CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It might take another race to figure out who will run in the general election.
Let's connect the dots.
In North Carolina, primary contest winners must receive at least 30% of the vote. If a race doesn't have a clear winner, then the second-highest vote-getter is able to call a runoff.
In a runoff race, all candidates are eliminated except the person with the most votes and the runner-up. This year, a runoff would take place either on July 5 or July 26. It all depends on if the runoff involves a federal election or not.
North and south Carolina are just two of the 10 states that have runoff elections.
So why do they exist?
Runoffs date back to the turn of the 20th century in the south. The system is intended to encourage candidates to appeal to a wider range of voters. It also reduces the likelihood of electing candidates at the extremes of a party.
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