Democrat Roy Cooper won North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and flipping a Republican-held seat. The Associated Press called the race for Cooper on Nov. 3.

Latest statewide vote totals

The North Carolina State Board of Elections, checked Nov. 4 with all 2,626 precincts reporting, showed:

  • Roy Cooper, Democrat: 2,467,963 votes (58.72%).
  • Michael Whatley, Republican: 1,643,088 (39.09%).
  • Shannon W. Bray, Libertarian: 55,726 (1.33%).
  • Michael Dublin, Green Party: 36,404 (0.87%).

Cooper led Whatley by 824,875 votes. These are unofficial statewide returns, not certified totals, and replace the early partial count previously reported here.

Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8:23 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 3. Its figures can differ from the state dashboard because providers update at different times; the vote counts above are attributed to the state board.

What the result means

Cooper, the former two-term governor, will succeed Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who did not seek reelection. The seat carries a six-year term beginning in January 2027. The statewide contest appeared on Mecklenburg County ballots, including those cast by Ballantyne-area voters.

A media race call is separate from election certification. Follow the linked state results page for subsequent official reporting.