North Carolina's 23rd House district

North Carolina's 23rd State
House of Representatives
district
Representative
  Shelly Willingham
D–Rocky Mount
Demographics41% White
53% Black
5% Hispanic
Population (2020)74,713

North Carolina's 23rd House district is one of 120 districts in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It has been represented by Democrat Shelly Willingham since 2015.[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Edgecombe, Martin, and Bertie counties. The district overlaps with the 3rd and 5th Senate districts.

District officeholders since 1983

Multi-member district

Representative Party Dates Notes Representative Party Dates Notes Representative Party Dates Notes Counties
Ken Spaulding Democratic January 1, 1983 –
January 1, 1985 		Redistricted from the 16th district.
Retired to run for Congress. 		Paul Pulley Jr. Democratic January 1, 1983 –
January 1, 1985 		Redistricted from the 16th district.
Redistricted to the 68th district. 		George W. Miller Jr. Democratic January 1, 1983 –
January 1, 1985 		Redistricted from the 16th district.
Redistricted to the 69th district. 		1983–1985
All of Durham County.
Mickey Michaux Democratic January 1, 1985 –
January 1, 2003 		Redistricted to the 31st district. 1985–2003
Part of Durham County.[2][3]
Sharon Thompson Democratic January 1, 1989 –
January 1, 1991 		Redistricted from the 68th district. George W. Miller Jr. Democratic January 1, 1989 –
January 1, 2001 		Redistricted from the 69th district.
Lost re-nomination
Paul Luebke Democratic January 1, 1991 –
January 1, 2003 		Redistricted to the 30th district.
Paul Miller Democratic January 1, 2001 –
January 1, 2003 		Redistricted to the 29th district.

Single-member district

Representative Party Dates Notes Counties
Joe Tolson Democratic January 1, 2003 –
January 1, 2015 		Redistricted from the 71st district.
Retired. 		2003–2013
Parts of Edgecombe and Wilson counties.[4][5]
2013–2023
All of Edgecombe and Martin counties.[6][7][8]
Shelly Willingham Democratic January 1, 2015 –
Present
2023–Present
All of Edgecombe, Martin, and Bertie counties.[9]

Election results

2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2022[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham (incumbent) 16,488 54.42%
Republican James Crowell Proctor 13,809 45.58%
Total votes 30,297 100%
Democratic hold

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2020[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham (incumbent) 21,754 58.76%
Republican Claiborne Holtzman 14,656 39.59%
Green Abbie "Bud" Lane 612 1.65%
Total votes 37,022 100%
Democratic hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2018[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham (incumbent) 15,959 60.85%
Republican Claiborne Holtzman 10,266 39.15%
Total votes 26,225 100%
Democratic hold

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2016[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham (incumbent) 27,208 100%
Total votes 27,208 100%
Democratic hold

2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2014[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham 2,978 35.61%
Democratic R. B. "Rusty" Holderness 2,543 30.41%
Democratic Taro Knight 1,715 20.51%
Democratic Bronson Williams 1,126 13.47%
Total votes 8,362 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary run-off election, 2014[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham 2,702 52.16%
Democratic R. B. "Rusty" Holderness 2,478 47.84%
Total votes 5,180 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2014[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelly Willingham 18,660 100%
Total votes 18,660 100%
Democratic hold

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2012[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 7,575 58.75%
Democratic William Solomon Jr. 5,318 41.25%
Total votes 12,893 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2012[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 30,670 100%
Total votes 30,670 100%
Democratic hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2010[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 12,043 53.38%
Republican Gerald Shepheard 10,517 46.62%
Total votes 22,560 100%
Democratic hold

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2008[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 20,211 62.21%
Republican Garland Shepheard 12,275 37.79%
Total votes 32,486 100%
Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2006[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 7,924 71.05%
Republican Henry Williams II 3,228 28.95%
Total votes 11,152 100%
Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2004[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 17,040 65.93%
Republican Henry Williams II 8,804 34.07%
Total votes 25,844 100%
Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2002[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Tolson (incumbent) 9,678 53.38%
Republican Bettie West 8,244 45.47%
Libertarian Douglas Ellis 207 1.14%
Total votes 18,129 100%
Democratic hold

2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2000[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Paul Luebke (incumbent) 15,105 31.15%
Democratic Mickey Michaux (incumbent) 14,256 29.40%
Democratic Paul Miller 10,238 21.12%
Democratic George W. Miller Jr. (incumbent) 8,886 18.33%
Total votes 48,485 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2000[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Paul Luebke (incumbent) 57,471 33.70%
Democratic Mickey Michaux (incumbent) 51,329 30.10%
Democratic Paul Miller 44,521 26.11%
Libertarian Robert Dorsey 9,819 5.76%
Libertarian Raymond Ubinger 7,397 4.34%
Total votes 170,537 100%
Democratic hold
Democratic hold
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ "State House District 23, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ^ J. D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State House of Representatives Districts Map - 1985 to 1992". Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "1992 House Base Plan 5" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "Interim House Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Election" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "House Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "Lewis-Dollar-Dockham 4" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ^ "2018 House Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "HB 1020, 2nd Edition - 2019 House Remedial Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "S.L. 2022-4 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  10. ^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  11. ^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  12. ^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  13. ^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  14. ^ [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  15. ^ [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  16. ^ [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  17. ^ [8] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  18. ^ [9] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  19. ^ [10] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  20. ^ [11] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  21. ^ [12] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  22. ^ [13] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  23. ^ [14] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  24. ^ "NC State House 023 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  25. ^ "NC State House 023". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 13, 2022.