"I said that it was wrong because it wrote discrimination into our law broadly and that it was going to hurt our economy," Cooper said during an interview with WRAL News. "We've got to marshal our business community, do everything we can to get the legislature to repeal this law."

On his campaign website, Cooper said, "we'll never know how many businesses, conventions, or tourists took North Carolina off of their list. As governor, I will work to bring back those jobs lost because of HB2."

The metric: Does the legislature repeal HB2?

This promise is fairly straight forward. Either House Bill 2 comes off the books, or Cooper will fail one of the major pledges from his 2016 campaign.

Promise Status: Achieved

Update 1/3/2017: Even before he took office, Cooper played a part in fomenting a special legislative session aimed at repealing the lawl. However, that effort fell apart with Cooper and legislative Republicans pointing fingers at one another, and the Charlotte City Council, for the failure.

Update 3/30/2017: Cooper was able to negotiate with GOP legislative leaders on a repeal bill that he quickly signed into law. Although LGBT advocates weren't pleased with the replacement legislation, the NCAA, the NBA and the Atlantic Coast Conference citing the repeal in their decisions to return athletic events to the state.

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"The worst thing that Gov. McCrory and the legislative leadership have done is they have refused to accept the billions of dollars – billions with a 'B' – that we've already paid to Washington that could come back to North Carolina to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians," Cooper said during an October debate.

During a WRAL News interview, Cooper said expanding Medicaid was both a health care issue and an economic one.

"Not only is it good for health care, but it creates thousands of good-paying health care jobs," Cooper said.

Medicaid is the health insurance program for the poor and disabled jointly funded and run by the federal and state governments. In this context, expansion generally refers to expanding the number of people granted health insurance under the entitlement. In North Carolina, a large number of those who could be newly covered would be single adults of working age.

Under the ACA program, the federal government would reimburse states for 95 percent of the expansion costs.

North Carolina lawmakers have been working for years on a plan to remake the state's Medicaid system in order to improve quality and contain costs. This isn't an expansion but rather a change from a fee-for-service system to a system that pays doctors and other medical providers based on their ability to keep patients healthy.

At the same time, members of the General Assembly have been skeptical of anything having to do with the Affordable Care Act, what some people call "Obamacare." That skepticism could intersect with national Medicaid policy in 2017 because President Donald Trump has promised to roll back much of the ACA. If the ACA is fully repealed, the option for states to expand Medicaid with the benefit of major federal subsidies may be eliminated.

The metric: Can Cooper drive through a Medicaid expansion?

Although the policies behind this pledge are complex, the metric is relatively simple. Cooper will be successful if he can expand the number of people covered by Medicaid and, therefore, the amount of money coming to North Carolina under the program. He argues that expanding, even if just for a short time before the Trump administration rolls back the ACA, would put North Carolina in a better position going forward.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/4/2017: This appears to be one of the first substantive issues Cooper is acting upon. During the first week of his term, Cooper said he would move unilaterally to expand Medicaid despite state laws passed in 2011 and 2013 that limit the governor's ability to expand the population served by Medicaid.

Update 1/6/2017: Cooper's administration officially submitted the paperwork to the federal government asking that North Carolina be able to participate in expansion.

Update 7/20/2017: Trump's push to repeal the ACA left Cooper's expansion request in unfriendly hands, and lawmakers also filed suit to block his unilateral maneuver. After a federal judge initially sided with lawmakers in the dispute, Cooper took no further action on his plan, so lawmakers eventually dropped their lawsuit.

Update 12/27/2018: Cooper has repeatedly called for Medicaid expansion, but legislative leaders have shown no interest in taking up the idea.

Update 12/11/2019: Cooper's push for Medicaid expansion led to an unprecedented budget standoff with the General Assembly that led to lawmakers passing a series of so-called "mini budgets" to get around his veto of the overall state budget without negotiating on Medicaid.

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The issue squarely entered the governor's race following the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, which sparked protests.

Gov. Roy Cooper criticized the state's new video-release law during the campaign, saying it was too restrictive. In particular, the measure requires a court order before footage can be released to the public.

"We need to make sure the community trusts what law enforcement is doing," Cooper said during an October debate. "That is why I said there were significant problems with this law, because I believe the records in these videotapes should be open. Clearly, there are some times when it should be kept confidential, but the presumption should be that it's public, because the more transparency you have, the more mutual respect you're going to continue to develop."

Earlier in the year, Cooper said, "I would have preferred to have a presumption of public camera (footage), but having some exceptions where we know we need exceptions to protect witnesses, to protect an investigation."

During the campaign, Cooper said he would push to revise the law.

The metric: Does North Carolina revise its police camera footage law to allow for more ready access to records?

Cooper didn't propose specific changes, but he did say the police footage law should operate more like North Carolina's public records laws that presume material is public unless there is a reason to withhold it.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/3/2017: Cooper has not yet had a chance to put forward any legislative proposals.

Update 1/5/2017: Cooper appointed Eric Hooks, a former State Bureau of Investigation assistant director, to head his Department of Public Safety. Hooks, he said, would be given the task of recommending changes to the law.

"I'm obviously in favor of more disclosure," Cooper said. "Those kinds of things can be helpful both to law enforcement and people in the community. So, what we'll be looking at is as much transparency as possible and making sure that, among all the other issues we have, we work on all the ways we can build trust between law enforcement and our communities."

Update 4/27/2017: The House passed legislation amending restrictions on access to body camera video, but the measure still doesn't consider the footage a public record. The Senate hasn't taken up the bill.

Update 12/27/2018: Although there were several high-profile cases involving court-ordered releases of police videos in 2018, there was no push from the administration to drop the requirement that the media or other groups ask a judge to make the videos public.

Update 12/26/2019: Another year has come and gone without evidence of the governor pushing this issue, and the administration didn't provide any when contacted. Technically, Cooper has another legislative session to change this law, but without a bill to point to and with little indication the legislature considers this a priority, that seems unlikely. The governor, according to a spokesman, still thinks "transparency and public access to these videos is vital unless a court finds compelling reason otherwise."

Update 9/6/2020: Again, there was no movement on this issue from either the Cooper administration or the legislature this year.

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That transparency issue arose during the final debate of the campaign between McCrory and Gov. Roy Cooper. Asked how he would approach the release of public records, Cooper pledged to do better.

"It will be as quickly as possible," Cooper said when asked if he would commit to releasing records within 30 days of a request. "As governor, I will make certain that all of our cabinet members know that this is a directive that they have to get this information out."

It's worth noting that, when WRAL News explored Cooper's use of email, the then-attorney general had very few emails to show for his time in office.

The public records issue is one that tends to be near and dear to the hearts of reporters, but it rarely takes center stage during a campaign. However, Cooper does have some background with the issue. His Department of Justice published a guide to public records, and in the forward, he wrote, "When in doubt about how to interpret the state's open records and open meetings laws, always resolve the question in favor of openess."

The metric: Does Cooper's administration respond to open records requests in a timely manner?

A general pledge of responsiveness is a hard thing to stick a pin in for the purposes of this tracker, but there are certainly two different metrics that seem applicable.

One would be how the Cooper administration resolves lawsuits left over from the McCrory administration. Such lawsuits are often resolved with a promise to put processes in place to avoid delays.

The other metric would be whether Cooper can avoid facing the same kind of lawsuit barrage over open records. While an occasional disagreement over single sets of records is almost unavoidable, avoiding systematic conflict with media organizations is a realistic benchmark.

Promise status: Broken

Update 1/5/2017: With less than a week in office, Cooper has faced few, if any, open records requests.

Update 12/29/2017: After about a year as governor, data from the Cooper Administration through November show that his office has received about 90 public records requests, including six from WRAL News. The vast majority of these have either been filled, or some documents have been provided on an ongoing basis.

But for more than 20 requests, including several from January, the Governor’s Office has yet to provide any records. That will be something to watch heading into Cooper’s second year, as wait times continue to mount.

As governor, Cooper also oversees other executive agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Environmental Quality, all of which have received records requests from WRAL News throughout the year. Although wait times have been longer than we’d like in some cases, they haven’t yet shown the practice of delay alleged in a lawsuit against the McCrory administration filed in July 2015.

Cooper settled that lawsuit earlier this year and pledged again to provide records as quickly as possible. But several months later, his office has yet to develop new guidance to ensure compliance with public records law as required under the settlement. Publishing that guidance – along with the executive branch’s ability to respond and complete its records request from both the media and the public – will be important to future evaluations on whether Cooper has kept this promise.

Update 12/27/2018: Halfway through his term, Cooper's administration has shown no urgency in fulfilling public records requests. Even lawmakers had to wait months for the administration to answer questions about the approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and a dump of more than 19,000 pages of documents less than a week before Christmas using a password-protected site didn't improve that situation.

Update 12/20/2019: Cooper's administration also continues to stonewall on records detailing the state's efforts to recruit Apple, which announced in December 2018 it was building its second campus in Austin, Texas. Both the Governor's Office and officials at his Department of Commerce have maintained, for a full year after the company's announcement, that their recruitment efforts are still "active." And they're using that designation as rationale for failing to release records to the public that would detail the multimillion-dollar efforts to land the tech giant.

Update 9/6/2020: WRAL News and other media organizations are involved in litigation right now with the Cooper administration over its unwillingness to provide various documents relevant to the state's coronavirus response.

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"As governor, I will encourage greater partnerships within our education system to help more childcare facilities enhance programming and staffing to boost the number of 4-star and even 5-star facilities available to families," Cooper wrote. "At the same time, I will ensure that the state continues to increase early childhood licensing standards so that we are always striving to create the highest quality early childcare programs possible."

Child care centers with 4-star and 5-star licenses have met certain education and program quality benchmarks that mark them as programs that provide more stimulating care that better prepares children for school.

The metric: Does the number of 4-star and 5-star child care centers increase?

As of Jan. 6, 2017, there were 2,123 5-star child care centers in the state, and 1,059 4-star centers in North Carolina, for a total of 3,182. In order to meet this pledge, Cooper needs to expand that total number.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/10/2017: Gov. Cooper has not made any changes with regard to child care centers yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, there are actually 80 fewer 5- and 4-star centers in the state than when Cooper took office. The department notes, though, that 73 percent of all centers now rate four or five stars versus 68 percent in December 2016. Altogether, the state's 4- and 5-star centers serve nearly 170,400 children, and Cooper's office said his last budget proposal called for adding funding for 9,000 new child care slots.

Update 12/18/2019: DHHS said that, in 2019, there were 3,058 5- and 4-star centers in the state. That's fewer than when Cooper took office, and it's 69.1 percent of child care centers. DHHS said 72 percent of children attending child care centers do so at a 4- or 5-star facility. "Overall funding (including, federal and state) has been relatively flat for the past decade, largely because the General Assembly has increased use of federal funds while decreasing state investment in child care and did not put the majority of new federal funding into expanding access to child care," DHHS spokeswoman Sarah Lewis Peel said in an email.

Update 9/6/2020: The number of 4- and 5-star child care centers in North Carolina declined each year during the first three years of Cooper's administration before a slight uptick this year to 3,072. Cooper's spokesman noted that the administration has strengthened rules on professional development plans and expanded scholarship and education-based teacher salary/stipend programs in recent years and last year launched a plan to make "measurable progress by 2025."

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"With more families with two parents working, it’s time we reevaluate our parental leave policies. Parents should get time to attend their children’s school activities without being penalized by their employer," Cooper wrote. "Right now North Carolina requires employers to provide up to four hours of unpaid leave per year for parents to participate in their child’s school-related activities. But that’s just time for one holiday lunch and a spelling bee."

States like California and Massachusetts require employers to give parents more time to attend school events every year, he pointed out.

"As governor, I will work to increase the amount of hours of unpaid leave for parents, and at a minimum, to expand the current allowance to make it four hours per child," Cooper said.

The metric: Does North Carolina expand the parental leave for school involvement employers must offer workers?

Currently, employers in North Carolina must offer 4 hours of leave per worker. Cooper set his goal as expanding this to at least four hours per child, which would give parents of multiple-child families more time off.

Promise status: Mixed results

Update 1/10/2017: We'll check in on this promise at the end of each year.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: No action has been taken during Cooper's second year in office.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper signed an executive order in May giving state cabinet agency employees eight weeks of paid parental leave after giving birth. An employee whose partner gives birth gets four weeks. The UNC System and other state entities the governor doesn’t control policy for followed suit. The order includes leave for adopted and foster children that can be used, Cooper's office said, for school activities. None of this is a new requirement for private employers or a long-term change in state law. But it is an expansion, and state government pushing the issue influences the private sector to consider its policies.

Update 9/6/2020: Although Cooper extended parental leave for many state government workers after the birth or adoption of a child, the law hasn't changed to require increased leave in the private sector.

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According to its website, the partnership is a national program that in North Carolina "serves as a support system for low-income, first-time parents whose babies face risks such as low birth weight and premature birth. Through Nurse-Family Partnership, "women who are pregnant with their first child are paired with registered nurses trained to educate, encourage and support them through the first two years of motherhood. Research shows that this approach consistently produces positive outcomes for the entire family."

According to Cooper, fewer than 3 percent of eligible families receive services through the program.

"We could serve more families through Social Impact Bonds – a financing strategy where the state would pay only for successful outcomes that get results," Cooper said. "Under this proposal, the state would engage in a three-way, performance-based contract with an investor who would agree to pay for services and a private provider who would agree to administer it. The state only would be required to reimburse if the initiative met well-defined outcomes negotiated upfront."

Social Impact Bonds have been promoted by both liberal groups such as Center for American Progress as well as Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs.

"These agreements may be a viable source of expanding support for preventive interventions that could both demonstrably improve social outcomes and save cash-strapped governments money on later remedial services," according to the Center.

"As governor, I will explore the use of Social Impact Bonds for results-based care and other intervention programs serving at-risk children," Cooper said.

The metric: Does North Carolina expand funding for the nurse-family partnership?

According the partnership, roughly 21,000 children are born to first-time, low-income mothers in North Carolina every year. If Cooper's 3 percent estimate is correct, that means roughly 630 women and their children are served by the partnership every year. To keep this promise, Cooper would need to expand that number, whether or not he uses the Social Impact Bond strategy.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/10/2017: There has been no progress on this promise yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: An effort at the end of the year to get updated funding figures from the partnership was not successful. Cooper's office said the governor proposed $600,000 to expand this program in his most recent two-year budget proposal.

Update 12/13/2019: The partnership says it's gotten a $2 million increase in state appropriations since 2017 and that it's "grateful for Gov. Cooper's support in helping to raise the profile of our program."

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"Wage growth is stagnant," Cooper said during one debate. He also mentioned wage growth in speeches to community groups and in news media interviews.

In a pre-election discussion with WRAL News, Cooper said, "Everyday working people are still struggling and they haven't seen enough of the benefits of the economic recovery." He added, "When you look at North Carolina, we've lagged behind in wage growth."

The state, he said, had chipped away at overall unemployment, but the jobs that people had now versus prior to the recession that started in 2008 are not as high paying.

"I am concerned that as unemployment begins to drop, wages are not beginning to rise," Cooper said in his issues overview. He added in an economic policy statement that North Carolina needs "policies that create more 'quality jobs' in North Carolina – jobs that pay a living wage and allow middle class workers to make ends meet without having to work two or three jobs."

The metric: Do wages and incomes grow in North Carolina over the next four years?

Over the course of the campaign, Cooper repeatedly said that unemployment was the not the only metric by which to measure the economy. The state should measure success, he said, by whether wages and overall incomes grow for middle-class families. Wage growth has been a concern on the national level, although last year the economy gave North Carolina a jump start on this measure.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/9/2017: We'll check in on this promise at the end of each year.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: Average wages are up more than 3 percent in North Carolina, based on 2017 data, although the exact amount depends on methodology. According to the Office of State Budget and Management, North Carolina recovered to pre-recession per capita wage and salary levels in 2016, and that growth continued throughout 2017.

Update 12/26/2019: Wages are up slightly in North Carolina since Cooper took office in 2016. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics records average weekly wages in North Carolina at $883 as of September. When Cooper took office they were $818. Accounting for inflation, that's an increase of about $18 a month. How much credit the governor should get for this is debatable, but if the metric is "did they grow," the answer is yes.

Update 9/6/2020: Average wages statewide continued to climb over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, although they have fallen slightly in recent months, likely due to business layoffs and closures related to the coronavirus pandemic. In June, the most recent month for which statistics are available, the average weekly wage was $907, compared with the $818 when Cooper took office. Even adjusted for inflation, it's about an extra $50 a week during his administration for the average household in the state.

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"Right now, the lion’s share of incentive awards go to large businesses, even though small businesses are responsible for generating more jobs," Cooper wrote in his economic plan.

He took particular issue with former Gov. Pat McCrory's directing more than half the Job Development Investment Grant, or JIDG, money spent in 2013 to MetLife alone.

There are reasons that job grant programs have been dominated by big businesses. North Carolina's JDIG program, in particular, rewards companies for large investments in facilities as well as hiring large numbers of workers.

But Cooper's observation about small businesses being left out of the mix is correct. A WRAL News analysis of awards from the state's largest incentive programs from January 2013 to June 2015 showed about 85 percent of the funding was promised to publicly traded companies and their subsidiaries, even though they make up about 35 percent of all firms that state officials announced would create jobs.

A separate report showed large companies captured 93 percent of One North Carolina Fund deals and 95 percent of the dollars distributed by the fund from 2008 to 2013.

"As governor, I will shift a greater percentage of incentive dollars to small businesses with 200 or fewer employees. We should always strive to get the best benefit for taxpayer dollars or less," Cooper said in his economic plan.

The metric: Do more incentives flow to small businesses?

Cooper did not fix a specific amount or percentage of job incentive money that he would shift toward small businesses. However, in evaluating this claim, we can look to see if less money flows to large, publicly traded companies. We can also count the number of firms with fewer than 200 employees that receive grant awards under Cooper's administration and compare that to prior administrations.

Promise status: Broken

Update 1/6/2017: Cooper's administration has not yet made any JDIG or One North Carolina grants.

Update 12/29/2017: Although some awards have gone to smaller companies such as Raleigh-based Mako Medical Labs, most of the incentive grants announced in 2017 have gone to large, multi-national firms, such as Infosys, Corning and China-based Triangle Tyre.

Update 5/17/2018: Lawmakers lowered the thresholds for companies to qualify as transformative projects, getting richer incentives under the state's Job Development Investment Grant program. But none of these awards will go to a small business.

Update 11/27/2018: Lawmakers again are revising the JDIG program in a bid to attract corporate headquarters. Again, these changes, which were requested by the Cooper Administration, aren't targeted at small businesses.

Update 12/20/2019: It can be difficult to track company headcounts, especially across the hundreds of firms awarded incentives in North Carolina. But an annual state Department of Commerce report provides the number of new and/or retained jobs required under the terms of each award under the Job Development Investment Grant and the One North Carolina Fund, the state's two largest programs. Adding those jobs can give an idea of just how many of these grant dollars go to small businesses as classified by Cooper.

The results of that analysis show the share of incentive money committed to small companies under Cooper and his Republican predecessor is almost exactly the same: about 6 percent. The most recent data, however, runs through June 2019, technically given Cooper some time to change course or pursue new legislation.

Update 9/6/2020: State data on the One North Carolina Fund and the Job Development Investment Grant, the two largest incentive programs, hasn't been updated since December. Department of Commerce officials note this data "doesn't provide a complete picture of the state's incentive programs," which include several funds targeted specifically at smaller businesses. But these programs are effectively a drop in the bucket compared to the two major programs, which combined made up $436 million in potential awards as of June 2019, the vast majority of which have flowed to large companies. In the unlikely scenario that the 2020 figures show a significant shift, we will revisit this promise.

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"The JDIG program, one of the state’s largest incentive funds, canceled 60 percent of projects because they did not honor investment, job creation or wage agreements," Cooper said of the Job Development Investment Grant Fund. "We need our incentive programs to target industries with real growth potential."

As part of his plan, Cooper pledged to "request a full assessment of incentive programs to be completed within my first year in office."

The metric: Does NC complete a review of JDIG, One North Carolina Fund and other incentive programs by Jan. 1, 2018?

This is a fairly discrete, straightforward promise. We will look to see if there is a report that evaluates the state's current economic development programs and recommends improvements by a year into Cooper's term.

Promise status: Broken

Update 1/10/2017: There has been no progress on this promise yet.

Update 12/29/2017: When WRAL News asked officials in Cooper's administration whether such an assessment had been done, they responded by sending over required annual reports from the Commerce Department and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Neither of those qualifies as an assessment with recommendations for future action, so his administration has failed to meet the deadline he set.

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"We should make it easier for businesses to operate in North Carolina and stop burdening them with regulations that are no longer effective and eat up time and money. Additionally, we have a lot of programs for small businesses, but it can be time consuming for employers to find the best resources for them," Cooper wrote in his economic development plan.

Like Gov. Pat McCrory before him, who called for making "state operations efficient and customer friendly," Cooper said the state could help businesses by "simply having a customer-service mindset of helping businesses do the right thing in the right way with minimal burden."

In particular, he pointed to a Maryland program that helps entrepreneurs find the forms and approvals they need to start a business.

"As governor, I will launch 'NC Business Made Easier,' a streamlining initiative that will root out inefficiencies and redundancies with our business services in order to provide better customer service to small businesses, an effective strategy employed by Maryland," Cooper wrote.

The metric: Does North Carolina create 'NC Business Made Easier?'

Although Cooper did not give a specific outline of his plan, this promise can be measured based on whether his administration creates a portal help businesses navigate state government services and requirements.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/10/2017: We have not marked any progress with this promise yet.

Update 6/22/2017: Cooper requested and received $100,000 in the state budget to develop the portal, and the Department of Commerce is working on it.

Update 12/31/2018: Cooper's office said the NCWorks Commission is working to develop a website along these lines and that the state Department of Commerce recently redesigned its website to streamline the information offered there about grants and other services available to businesses in North Carolina.

Update 12/13/2019: The aforementioned website exists and does indeed appear to walk people through the steps of starting up a business. There's also a phone number – (800) 228-8443 – people can call to talk to a real live business counselor, and when WRAL News called it this month it was answered immediately and the woman said she could help walk a reporter (or anyone else) through the regulations businesses face.

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"I will work to create a statewide mentorship program to support small businesses," Cooper wrote. "We can connect business professionals with entrepreneurs and small businesses through a web portal where they can collaborate, provide leadership and offer coaching. This peer-to-peer coaching platform, similar to Business Mentor NY, could benefit North Carolina businesses and provide them with the training and resources they need to be successful."

Officials with the New York program that Cooper mentioned say that "participating entrepreneurs reap the benefits of mentoring, growing their businesses every year."

The metric: Does NC create a small-business mentorship program?

Does North Carolina create a small-business mentorship program similar to the New York program?

Promise status: In progress

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: The Cooper administration said that Business Link North Carolina runs a website and a toll-free phone line answering questions about starting or expanding a business in the state, providing "business councilors who answer questions and offer advice." The state Department of Commerce recently expanded the company's contract.

Update 12/26/2019: The aforementioned Business Link North Carolina website now exists and seems to help people through the process. But it's not a peer-to-peer program like New York's, and the governor gets credit for the website under another promise we're tracking. The administration says a peer-to-peer connection program may be added.

Update 9/6/2020: The Department of Commerce reached an agreement with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) in May, through which Business Link North Carolina staff can "facilitate introductions to experienced business executives who can offer expert advice and mentoring to people looking into either starting or running a business," a department spokesman said.

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In his campaign materials, Cooper said, "We must ensure everyone in North Carolina has access to affordable, high-speed broadband Internet service. Although we have come a long way in bridging the digital divide over the years, residents in some of our rural areas are still among the least connected. Today 13 percent of the population remains underserved – 235,000 residents do not have any wired Internet providers available in their community and 895,000 residents lack access to a wired connection with fast download speeds."

He went on to pledge, "As Governor, I will work to leverage the existing middle mile network of MCNC to reach more unserved and underserved areas. Additionally, and just as important, I will also continue to emphasize the use of fiber optic connections to anchor institutions, particularly our public libraries and public hospitals, to ensure they have access to advanced telecommunications and information services."

According to its website, MCNC is "is a technology non-profit that builds, owns, and operates a leading-edge broadband infrastructure for North Carolina’s research, education, non-profit healthcare, and other community institutions."

It's also worth noting that the Cooper's predecessor, Gov. Pat McCrory, rolled out a State Broadband Plan in 2016 that aimed to provide "universal access" by 2021.

The metric: Does North Carolina meaningfully expand access to broadband internet access?

This is yet another promise where Cooper did not assign himself a hard and fast metric. However, any semblance of meeting this goal would include eliminating or significantly cutting the number of residents who do not have any wired Internet providers in their area.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress with this promise.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper included $20 million to expand broadband access in his first proposed budget.

Update 6/22/2017: No additional money for broadband access was included in the final budget passed by lawmakers, and other broadband-related legislation, such as the Bright Futures Act, remain stalled in the General Assembly.

Update 5/10/2018: Cooper again included $20 million in his budget proposal for expanded broadband.

Update 5/24/2018: Lawmakers included a $10 million grant fund to help local communities expand their broadband access, and they said more funds would be available in future years.

Update 12/26/2019: The governor, and many in the General Assembly, continue to make broadband expansion a priority. Both state and federal dollars provide grants to expedite projects. It is difficult to accurately track broadband access in North Carolina, but it is clear the governor has kept this a priority. He created a task force in March and in October signed a mini-budget bill increasing funding for broadband expansion grants.

Update 9/6/2020: Between December 2015 and June 2019, the state saw another 212,000 households get internet access, according to the Department of Information Technology, which quoted FCC data. It's fair to say both the governor and the General Assembly have prioritized broadband investment, setting aside tens of millions of dollars for grants over the last few years. With most of North Carolina's students taking classes online, and many adults working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers included even more money to expand broadband in rural areas in relief packages passed this year. Cooper wanted even more, asking for a $250 million bond on the issue.

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The idea to emulate Virginia and Montana in creating a loan program for small businesses was part of Cooper's business policy document.

"Virginia and Montana are two states that have had a successful micro-loan program providing banks collateral support to make short-term loans to small businesses that can demonstrate the ability to repay the loan. These programs have shown success in providing small-dollar loans of less than $100,000 to small businesses that otherwise would be unable to get them. As governor, I will seek up to $1 million in private investment to seed a collateral support micro-loan program," Cooper wrote.

The metric: Does Cooper create a micro-loan program?

In addition to seeking legislation for this goal, Cooper could work through the economic development partnership, a nonprofit that is supposed to work in concert with the administration to spur economic growth.

Promise status: Mixed Results

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: No action has been taken during Cooper's second year in office.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper's office said that, with all the flooding and storm damage North Carolina has seen in recent years, the state focused on business recovery loans. The Commerce Department plans to look at the potential for micro loans moving forward, the governor's spokesman said.

Update 9/6/2020: Priorities shifted from natural disasters to the pandemic this year, but no long-term micro-loan program has been established during Cooper's administration. But emergency small-business loans were made available through the state's Golden LEAF program as part of this year's coronavirus relief programs.

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Legislative leaders, for example, said they raised average teacher pay to $50,000 as part of the 2016-17 budget, a number that counts both state funding and local supplements. Cooper disputes that figure, telling WRAL News it was "contrived and doesn't really reflect reality."

Republican lawmakers have also placed increased emphasis on pay-for-performance, such as bonuses for third-grade teachers whose students meet certain reading benchmarks, while Cooper has talked more about across-the-board pay increases.

Cooper said in his campaign material and during campaign stump speeches that he would like to see North Carolina raise teacher pay to the national average. Last year, North Carolina teacher pay was 41st out of 50 states and the District of Columbia.

"We've got thousands of teachers leaving North Carolina for better pay and more respect," Cooper said during a debate hosted by WRAL News.

The metric: Does North Carolina public school teacher pay rise to the national average?

There are few reliable measures of average teacher salary. The most universally accepted is the National Education Association's computation, which is used by the U.S. Department of Education and generates the annual rankings. To achieve this goal, North Carolina's average teacher pay would have to meet or exceed the national average computed by the NEA.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/3/2017: Cooper has not yet had a chance to propose a budget or respond to legislative proposals.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper called for 5 percent raises for teachers in each of the two years in his first proposed budget, which he said would put North Carolina on track to reach the national average within five years.

Update 6/22/2017: The final budget approved by lawmakers included an average 9.5 percent raise for teachers over two years, moving the state toward the national average.

Update 5/28/2018: Less than two weeks after thousands of North Carolina school teachers rallied outside the Legislative Building, lawmakers included an average 6.5 percent pay raise for teachers in their annual budget. The raise is less than what Cooper had proposed, but legislative leaders insist it is just one step in the process of getting salaries to the national average.

Update: 12/13/2019: North Carolina's average teacher salary is about $54,000, still well below the national average of nearly $62,000. Those figures don't adjust for cost of living. Education funding is one of the major issues that divides Cooper from the Republican-controlled legislature, and the two sides failed to reach a budget deal, in part, because Cooper wanted to sacrifice GOP-backed business tax cuts in favor of higher teacher raises.

Update 9/6/2020: According to the latest figures from the National Education Association, North Carolina's average teacher salary was $54,682 for 2019-20, ranking it 30th nationwide but second in the Southeast, behind Georgia. Although the state has climbed in the rankings in recent years, it's still well below the $63,645 national average. One of the reasons North Carolina has been without a state budget for two years now is that Cooper has pressed for lawmakers to give teachers biger raises instead of cutting some business taxes.

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But over the years, lawmakers have diverted lottery funds into different kinds of spending. While remnants of the original framework are still evident in where the money goes, lottery funds are treated like any other resource, rather than as a boost over and above tax dollars. For example, in 2016-17, more than half of lottery funds paid for "non-instructional support personnel."

Cooper said he wanted to refocus lottery spending as part of his education policy plan.

"Over the years, the lottery funds have been diverted away from the original educational purpose," he wrote. "Furthermore, in 2012, the legislature changed the lottery formula so that a smaller percentage goes to education and has dipped into lottery funds for other state programs. I'll work to reform lottery spending and maximize our education dollars by putting a stop to legislators raiding lottery proceeds."

The metric: Does the state budget refocus lottery spending?

It's unclear whether Cooper wants a return to the original four purposes of the lottery or just accounting changes that will ensure lottery proceeds add to, rather than supplant, tax-dollar spending on education.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 6/22/2017: In the final budget approved by lawmakers, $100 million in lottery money was set aside to help smaller school districts with their construction needs. Cooper also called for a lottery-funded scholarship for community college students to help pay for tuition and fees once they have exhausted other sources of financial aid, but that wasn't part of the final budget.

Update 10/15/2018: Cooper and lawmakers tapped $25 million in lottery funds to help school districts that sustained damage from Hurricane Florence.

Update 12/26/2019: The governor's budget proposals have consistently recommended more lottery funding for public education, including a proposed increase this year in Pre-K funding. Budgeting takes a willing legislature, though, and the two sides have been at odds on a number of issues, including education funding.

Update 9/6/2020: Another year went by with no new budget and no new efforts in the General Assembly to adjust how lottery proceeds are spent.

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"Sixty percent of graduates of state universities now owe more than $25,000 in student debt," he told the crowd, according to a report in the Greenville Reflector.

In order to lower that debt, Cooper said the state should create a refinancing authority.

"​Last year the U.S. Treasury Department granted states the authority to issue tax-exempt bonds to refinance student loans for residents or students attending college in their states and several have seized this opportunity," Cooper wrote. "As governor, I will call for establishing a state loan-refinancing authority. This will allow North Carolina to lower monthly loan repayments for thousands of borrowers with high-interest private loans and federal student loans who could benefit from lower interest rates. This will not only ease the debt burden for borrowers but also provide college graduates an incentive to stay in North Carolina."

The metric: Does North Carolina establish a student loan refinancing authority?

This is one of a series of promises in which Cooper says he will "call for" establishing a program. But as with other such promises, getting lawmakers and others to go along will be the true test of success.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: Although University of North Carolina's lead spokesman knows of no progress toward this goal, the Governor's Office said it is has initial conversations with state financial aid officials and is looking to make progress in the coming year.

Update 12/26/2019: Another year has passed without noticeable progress, but Cooper's office says the administration is talking to the North Carolina Banking Commission and others "to identify possible legislative action to strengthen student loan borrower protections." They're looking at House Bill 875, which would create a student loan ombudsman and put student loan servicers under new regulations. The bill, which never got a committee hearing last session, would not create a refinancing authority.

Update 9/6/2020: Cooper's spokesman said discussions are ongoing with the state Banking Commission, but House Bill 875, which officials hoped would put new regulations on student loan servicers, never got a hearing in the General Assembly.

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"We've got to bring kids back into the teaching profession. The teaching fellows scholarship program was one of the best in the country," Cooper told WRAL News. In exchange for college tuition, he said, students would commit to teaching in public schools for a certain amount of time. "I remember being on one of the interview committees for one of the scholarships when they first started, and I remember saying, 'Wow, we're getting the top of the class.'"

Although the fellows program began in 1986 under Republican Gov. Jim Martin, more recently it became a target for GOP lawmakers looking to trim spending. The final class of fellows began their university studies in 2011.

"Reinstating a teaching fellows program to attract the best and brightest, providing opportunities for teachers to improve their skills as professionals, and making sure their kids are healthy and ready to learn in the classroom are vital," Cooper wrote in his campaign policy proposal.

The metric: Does the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program return?

Although the same legislative leaders that phased out the program are still in charge of the General Assembly, Cooper could press the legislature to reinstate the Teaching Fellows' funding.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/6/2017: Cooper has not had a chance to offer a budget or respond to legislative budget proposals.

Update 6/22/2017: The state budget adopted by lawmakers included funding for the Teaching Fellows program to be revived.

Update 12/10/2019: Cooper called for expanding the Teaching Fellows program to every historically black college and university in North Carolina to increase diversity in the state's teaching ranks.

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Early colleges allow students to earn their high school diplomas and up to two years of college credit at the same time.

"As governor, I will push to expand them statewide in partnership with our local community colleges," Cooper wrote during the campaign.

The metric: Does the North Carolina have early college programs in all 115 districts?

As of Jan. 1, 2017, there were early college programs in 70 of the state's 115 districts.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: A number of school districts still don't have early college programs, but the Cooper Administration said the number of districts with a Cooperative Innovative High School, a category that includes early colleges, has grown to 94.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper has included money in his budget proposals to open new Cooperative Innovative High School programs, but his spokesman said the number remained at 94 in 2019.

Update 9/6/2020: A number of school districts around the state still lack a Cooperative Innovative High School program.

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"Over-testing is overwhelming our students and teachers and jeopardizing the quality of education provided in our schools," Cooper wrote as part of his education plan. "I want to find ways to untie the hands of teachers. Charter schools should not be the only educational institutions encouraged to experiment with educational innovations. Traditional schools should be encouraged to innovate, too. As governor, I will promote a statewide education policy that encourages creativity in the classroom, with personalized education plans, flipped classrooms and student governance, among others. We need to find new ways to evaluate student performance that improves outcomes and boosts performance."

The metric: Does North Carolina pare back standardized tests or change how students are evaluated?

Much of Cooper's statement on this topic is campaign pabulum that lacks a clear metric to measure. However, it seems clear he is aiming for changes in how students are tested and wants to pare back the amount of time they spend being tested so they can spend more time learning.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: Students haven't seen major changes in standardized testing. Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson's spokesman said the state has reduced the number of scored items on tests, as well as the amount of time students must sit for some exams.

Update 9/4/2019: Cooper signed legislation eliminating the NC Final Exam. The law also requires school districts to check every other year on how many standardized tests are administered and how many hours are needed to complete them and to cut back if their local numbers exceed the state average.

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Cooper revived that idea during his first education policy speech of the 2016 campaign and in his education policy document.

"A number of states either have a free community college program or are considering offering one. The program works as a last dollar scholarship program whereby the state provides a grant to cover the remaining share of tuition and fees after Pell Grants and other financial aid and scholarships are applied," Cooper wrote. "Most programs also offer mentors to help students navigate the college process on their journey toward success. As governor, I will put together a team of education partners and budgetary advisors to design a proposal for North Carolina to offer free tuition for community college. This would provide more students access to college and create opportunity for students to earn better paying jobs. Additionally it will help our state to meet our employers’ demands for educated workers and address the gap that now exists for skilled labor."

Critics point out that such a program would be costly to taxpayers.

The metric: Does Cooper establish a tuition-free community college program?

Cooper's own metric for this involves putting "together a team of education partners and budgetary advisors to design a proposal for North Carolina to offer free tuition for community college." However, there's little reason to design such a program unless you plan to implement it. Full success with regard to this pledge will involve convincing lawmakers to go along.

Promise status: Mixed results

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper included in his proposed budget a lottery-funded scholarship for community college students to help pay for tuition and fees once they have exhausted other sources of financial aid.

Update 6/22/2017: Lawmakers passed a final budget that didn't include Cooper's scholarship program.

Update 5/2/2017: Cooper included a $20 million grant program in his proposed budget to help people finish college even when financial emergencies soak up their tuition money.

Update 5/29/2017: Lawmakers included in their budget a Teaching Fellows-type program to encourage people to go into law enforcement careers. The program would provide up to 200 people with forgivable loans of up to $3,152 a year for community college.

Update 7/12/2018: Because lawmakers didn't include his proposed "Finish Line Grants" in the final state budget, Cooper set aside $7 million in federal funds for the grant program to help cash-strapped student finish college.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper included $30 million in his budget proposal to pay community college tuition for people being trained in high-demand professions, but other than waiving tuition for the children of correctional officers killed on the job, lawmakers didn't include any provisions in the budget for free community college.

Update 9/6/2020: Community colleges got significant federal pandemic relief money from the legislature this year, but there was no push to provide enough financial support where they could stop charging tuition. Still, the governor gets partial credit on this issue for his "Finish Line Grants" funding in 2018.

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"State funding for Smart Start and NC Pre-K has stayed the same in recent years even though the population of young children has been growing. Both programs are millions below pre-recession funding levels," Cooper said on his website. "This despite the fact that children in counties participating in Smart Start and NC Pre-K have higher third-grade reading and math scores and are less likely to require special education placements. These programs are especially important for at-risk children who benefit from early childhood education the most. Despite the proven success, only 21 percent of 4-year-olds are enrolled in NC Pre-K.

"As governor, I will work to increase funding for Smart Start and NC Pre-K, with a sustainable plan that gives priority to serving more at-risk children," Cooper said.

The metric: Does North Carolina expand funding for pre-kindergarten programs?

Pre-K refers to the year of school before kindergarten, while Smart Start is a broad suite of services to make at-risk children healthier and give them a head start on learning.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise yet.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper called in his first budget proposal for adding 4,700 slots over two years to North Carolina Pre-K to eliminate the waiting lists of 4-year-olds.

Update 6/22/2017: The state budget approved by lawmakers included funding that Republican leaders said would wipe out 75 percent of the Pre-K waiting list over two years.

Update 12/27/2018: No changes to Pre-K were discussed in this year's budget, but lawmakers did pull $50 million in state funding from the program and replaced it with $50 million in federal child care funds.

Update: 12/26/2019: Even though the overall state budget was vetoed, the continuing budget from 2018-19 increased the number of Pre-K slots by more than 1,300 statewide.

Update 9/6/2020: There was no new state budget this year and no change to Pre-K funding. Still, the program has grown during the four years Cooper has been in office.

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In 2010, a task force recommended that the state Department of Public Instruction take over teacher screening. Cooper says the state should follow through on that recommendation.

"North Carolina should immediately implement the safety screens proposed in 2010 that would mandate fingerprints checks for educators so they can’t hide behind a job transfer to cover up misdeeds," Cooper wrote.

The metric: Does North Carolina adopt a fingerprint background check process for educators?

A bill to require background checks came close to passing in 2016 but fell short of the support it needed on the House floor and was withdrawn.

Promise status: Broken

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this promise.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: No action has been taken during Cooper's second year in office.

Update 12/26/2019: No action has been taken during Cooper's third year in office.

Update 9/6/2020: No bill to establish a statewide system to run background checks on teachers, or require teachers be fingerprinted for checks, has been heard in the General Assembly for several years, and Cooper has not prioritized the issue.

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"North Carolina must uphold its constitutional commitment guaranteeing post-secondary education is 'free as far as practical,'" Cooper wrote. "This means working to get the Board of Governors to reverse its policy that caps financial aid and instead challenging members to address student loan debt once and for all."

The metric: Does the UNC System change its financial aid policy?

Cooper's proposal would likely require the state to plow more tax dollars into the UNC system.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/10/2017: We have not logged any progress on this item yet.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 12/31/2018: No action has been taken during Cooper's second year in office.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper signed legislation repealing a tuition surcharge for students who take longer than four years to complete their degrees, but there has been no movement on putting more money into financial aid.

Update 9/6/2020: All members of the UNC Board of Governors are appointed by the General Assembly, which limits the governor's sway with them as far as changing the policy on financial aid. Still, Cooper hasn't really pushed the issue. His spokesman noted that federal pandemic relief money earmarked for the UNC system stipulates that schools cannot use it to supplant scholarship funds, which he said is "in line with the belief that the UNC system shouldn't have policies limiting the amount of money that can go for financial aid."

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That pledge not to raise taxes was one of the two most frequently submitted campaign pledges by Cooper when WRAL News asked for suggestions from readers and viewers.

"We don't need to increase taxes to fix what's wrong with state government," Cooper said during an interview for WRAL's "On the Record" program. When host David Crabtree followed up, Cooper made clear he was not proposing a tax program that would reverse recent tax cuts.

"You would not raise taxes on corporations?" Crabtree began to ask, drawing a quick "No" from Cooper. Continuing his question, Crabtree asked, "Or the top income earners?" Cooper again replied, "No."

During a debate later in the campaign, Cooper again insisted that he would not need to raise taxes to fund his agenda.

"We don't need to increase taxes. What we need to do is fix some of those taxes he (former Gov. Pat McCrory) put on the middle class," Cooper said, arguing that the economy would grow and produce more tax revenue.

The question, he said, is what would the state do with that revenue. "It's about priorities," he said.

The metric: Avoid signing or proposing tax increases

Taxes can be a thorny area of public policy. What looks like a tax decrease to one person could end up increasing taxes on another.

However, with no specific proposals on the table as of January 2017, we'll take Cooper at his word that he is not going to propose any tax changes that would broadly raise taxes on a significant number of people. Because Cooper's greatest influence over tax laws will be his signature or veto, we'll also measure this promise based on whether Cooper proposes or signs any broad-based tax increases.

Promise status: Broken

Update 1/3/2017: As of the beginning of Cooper's term, he has not proposed any specific tax program or been asked to respond to any legislative proposals.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper submitted a $23.5 billion budget proposal that didn't include any tax increases, although Republican legislative leaders insist his plan to have hospitals pick up part of the cost of his expanded Medicaid plan amounted to a new tax.

Update 5/10/2018: Cooper submitted a $24.5 billion budget proposal that called for freezing the corporate income tax rate at 3 percent and the individual rate at 5.499 percent for people making more than $200,000 a year to free up revenue for teacher raises. Both rates were set to decline in 2019. Cooper's budget staff argued that 75 percent of the benefit in corporate tax cuts goes to out-of-state companies and that even the 5 percent of individuals affected by the move would still see the first $200,000 of their annual income taxed at a lower rate.

But Cooper specifically said he wouldn't propose changes that would reverse tax cuts lawmakers had put in place. Although freezing a planned tax cut isn't technically a tax increase, it comes off as one to those affected by it, and it does reverse changes on the books.

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He put "Fight To Restore The Film Tax Credit" among five items that he believed could give the economy a boost on his campaign website. He also mentioned the program during a debate hosted by WRAL News and when speaking to newspapers in areas particularly affected by the film industry, such as Wilmington.

"As governor, I will fight to make North Carolina a film destination again," Cooper told the Wilmington Star-News.

The metric: Can Cooper restore something akin to the old film tax incentive?

While North Carolina does have a film grant program under current law, it is far less lucrative for production companies than the tax incentive. The old program gave production companies a 25 percent refund on qualified spending made in North Carolina. That credit could wipe out a company's tax obligation to the state, with the rest refunded as cash to the production.

There were typically some limitations with regard to the program, such as a $20 million cap on the total refund a single production could receive or how much salaries of high-dollar stars could count toward total spending. While the specifics might vary, Cooper will meet this goal if he and lawmakers resurrect a film tax rebate program that operates in the same way as the now-defunct credit.

Promise status: In progress

Update 1/3/2017: Cooper has not yet had a chance to propose a budget or respond to legislative proposals.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper submitted a budget proposal that included $20 million for film tax credits.

Update 6/22/2017: Lawmakers passed a 2017-18 state budget that didn't include any money for film production tax credits.

Update 5/10/2018: Cooper submitted a budget proposal that would boost the state's film incentives program.

Update 6/12/2018: Lawmakers passed a budget over Cooper's veto that lowered the threshold to qualify for a grant and raised the cap on the amount awarded, but there was still no effort to restore a tax credit.

Update 12/11/2019: Lawmakers passed changes to the film production grant program in one of a series of so-called "mini budgets," which Cooper then vetoed. But there was no move toward restoring tax credits for such productions.

Update 9/6/2020: The state has been without a full new budget for two years, so there's been no movement on a film production tax credit or even expanding the state's grant program.

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On the campaign trail, Cooper said he wanted to use any growth in tax collections to restore that tax break.

"I will use a portion of any future gains in state revenue to reinstate the childcare tax credit for working families, with the potential to increase the credit amount as revenues grow over time," Cooper said on his campaign website.

"The average cost for infant care in North Carolina is $9,255 per year. That’s roughly $2,500 more than the cost of in-state tuition and fees at a North Carolina college," Cooper wrote. "Raising children is a big responsibility, but it’s also a costly one. As governor, I will look at ways we can provide this important tax break to middle-class families."

The idea was among the first proposals he pitched as part of an education plan he rolled out in Wake County.

The metric: Does North Carolina restore its child care tax credit?

Tax policies can vary a lot in their details, and the childcare credit is part of a set of policies that is typically written to sync up with federal law. Cooper will achieve this goal if he is able to put a childcare tax credit in place that has a similar framework to the now-defunct program.

Promise Status: Failed

Update 1/4/2017: Cooper has not had a chance to propose a budget or respond to legislative proposals.

Update 3/1/2017: Cooper included a childcare tax credit in his first proposed budget.

Update 6/22/2017: Lawmakers passed the 2017-18 budget without the credit Cooper called for.

Update 12/27/2018: Although the federal child tax credit doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per child under age 17 in 2018, there was no movement on restoring a state tax credit for child care.

Update 12/11/2018: Still no movement on any state tax credit for child care.

Update 12/26/2019: Cooper hasn't tried to include a child care tax credit in his budget proposal since 2017 because it's obvious lawmakers won't pass it, according to Cooper's spokesman.

Update 9/6/2020: The state still lacks a tax credit for child care.

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But what did Gov. Roy Cooper say about the toll lanes during the campaign?

"Yes, the I-77 contract should be canceled," Cooper said during a June debate with McCrory. "This is a questionable company that has since gone into bankruptcy."

That bankruptcy comment refers to another project in Texas that was put together by the same firm handling the I-77 expansion having to file for bankruptcy protection.

A sizeable contingent of state House Republican lawmakers voted to revoke the deal, although the Senate never followed through, perhaps warded off by what McCrory estimated would be $800 million in cancellation costs.

Cooper also took to social media to urge McCrory to cancel the contract.

However, Cooper did not include cancellation of the I-77 toll project among the plans he laid out on his website. While he urged the McCrory administration to cancel the contract, his most definitive pledge on the subject came via campaign spokesman Jamal Little, who told radio station WFAE in Charlotte:

"If elected governor, Attorney General Cooper is committed to investigating the details of this project to determine the true cost of cancellation. From the beginning, too many details involving this contract and its negotiation have been shrouded in secrecy, and that lack of transparency is troubling. It's clear that the McCrory administration waited until construction began to publicly estimate an $800 million penalty when the governor could have canceled the contract at any point beforehand.​ The I‐77 tolling plan is not just a bad deal for the state but a burden on the families who use I‐77. As governor, Attorney General Cooper is firmly committed to partnering with families, local leaders and organizations like yours when making decisions that affect hard-working North Carolinians."

In the wake of the election, there appears to be hope, bordering on expectation, among toll opponents that Cooper will move to cancel the contract.

"I would encourage him to find a way to do that," Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett told WCNC, the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, "It will fail. It gets more expensive every day."

The metric: Does Cooper move toward canceling the I-77 toll lanes and avoid other such projects?

Given that Cooper never came flat out with a promise to cancel the toll road project, the metric for this pledge is less clear-cut than for many others on our list. However, given the part I-77 tolls played in the 2016 campaign and the amount of time Cooper spent addressing the topic, leaving it off the tracker entirely wasn't an option.

At several points during the campaign, both on his website and during debates, Cooper said that he preferred issuing a transportation bond as a way to repair old roads and develop new ones. So, one metric we can use for this promise is whether Cooper's administration avoids developing any new toll lanes during the next four years.

In addition, Cooper did say he was "committed to investigating the details of this project to determine the true cost of cancellation." So, a second metric for this promise would be whether Cooper either confirms the $800 million cancellation costs or determines it is something else.

While it was not something he explicitly committed to, given his statements on the matter, an outright cancellation of the contract would certainly follow through on his rhetoric from the campaign trail.

Promise status: Achieved

Update 1/5/2017: Cooper has not yet formally moved one way or the other regarding the toll project.

Update 12/29/2017: Cooper OK'd the creation of an advisory board made up of residents, business people and local officials from cities along the I-77 corridor to make recommendations on the future of the toll project. Their suggestions are due in early 2018.

Update 8/15/2018: Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon called for making one of the new I-77 lanes free and for renegotiating the contract with the toll road developer. But he said buying out the project isn't feasible in the near future.

Update 1/2/2019: Cooper never canceled the contract, and the I-77 toll lanes are expected to open by mid-2019. But his administration did hire an outside consultant to review the contract and has devised a strategy to ultimately have the state take over operation of the toll road. The State Auditor's Office also reviewed how the contract was handled and provided findings to state lawmakers.

Update 12/27/2019: The I-77 toll lanes are open, though work continues on parts of the project and the contractor is racking up daily fines for missing a deadline.

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In 2015, McCrory pushed for just such a bond, but he ran into opposition in the state Senate, which preferred to pay for transportation costs through the annual flow of taxes. While the state did eventually approve a bond that was dubbed "Connect NC," the bulk of spending when toward government buildings on university campuses and in public safety facilities.

"What we've got to do is a transportation bond," Cooper said during his first debate with McCrory.

On his website, Cooper outlined why he thought a transportation bond would be a good idea.

"Passing a transportation bond will not only help us make long-term investments, but will also provide a short-term economic boost with immediate hiring and spending in construction and other related fields," he said.

McCrory, on his way out of office, called for a $1 billion transportation bond to be put in place by 2018.

The metric: Does Cooper push through a transportation bond by the end of his term?

Bonds are a way of borrowing money. Any transportation bond would have to first be approved by the General Assembly and then go to the voters. A skeptical Senate may be Cooper's biggest roadblock, as it was for McCrory.

Promise Status: Achieved

Update 1/5/2017: Cooper has not yet had a chance to propose a budget or respond to legislative proposals.

Update 12/29/2017: No action has been taken during Cooper's first year in office.

Update 6/20/2018: Although not a traditional bond passed by voters, the Build NC Bond Act that the Cooper Administration backed and lawmakers approved allows the state Department of Transportation to take on an extra $300 million in debt every year for the next decade to accelerate the completion of smaller road projects that the state doesn't have the wherewithal to take on under existing funding mechanisms..

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For years, good-government advocates on both the political left and right have proposed putting the process in the hands of an independent commission, an idea that Gov. Roy Cooper endorsed during the 2016 campaign.

"I will work to expand voter opportunities and create a nonpartisan Redistricting Commission to make voting districts fair and competitive," Cooper said on his website.

While this position brought charges of flip-flopping from his Republican opponents, given Cooper's role in the 2000 redistricting process, Cooper explained to the Greensboro News & Record that technological changes had helped shape his new position.

"I support an independent redistricting commission because technology today has allowed legislators to draw districts that are largely noncompetitive and unfair to voters. I believe voters should choose their representatives and not the other way around," Cooper told the paper.

The metric: Does North Carolina put an independent redistricting process in place during the next four years?

Details on how redistricting commissions work have varied among the states that have used them. For example, panels of retired judges, nonpartisan legislative staffers and appointed commissions have all been proposed as groups to take on the job. As well, redistricting legislation often has a delayed trigger that puts off using a commission until a decade later so that those who vote to put it in place often won't have to live with the consequences.

Details aside, the metric for this promise is whether Cooper and lawmakers can agree on some sort of process that takes the partisan edge off drawing new congressional and legislative districts.

Promise status: Failed

Update 1/5/2017: Cooper has not yet formally proposed this to lawmakers or had a chance to respond to legislative proposals.

Update 7/15/2017: Cooper told the crowd at an annual North Carolina Democratic Party dinner that Democrats, once they regain majorities in the legislature, would move to a nonpartisan redistricting process that cedes map drawing to an independent commission.

Update 12/27/2018: Redistricting lawsuits keep moving through state and federal courts, but there's no action in the foreseeable future on turning the job of drawing voting maps in North Carolina from lawmakers to an independent group.

Update 12/26/2019: Lawmakers redrew legislative and congressional district maps in response to state lawsuits challenging existing maps as partisan gerrymanders. Although several bills have been filed in the wake of the repeated litigation to take lawmakers out of the redistricting process, none has gained traction.

Update 9/6/2020: A growing number of lawmakers back independent redistricting, but none of the bills filed to make the switch got much of a hearing in the General Assembly. Cooper never made it a legislative priority, either.

More promises

Go back to our introduction or continue browsing Roy Cooper's promises from the 2016 campaign.

However, on his campaign website, Cooper made four specific pledges related to ballot access. He wrote, "As Governor, I will fight to:

• Reinstate same-day voter registration
• Extend early voting from 10 to 17 days
• Allow for online voter registration
• Roll back voter ID and pass laws that encourage voting"

North Carolina lawmakers instituted voter ID, reduced the early voting period from 17 days to 10 days and eliminated same-day registration as part of a 2013 elections reform law. Those three issues were involved in a federal lawsuit that Cooper's office defended until the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck it down. After that ruling, Cooper said he would no longer defend the law.

During an October debate, Cooper said it was "shameful" that legislative leaders continued to press for the package of voting restrictions.

The 2013 law also limited online registration, and it's unclear if electronic registration systems were legal even before that measure. Still, Cooper made it part and parcel of the four voting rights objectives he put forward.

The metric: Does North Carolina adopt the four voting rights measures Cooper proposes?

In one respect, Cooper had a head start on three of the measures in question. Voter ID, early voting and same-day registration changes made in 2013 were struck down by a federal court. For the purposes of this metric, Cooper could meet his goals on those three fronts by winning the court battle. He could also convince lawmakers to roll back their 2013 reforms, but that seems unlikely in the short term, given that the Republican majorities that put them in place still control the House and the Senate.

Other states, including South Carolina, allow for online voter registration, but instituting it in North Carolina would require the General Assembly to pass a new law.

Promise Status: Mixed results

Update 1/3/2017: Cooper has not yet had the opportunity to put forward legislative changes or make major moves in court in his new role as governor.

Update 5/15/2017: The U.S. Supreme Court left in place the 4th Circuit ruling on voter ID, early voting and same-day registration after Cooper's administration withdrew the state's appeal. Republican lawmakers are weighing whether to pursue a new voter ID bill. No action on online voter registration.

Update 6/28/2018: Lawmakers have expanded early voting by adding the final Saturday back in after previously shifting the schedule up by a day. Cooper vetoed the initial legislation but quickly signed the updated schedule into law.

Update 12/19/2018: A voter ID requirement will return to North Carolina elections in 2019 after a constitutional referendum passed in November and lawmakers adopted rules on acceptable IDs over Cooper's veto. Still no action on online voter registration.

Update 12/26/2019: After lawmakers pushed the use of voter ID back to the 2020 elections to give state elections officials more time to approve acceptable IDs and educate the public, a federal judge issued an injunction as part of a lawsuit blocking the voter ID law from being implemented. Still no action on online voter registration.

More promises

Go back to our introduction or continue browsing Roy Cooper's promises from the 2016 campaign.

Gov. Roy Cooper took the oath of office just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2017. During the 13 months he was officially on the campaign trail, Cooper made promises about things he would and would not do should he win.

• Cooper campaign promise tracker (first term)
• Cooper campaign promise tracker (second term)

As we did with Gov. Pat McCrory, WRAL News will track whether Cooper is able to come through on the pledges he made and when he falls short of the mark. For some of his campaign promises, such as increasing teacher pay, Cooper, a Democrat, will need help from a Republican-controlled General Assembly. Other pledges, such as increasing help for small businesses, Cooper may be able to keep on his own.

"One of the things that I want to do is make sure we put the best people in place so that we can raise our teacher pay to at least the national average, work to expand Medicaid, make sure that we emphasize renewable energy and invest in our schools to make sure that we have a well-educated population so that they can have more money in their paychecks," Cooper said during an interview with WRAL News during the campaign. He also named repealing House Bill 2 and funding his priorities without a tax increase as key goals.

To compile the promises we are tracking, WRAL News culled through Cooper’s campaign website, interviews he gave during the campaign and the three head-to-head debates he and McCrory held in 2016. Readers and viewers also submitted promises they spotted during the election and wanted us to track. This tracker focuses on promises for which there is a clear metric such as the establishment of a program, a rise in spending or another concrete action.

How it works

Scroll down and click on a promise for a summary, its source, and its status. To return to this page, click the key at the top of the screen. We rate promises on the following scale:

What we're tracking

Here are the 31 promises we're tracking. Click on each headline for more about what Cooper promised and how he is doing.