North Carolina's 23rd House district

North Carolina's 23rd State
House of Representatives
district
North Carolina's 23rd State; House of Representatives; district
Representative
	Shelly Willingham; D–Rocky Mount
Demographics	41% 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[edit]

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[edit]

Multi-member district[edit]

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.	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[edit]

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]
Joe Tolson	Democratic	January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2015	Redistricted from the 71st district. Retired.	2013–2023 All of Edgecombe and Martin counties.^[6]^[7]^[8]
Shelly Willingham	Democratic	January 1, 2015 – Present
Shelly Willingham	Democratic	January 1, 2015 – Present		2023–Present All of Edgecombe, Martin, and Bertie counties.^[9]

Election results[edit]

2022[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

[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.

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v t e Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
156th General Assembly (2023–2024) Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R) Speaker pro tempore Sarah Stevens (R) Majority Leader John Bell (R) Minority Leader Robert Reives (D)
▌Ed Goodwin (R) ▌Ray Jeffers (D) ▌Steve Tyson (R) ▌Jimmy Dixon (R) ▌Bill Ward (R) ▌Joe Pike (R) ▌Matthew Winslow (R) ▌Gloristine Brown (D) ▌Timothy Reeder (R) ▌John Bell (R) ▌Allison Dahle (D) ▌Chris Humphrey (R) ▌Celeste Cairns (R) ▌George Cleveland (R) ▌Phil Shepard (R) ▌Carson Smith (R) ▌Frank Iler (R) ▌Deb Butler (D) ▌Charlie Miller (R) ▌Ted Davis Jr. (R) ▌Ya Liu (D) ▌William Brisson (R) ▌Shelly Willingham (D) ▌Ken Fontenot (R) ▌Allen Chesser (R) ▌Donna McDowell White (R) ▌Michael Wray (D) ▌Larry Strickland (R) ▌Vernetta Alston (D) ▌Marcia Morey (D) ▌Zack Forde-Hawkins (D) ▌Frank Sossamon (R) ▌Rosa Gill (D) ▌Tim Longest (D) ▌Terence Everitt (D) ▌Julie von Haefen (D) ▌Erin Paré (R) ▌Abe Jones (D) ▌James Roberson (D) ▌Joe John (D) ▌Maria Cervania (D) ▌Marvin Lucas (D) ▌Diane Wheatley (R) ▌Charles Smith (D) ▌Frances Jackson (D) ▌Brenden Jones (R) ▌Jarrod Lowery (R) ▌Garland Pierce (D) ▌Cynthia Ball (D) ▌Renee Price (D) ▌John Sauls (R) ▌Ben Moss (R) ▌Howard Penny Jr. (R) ▌Robert Reives (D) ▌Mark Brody (R) ▌Allen Buansi (D) ▌Ashton Clemmons (D) ▌Amos Quick (D) ▌Alan Branson (R) ▌Cecil Brockman (D) ▌Pricey Harrison (D) ▌John Faircloth (R) ▌Stephen Ross (R) ▌Dennis Riddell (R) ▌Reece Pyrtle (R) ▌Sarah Crawford (D) ▌Wayne Sasser (R) ▌David Willis (R) ▌Dean Arp (R) ▌Brian Biggs (R) ▌Kanika Brown (D) ▌Amber Baker (D) ▌Diamond Staton-Williams (D) ▌Jeff Zenger (R) ▌Donny Lambeth (R) ▌Harry Warren (R) ▌Julia Craven Howard (R) ▌Neal Jackson (R) ▌Keith Kidwell (R) ▌Sam Watford (R) ▌Larry Potts (R) ▌Kristin Baker (R) ▌Kevin Crutchfield (R) ▌Jeffrey McNeely (R) ▌Dudley Greene (R) ▌Hugh Blackwell (R) ▌Destin Hall (R) ▌Mary Belk (D) ▌Mitchell Setzer (R) ▌Sarah Stevens (R) ▌Kyle Hall (R) ▌Terry Brown (D) ▌Ray Pickett (R) ▌Jeffrey Elmore (R) ▌Grey Mills (R) ▌Jay Adams (R) ▌Jason Saine (R) ▌John Bradford (R) ▌Nasif Majeed (D) ▌John Autry (D) ▌Carolyn Logan (D) ▌Becky Carney (D) ▌Laura Budd (D) ▌Brandon Lofton (D) ▌Wesley Harris (D) ▌Carla Cunningham (D) ▌Kelly Alexander (D) ▌John Torbett (R) ▌Donnie Loftis (R) ▌Kelly Hastings (R) ▌Tim Moore (R) ▌Tricia Cotham (R) ▌Jake Johnson (R) ▌Eric Ager (D) ▌Lindsey Prather (D) ▌Caleb Rudow (D) ▌Jennifer Balkcom (R) ▌Mark Pless (R) ▌Mike Clampitt (R) ▌Karl Gillespie (R)
▌Republican (72) ▌Democratic (48) North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina Senate