee[13][14] While she was in office, the General Assembly increased teacher pay and passed Governor Hunt's Excellent Schools Act and Smart Start.

Additionally, she led the debate that created North Carolina's Clean Water Management Trust Fund.

[5] As lieutenant governor, Perdue's most significant act was casting the tie-breaking vote that established the North Carolina Education Lottery.

[18][19] On May 6, 2008, Perdue won the Democratic nomination for governor, defeating State Treasurer Richard H. Moore and Dennis Nielsen.

[20] Perdue raised $15 million for the general election and ran ads against her Republican opponent, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, criticizing him for not being tough enough on illegal immigration.

[24] Perdue and McCrory remained close, with the two often polling in a statistical tie[23] in what was the closest race for governor in the nation.

[5] In late February and early March 2009, she announced that $93 million from the educational lottery would be used to ensure there is money available for the state's day-to-day operations.

[37] Perdue signed Susie's Law in 2010, which authorizes up to ten months in jail for convicted perpetrators of cruelty to animals.

She told the Cary Rotary Club, "You have to have more ability from Congress, I think, to work together and to get over the partisan bickering and focus on fixing things.

I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won't hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover.

[40] Governor Perdue oversaw the state's preparation and response to Hurricane Irene in 2011[41] It was seen by some political observers as a defining moment of her tenure.

Perdue issued the following statement regarding the final recommendations approved by the Governor's Task Force on Eugenics Compensation: "Thank you to the devoted members of this task force for months of diligent, careful and thoughtful work to address one of the most difficult and emotionally wrenching issues in our state's history.

"[43] North Carolina's Republican controlled Senate removed such compensation for sterilization victims from the state's budget that the General Assembly passed after overriding the Governor's veto.

Bev Perdue called on the General Assembly to temporarily restore a fraction of a penny to the state sales tax to reverse deep and unnecessary cuts to education.

Now more than ever, as we sit poised for an economic recovery, any delay in preparing our kids to be tomorrow's workforce is simply unacceptable," Gov.

"These convictions were tainted by naked racism and represent an ugly stain on North Carolina's criminal justice system that cannot be allowed to stand any longer," said Gov.

Perdue said that among the key evidence that led her to grant pardons of innocence were recently discovered notes from the prosecutor who picked the jury.