Elections to choose members of the North Carolina Council of State (who head executive branch departments) were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004.

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In all but two races (Superintendent of Public Instruction and Labor Commissioner), incumbent Democrats sought re-election.

The U.S. Presidential election, U.S. House election, U.S. Senate election, North Carolina gubernatorial election, North Carolina General Assembly election, and North Carolina judicial elections were all held on the same day. Note that the Governor and Lt. Governor are also members of the Council of State, but their elections are covered in the article on the 2004 gubernatorial election.

On a national level, Republican George W. Bush captured the state's electoral votes while incumbent Democratic governor Mike Easley won a second term.

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall defeated both a primary challenge from Doris A. Sanders and from Republican challenger Jay Rao.

Les Merritt, a former Wake County commissioner, and 2000 candidate, narrowly defeated 3-term incumbent State Auditor Ralph Campbell.

North Carolina's incumbent Attorney General, Roy Cooper, defeated Republican challenger Joe Knott.

Incumbent State Treasurer Richard H. Moore defeated Republican challenger Edward Meyer by an eight-point margin.

Interim Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb defeated former state representative Tom Gilmore to take the Democratic nomination; Steve Troxler, the 2000 candidate for this position, was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Due to the loss of about 4,000 votes in Carteret County, North Carolina, the race for State Agriculture Commissioner could not be resolved for several months. Although the North Carolina Board of Elections certified the close race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction on 30 November 2004, they reached an impasse on the Agriculture Commissioner Race, splitting 3-2 in favor of calling a new statewide election for the seat over calling a new election in Carteret County alone; 4 votes would have been required to take action on either option.

In early December, the North Carolina Board of Elections ordered a new election for January 11, 2005, in Carteret County alone, for voters whose ballots had been lost or who had not voted in the November 2 election. Both candidates appealed the decision, Cobb arguing that a statewide revote should be held, Troxler arguing that a revote should be limited to those voters whose votes were lost. A Wake County superior court judge overturned this decision on December 17, calling it "arbitrary and capricious" and "contrary to law", requiring the State Board of Elections to revisit the issue.

On December 29, the State Board of Elections ordered a new statewide election for the post. On January 13, 2005, the superior court invalidated this order as well, and sent the contest back to the Elections Board for resolution. Following this ruling, Cobb conceded defeat. On February 4, the State Board of Elections officially certified Troxler as the winner of the 2004 election.

Incumbent Cherie Berry, the only sitting Republican on the Council of State, defeated both a primary challenge from Lloyd T. Funderburg and a general election challenge from state representative Wayne Goodwin.

Five-term incumbent Jim Long defeated a challenge from Republican C. Robert Brawley to win the greatest number of votes for any candidate in the 2004 Council of State elections.