When the Governor of the State, or Lieutenant Governor, upon whom the powers and duties of the office of Governor have devolved, is impeached, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside; and in a case requiring the Chief Justice to preside, notice shall be given him, by order of the Senate, of the time and place fixed for the consideration of the articles of impeachment, with a request to attend; and the Chief Justice shall preside over the Senate during the consideration of said articles upon the trial of the person impeached. But the Chief Justice shall not vote on any question during the trial, and shall pronounce decision only as the organ of the Senate with its assent.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 123-2