Statement below:
The deadline for any statewide candidate, which includes a candidate for governor, to withdraw is "prior to the first day on which military and overseas absentee ballots [UOCAVA ballots] are transmitted to voters." See G.S. § 163-113. North Carolina will begin transmitting these UOCAVA ballots on Friday,
September 20.
To withdraw, the candidate must submit a written request to the North Carolina State Board of Elections that is received by 11:59 p.m. tonight. If a written request is received, the State executive committee of the applicable party has the option to select a replacement nominee. See G.S. § 163-114
If the party selects a replacement and certifies that name to the State Board, and ballots have been printed, then it would need to be determined whether it is practical to reprint the ballots with the replacement nominee's name. See G.S. § 163-165.3(c). Although, as provided in an administrative rule, "After the official ballots for a general or special election have been printed and the absentee voting period has begun, the ... resignation... of a candidate whose name appears on the official ballots shall not require that the ballots be reprinted." See 08 NCAC 06b .0104.
Absentee ballots for all 100 counties have been printed so that they can be mailed to UOCAVA voters on Friday and civilian voters on Tuesday, and counties have begun receiving their orders of printed ballots for early voting and Election Day. When ballots cannot be reprinted, a vote cast for the candidate whose name is printed on the ballot is required to be counted as a vote for the replacement nominee selected. See G.S. § 163-165.3(c) and 08 NCAC 06b .0104.