North Carolina Council of State

North Carolina Council of State

State seal
Council overview
Formed	1776
Jurisdiction	Government of North Carolina

The North Carolina Council of State is the collective body of ten elective executive offices in the state government of North Carolina, all of which are established by the state constitution. The Council of State includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Labor, and Commissioner of Insurance. Together with the North Carolina Cabinet and several independent agencies, the Council of State offices constitute the executive branch of North Carolina's state government.

The body has its origin in the colonial government of the Province of North Carolina. Under North Carolina's first constitution as a state of the United States, the Council of State comprised seven persons elected by the North Carolina General Assembly to advise the governor. The 1868 constitution redefined the Council of State as the secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, superintendent of public works, and superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent of public works was soon abolished, additional elective offices were later added, and the governor was made a formal member of the council. The Council of State usually meets monthly and is responsible for approving various transactions concerning state real property and finances.