NC Political Geography

Craven County

by Darren Janz | Jul 2, 2018 | NC Political Geography

Craven County is a large, populous county located on North Carolina’s eastern Coastal Plain. Craven is bisected by the prominent Neuse River, which flows southeast through the county and empties directly into the Pamlico Sound. The county’s seat and largest...

Columbus County

by Darren Janz | Jun 25, 2018 | Features, NC Political Geography

Columbus County is a predominantly rural county on North Carolina’s southeastern Coastal Plain. The third largest county in the state by land area, Columbus borders South Carolina and is located only eight miles away from the Atlantic coast. The county’s geography...

Party Politics in Local Government

by Darren Janz | Jun 18, 2018 | Features, NC Political Geography | 1 comment

When we discuss “red states” and “blue states” – or, in North Carolina politics, “red counties and “blue counties” – we often consider only the results of the most recent presidential, congressional, or gubernatorial elections. However, local elections can provide...

Cleveland County

by Darren Janz | Jun 11, 2018 | Features, NC Political Geography | 1 comment

Less than twenty miles west of Charlotte, Cleveland County is located on the outskirts of the Charlotte metropolitan area in North Carolina’s western Piedmont. The county borders South Carolina and encompasses part of the state’s Foothills region, a distinct area of...

Clay County

by Darren Janz | Jun 4, 2018 | Features, NC Political Geography | 3 comments

Clay County is a small, rural county located near North Carolina’s western tip in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The county borders Georgia and is separated from Tennessee only by the neighboring Cherokee County, from which Clay was formed in 1861. The...

Chowan County

by Darren Janz | May 28, 2018 | Features, NC Political Geography | 1 comment

The smallest county in North Carolina by land area, Chowan County is the innermost of the five long, narrow “finger counties” located north of the Albemarle Sound on the state’s northeastern Coastal Plain. Chowan has a rich history – it was formed as Shaftesbury...