| Bill Erickson | |
|---|---|
| |
| Governor of North Carolina | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Randall |
| Member of the North Carolina Senate | |
| In office January 1, 1987 – January 1, 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Willard William Erickson April 4, 1948 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Kirstin Kelly |
Willard William "Bill" Erickson (April 4, 1948), is an American attorney and politician, who is serving as the current Governor of North Carolina since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the North Carolina State Senate from 1987 until 2017.
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, he graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1973, earning a Juris Doctor degree. He practiced law for several years, before running for State Senate in 1986. He would be re-elected back to the State Senate continuously, before running for governor in 2016.
He defeated incumbent governor Mark Randall in the general election, with 51.5% of the vote. Erickson took office on January 1, 2017. Erickson won reelection in 2020, defeating Republican nominee State Senator Phil Murphy.
Early life and education[]
Willard William "Bill" Erickson was born on April 4, 1948, in Raleigh, North Carolina. His mother was a teacher and his father was a lawyer. He attended Northern Nash High School. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1973, earning a Juris Doctor degree.
After graduating, Erickson practiced law for more than a decade. He began to take an interest in politics, and campaigned for John Glenn's 1984 presidential campaign in North Carolina.