Fifty-six legislators face no opposition this fall.

Fourteen Senate candidates and 42 House candidates will be elected without primary or general election opponents, based on filings with the State Board of Elections.

Among them: Senate leader Marc Basnight; House Speaker Joe Hackney; Former House Minority Leader Jonathan Rhyne, a Lincolnton lawyer who hasn't been a state lawmaker for 15 years; and Rep. Phil Frye, a Mitchell County Republican who recently was pulled over for driving while impaired.

"This is again another year where we don't have enough people running for office," said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina. "Hopefully there will be more attention to that and more support for reforms."

He supports creating an independent commission to draw legislative districts, shortening the legislative session, boosting lawmakers salaries and publicly financing legislative races. (N&O)

Rep. Alice Bordsen missed three out of every 10 votes.

According to a tally by The Greensboro News & Record, the Mebane Democrat had the most absences during the past legislative session.

She missed most of the votes — including one on the $20.6 billion state budget — during the waning days of the session. A Democratic leader said she had planned in advance to travel overseas.

Rep. Harold Brubaker, an Asheboro Republican, missed about a quarter of the 1,400 votes cast.

A Republican leader said that he was often gone because he was at meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative group. (GN-R)

Sen. Fred Smith, a Clayton Republican who is running for governor, also missed about a quarter of the votes.

Six legislators had perfect attendance: Reps. Nelson Dollar, Phil Frye and Bill Owens and Sens. Richard Stevens, Andrew Brock and Tony Foriest. (AP)