Local

No inauguration date set yet for governor-elect

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It may sound strange, but Gov.-Elect Pat McCrory still doesn't know when he'll take office.

Gov. Bev Perdue's office emailed WSOC, "[T]he Governor-Elect sets the inauguration date."

McCrory's camp texted WSOC, "No inauguration date yet."

The state constitution just says the inauguration should be "the first day of January next after their election."

Traditionally, the swearing in happens on a Saturday after that.  Eyewitness News checked the last four.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt took office the second Saturday of 1997. Former Gov. Mike Easley took office the first Saturday of 2001 and the third Saturday of 2005.  Perdue took office the second Saturday of 2009.

For more than 75 years, the Junior League of Raleigh has hosted the inaugural ball.

This time, it's set for Friday, Jan. 11, which may make you think the swearing in would be the next day.

But, as David McLennan, of William Peace University in Raleigh, emailed Channel 9, it's been "sort of a mystery."

"Just the sheer logistics of what has to happen between now and in a month and a half -- two months -- tends to make things go a little bit slower than people think,” said Michael Bitzer, political analyst with Catawba College.