North Carolina's 23rd House district

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]

North Carolina's 23rd State
House of Representatives
district

Representative
  Shelly Willingham
DRocky Mount
Demographics41% White
53% Black
5% Hispanic
Population (2020)74,713

Geography

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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

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Multi-member district

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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

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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

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2022

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  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.