As reported in numerous places - it looks as though Obama has been "officially" declared the winner of North Carolina and it's 15 Electoral Votes. From the Raleigh News and Observer:
The Associated Press declared Obama the winner Thursday after canvassing counties in North Carolina to determine the number of outstanding provisional ballots.
That survey found that there are not enough remaining ballots for Republican John McCain to close a 13,693-vote deficit.
North Carolina's 15 electoral votes brings Obama's total to 364 -- nearly 100 more than necessary to win the White House. Missouri is the only state that remains too close to call.
Obama's win in North Carolina was the first for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter won the state in 1976.
Lots of other interesting North Carolina tidbits - in no particualr order - below:
Pat McCrory lost Mecklenburg County! - from the Charlotte Observer:
No number from Tuesday's N.C. governor's race jumps out like one: 385.
That's the number of votes by which Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory lost Mecklenburg County.
After 10 straight decisive wins as mayor and city council member, McCrory, a Republican, was beaten in his backyard, as much the victim of Barack Obama and straight-ticket voting as of his Democratic rival, Bev Perdue.
How big a deal is this? About 100,000! Also from the Charlotte Observer:
Obama and Hagan each won Mecklenburg by around 100,000 votes, far more than Perdue.
So Obama's urban coattails effectively negated McCrory's longstanding Charlotte ties and what should have been a strong boost to McCrory.
Buncombe County - Buncombe County - the progressive/liberal/whacky/eclectic stronghold in the otherwise red portion of WNC went STRONGLY for Obama. 17,000 votes strongly! A huge flip from 2004! Interestingly, due to a computer glitch, Buncombe was the last of North Carolina's 100 Counties to report results to the SBOE. So while it looked as though McCain was going to take N.C. by a few thousands votes - I knew (by virtue of monitoring the very good SBOE website) that Buncombe would put Obama over the top. Also - on the very local level - all Buncombe County Commissioners are now Democratic. Also - RUMORED - Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy may be headed to Raleigh to join Bev Perdue's staff.
The Elevator Lady The Commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Labor is an elected position and has been long held by Cherie K Berry (Republican). Many North Carolinians know Berry's face because inside every elevator in the State a permit has to be posted (it's the law) - and the permit has Ms. Berry's mugshot. Ms. Berry won re-election - barely. So "Cherie Berry" will continue to grace the inside of all N.C. elevators.
Larry Kissell Daily KOS regular smacked down Robin Hayes! Nuff said!
Feel free to add you local tidbits!