North Carolina Senate

North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
North Carolina General Assembly
	Seal of the North Carolina Senate
Type
Type	Upper house
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 1, 2023
Leadership
President	Mark Robinson (R) ; since January 3, 2021
President pro tempore	Phil Berger (R) ; since January 26, 2011
Majority Leader	Paul Newton (R) ; since January 1, 2023
Minority Leader	Dan Blue (D) ; since March 5, 2014
Structure
Seats	50
Political groups	Majority Republican (30); Minority Democratic (20);
Length of term	2 years
Elections
Last election	November 5, 2024; (50 seats)
Next election	November 3, 2026; (50 seats)
Meeting place
	Senate chamber; North Carolina Legislative Building; Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Website
	www.ncleg.gov/Senate
Constitution
	North Carolina Constitution

The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate has 50 members, and the term of office for each senator is two years.^[1]

The Senate's prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The president of the Senate is the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, but the lieutenant governor has very limited powers and only votes to break a tie. Before the office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, the Senate was presided over by a "speaker." After the 1988 election of James Carson Gardner, the first Republican lieutenant governor since Reconstruction, Democrats in control of the Senate shifted most of the power held by the lieutenant governor to the senator who is elected president pro tempore (or pro-tem). The president pro tempore appoints members to standing committees of the Senate, and holds great sway over bills.

According to the state constitution, the Senate is also the "Court for the Trial of Impeachments". The House of Representatives has the power to impeach state officials, after which the Senate holds an impeachment trial, as in the federal system. If the governor or lieutenant governor is the official who has been impeached, the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court presides.

History

During the Reconstruction era, African Americans served in the state senate (African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era). By 1874 four African Americans, all Republicans, were in the body as Democrats had already regained a large majority 38 to 12.^[2] In 1920, Loula Roberts Platt, became the first woman to run for a seat in the state senate.^{[citation needed]}

Qualifications

The qualifications to be a senator are found in the state Constitution: "Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election."

2023–24 composition

	Republican	Democratic		Vacant
Affiliation	Party (shading indicates majority caucus)		Total

End of (2019–20) legislature	29	21	50	0
Beginning of previous (2021–22) legislature	28	22	50	0
End of previous (2021–22) legislature	28	22	50	0
Beginning of current (2023–24) legislature	30	20	50	0
Latest voting share	60%	40%

Leadership

North Carolina Senate^[3] officers
Position	Name	Party
President Pro Tempore	Phil Berger	Republican
Deputy President Pro Tempore	Ralph Hise	Republican
Majority Leader	Paul Newton	Republican
Majority Whip	Tom McInnis	Republican
Joint Majority Caucus Leader	Carl Ford	Republican
Minority Whip	Jay Chaudhuri	Democratic
Minority Caucus Secretary	Julie Mayfield	Democratic

Membership

District	Senator	Party	Residence	Counties Represented	First elected
1st	Norman Sanderson	Republican	Minnesott Beach	Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Washington, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, Carteret	2012
2nd	Bob Brinson	Republican	New Bern	Lenoir, Craven, Beaufort	2024↑
3rd	Bobby Hanig	Republican	Powells Point	Warren, Northampton, Halifax, Martin, Bertie, Hertford, Gates, Camden, Currituck, Tyrrell	2022↑
4th	Buck Newton	Republican	Wilson	Wilson, Wayne, Greene	2022 (2010–2016)
5th	Kandie Smith	Democratic	Greenville	Edgecombe, Pitt	2022
6th	Michael Lazzara	Republican	Jacksonville	Onslow	2020
7th	Michael Lee	Republican	Wilmington	New Hanover (part)	2020 (2014–2018)
8th	Bill Rabon	Republican	Southport	Columbus, Brunswick, New Hanover (part)	2010
9th	Brent Jackson	Republican	Autryville	Bladen, Sampson (part), Pender, Duplin, Jones	2010
10th	Benton Sawrey	Republican	Clayton	Johnston	2022
11th	Lisa Stone Barnes	Republican	Spring Hope	Vance, Franklin, Nash	2020
12th	Jim Burgin	Republican	Angier	Lee, Harnett, Sampson (part)	2018
13th	Lisa Grafstein	Democratic	Raleigh	Wake (part)	2022
14th	Dan Blue	Democratic	Raleigh	Wake (part)	2009↑
15th	Jay Chaudhuri	Democratic	Raleigh	Wake (part)	2016↑
16th	Gale Adcock	Democratic	Cary	Wake (part)	2022
17th	Sydney Batch	Democratic	Apex	Wake (part)	2021↑
18th	Mary Wills Bode	Democratic	Oxford	Granville, Wake (part)	2022
19th	Val Applewhite	Democratic	Fayetteville	Cumberland (part)	2022
20th	Natalie Murdock	Democratic	Durham	Chatham, Durham (part)	2020↑
21st	Tom McInnis	Republican	Pinehurst	Moore, Cumberland (part)	2014
22nd	Mike Woodard	Democratic	Durham	Durham (part)	2012
23rd	Graig Meyer	Democratic	Hillsborough	Caswell, Person, Orange	2022
24th	Danny Britt	Republican	Lumberton	Hoke, Scotland, Robeson	2016
25th	Amy Galey	Republican	Burlington	Alamance, Randolph (part)	2020
26th	Phil Berger	Republican	Eden	Rockingham, Guilford (part)	2000
27th	Michael Garrett	Democratic	Greensboro	Guilford (part)	2018
28th	Gladys Robinson	Democratic	Greensboro	Guilford (part)	2010
29th	Dave Craven	Republican	Asheboro	Randolph (part), Montgomery, Richmond, Anson, Union (part)	2020↑
30th	Steve Jarvis	Republican	Lexington	Davie, Davidson	2020
31st	Joyce Krawiec	Republican	Kernersville	Stokes, Forsyth (part)	2014↑
32nd	Paul Lowe Jr.	Democratic	Winston-Salem	Forsyth (part)	2015↑
33rd	Carl Ford	Republican	China Grove	Rowan, Stanly	2018
34th	Paul Newton	Republican	Mount Pleasant	Cabarrus (part)	2016
35th	Todd Johnson	Republican	Monroe	Cabarrus (part), Union (part)	2018
36th	Eddie Settle	Republican	Elkin	Alexander, Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin	2022
37th	Vickie Sawyer	Republican	Mooresville	Iredell, Mecklenburg (part)	2018↑
38th	Mujtaba Mohammed	Democratic	Charlotte	Mecklenburg (part)	2018
39th	DeAndrea Salvador	Democratic	Charlotte	Mecklenburg (part)	2020
40th	Joyce Waddell	Democratic	Charlotte	Mecklenburg (part)	2014
41st	Natasha Marcus	Democratic	Davidson	Mecklenburg (part)	2018
42nd	Rachel Hunt	Democratic	Charlotte	Mecklenburg (part)	2022
43rd	Brad Overcash	Republican	Belmont	Gaston (part)	2022
44th	Ted Alexander	Republican	Shelby	Cleveland, Lincoln, Gaston (part)	2018
45th	Dean Proctor	Republican	Hickory	Catawba, Caldwell (part)	2020↑
46th	Warren Daniel	Republican	Morganton	Burke, McDowell, Buncombe (part)	2010
47th	Ralph Hise	Republican	Spruce Pine	Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Caldwell (part), Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Haywood (part)	2010
48th	Tim Moffitt	Republican	Hendersonville	Henderson, Polk, Rutherford	2022
49th	Julie Mayfield	Democratic	Asheville	Buncombe (part)	2020
50th	Kevin Corbin	Republican	Franklin	Haywood (part), Transylvania, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Cherokee, Clay	2020

↑: Member was originally appointed to fill the remainder of an unexpired term.

Past composition of the Senate

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of North Carolina Senate
	Adopted 2005 Crest Issuant from a Coronet of a Noble of the former Province of Carolina Or a Cap of Liberty Gules raised upon a Pole Or between two Cornucopiae in saltire Argent replenished proper Escutcheon Argent on a Cross between four Escutcheons bases inwards Gules four Escutcheons bases also inwards Argent Supporters On each side an Aborigine of North Carolina as depicted by John White in the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First that on the dexter a Warrior supporting with his exterior hand a Long Bow and holding an Arrow girded at his back a Quiver that on the sinister a Woman holding in her exterior hand a Gourd all proper Motto ESSE QVAM VIDERI^[4]

References

^ "North Carolina State Senate". ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
^ de Roulhac Hamilton, Joseph Grégoire (1914). Reconstruction in North Carolina.
^ "Leadership - North Carolina General Assembly". www.ncleg.gov. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
^ "SENATE OF NORTH CAROLINA". College of Arms Newsletter. College of Arms. Retrieved August 16, 2023.

External links

35°46′59.53″N 78°38′20.24″W / 35.7832028°N 78.6389556°W / 35.7832028; -78.6389556

[1] "North Carolina State Senate". ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[2] Roulhac Hamilton, Joseph Grégoire (1914). Reconstruction in North Carolina.

[3] "Leadership - North Carolina General Assembly". www.ncleg.gov. Retrieved June 19, 2021.

[4] "SENATE OF NORTH CAROLINA". College of Arms Newsletter. College of Arms. Retrieved August 16, 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Members of the North Carolina State Senate
156th General Assembly (2023–2024) President of the Senate Mark Robinson (R) President pro tempore Phil Berger (R) Majority Leader Paul Newton (R) Minority Leader Dan Blue (D)
▌Norman Sanderson (R) ▌Bob Brinson (R) ▌Bobby Hanig (R) ▌Buck Newton (R) ▌Kandie Smith (D) ▌Michael Lazzara (R) ▌Michael Lee (R) ▌Bill Rabon (R) ▌Brent Jackson (R) ▌Benton Sawrey (R) ▌Lisa Stone Barnes (R) ▌Jim Burgin (R) ▌Lisa Grafstein (D) ▌Dan Blue (D) ▌Jay Chaudhuri (D) ▌Gale Adcock (D) ▌Sydney Batch (D) ▌Mary Wills Bode (D) ▌Val Applewhite (D) ▌Natalie Murdock (D) ▌Tom McInnis (R) ▌Mike Woodard (D) ▌Graig Meyer (D) ▌Danny Britt (R) ▌Amy Galey (R) ▌Phil Berger (R) ▌Michael Garrett (D) ▌Gladys Robinson (D) ▌Dave Craven (R) ▌Steve Jarvis (R) ▌Joyce Krawiec (R) ▌Paul Lowe Jr. (D) ▌Carl Ford (R) ▌Paul Newton (R) ▌Todd Johnson (R) ▌Eddie Settle (R) ▌Vickie Sawyer (R) ▌Mujtaba Mohammed (D) ▌DeAndrea Salvador (D) ▌Joyce Waddell (D) ▌Natasha Marcus (D) ▌Rachel Hunt (D) ▌Brad Overcash (R) ▌Ted Alexander (R) ▌Dean Proctor (R) ▌Warren Daniel (R) ▌Ralph Hise (R) ▌Tim Moffitt (R) ▌Julie Mayfield (D) ▌Kevin Corbin (R)
▌Republican (30) ▌Democratic (20) North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina Senate

v t e North Carolina General Assemblies by year convened and order
List of North Carolina state legislatures Senate President pro tempore of the Senate House of Commons House of Representatives Speakers of the House of Representatives (see Note)	1 (1777) 2 (1778) 3 (1779) 4 (1780) 5 (1781) 6 (1782) 7 (1783) 8 (Apr 1784) 9 (Oct 1784) 10 (1785) 11 (1786) 12 (1787) 13 (1788) 14 (1789) 15 (1790) 16 (1791) 17 (1792) 18 (1793) 19 (1794) 20 (1795) 21 (1796) 22 (1797) 23 (1798) 24 (1799) 25 (1800) 26 (1801) 27 (1802) 28 (1803) 29 (1804) 30 (1805) 31 (1806) 32 (1807) 33 (1808) 34 (1809) 35 (1810) 36 (1811) 37 (1812) 38 (1813) 39 (1814) 40 (1815) 41 (1816) 42 (1817) 43 (1818) 44 (1819) 45 (1820) 46 (1821) 47 (1822) 48 (1823) 49 (1824) 50 (1825) 51 (1826) 52 (1827) 53 (1828) 54 (1829) 55 (1830) 56 (1831) 57 (1832) 58 (1833) 59 (1834) 60 (1835) 61 (1836) 62 (1840) 63 (1842) 64 (1844) 65 (1846) 66 (1846) 67 (1848) 68 (1850) 69 (1852) 70 (1854) 71 (1856) 72 (1858) 73 (1860) 74 (1862) 75 (1864) 76 (1865) 77 (1866) 78 (1868) 79 (1869) 80 (1870) 81 (1872) 82 (1874) 83 (1876) 84 (1879) 85 (1881) 86 (1883) 87 (1885) 88 (1887) 89 (1889) 90 (1891) 91 (1893) 92 (1895) 93 (1897) 94 (1899) 95 (1901) 96 (1903) 97 (1905) 98 (1907) 99 (1909) 100 (1911) 101 (1913) 102 (1915) 103 (1917) 104 (1919) 105 (1921) 106 (1923) 107 (1925) 108 (1927) 109 (1929) 110 (1931) 111 (1933) 112 (1935) 113 (1937) 114 (1939) 115 (1941) 116 (1943) 117 (1945) 118 (1947) 119 (1949) 120 (1951) 121 (1953) 122 (1955) 123 (1957) 124 (1959) 125 (1961) 126 (1963) 127 (1965) 128 (1967) 129 (1969) 130 (1971) 131 (1973) 132 (1975) 133 (1977) 134 (1979) 135 (1981) 136 (1983) 137 (1985) 138 (1987) 139 (1989) 140 (1991) 141 (1993) 142 (1995) 143 (1997) 144 (1999) 145 (2001) 146 (2003) 147 (2005) 148 (2007) 149 (2009) 150 (2011) 151 (2013) 152 (2015) 153 (2017) 154 (2019) 155 (2021) 156 (2023)
Other	Executive Branch: Governor of North Carolina (List), Lieutenant Governor (since 1868), Cabinets, Council of State, Attorney General
Conventions	Hillsborough Convention of 1788, Fayetteville Convention of 1789
Provincial Congresses and Constitution	North Carolina Provincial Congress (1774–1776: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th), Constitution of North Carolina (1776, 1835 Convention, 1861 Convention, 1868 redraft, 1875 Convention, Constitution of 1971)
Notes: Prior to the Constitution of 1868: the lower house of the North Carolina Legislature was known as the House of Commons and the leader of the Senate was called the Speaker of the Senate.

v t e Legislatures of the United States
United States Congress	United States House of Representatives United States Senate
State legislatures	Alabama (H, S) Alaska (H, S) Arizona (H, S) Arkansas (H, S) California (A, S) Colorado (H, S) Connecticut (H, S) Delaware (H, S) Florida (H, S) Georgia (H, S) Hawaii (H, S) Idaho (H, S) Illinois (H, S) Indiana (H, S) Iowa (H, S) Kansas (H, S) Kentucky (H, S) Louisiana (H, S) Maine (H, S) Maryland (H, S) Massachusetts (H, S) Michigan (H, S) Minnesota (H, S) Mississippi (H, S) Missouri (H, S) Montana (H, S) Nebraska Nevada (A, S) New Hampshire (H, S) New Jersey (GA, S) New Mexico (H, S) New York (A, S) North Carolina (H, S) North Dakota (H, S) Ohio (H, S) Oklahoma (H, S) Oregon (H, S) Pennsylvania (H, S) Rhode Island (H, S) South Carolina (H, S) South Dakota (H, S) Tennessee (H, S) Texas (H, S) Utah (H, S) Vermont (H, S) Virginia (H, S) Washington (H, S) West Virginia (H, S) Wisconsin (A, S) Wyoming (H, S)
Other legislatures	District of Columbia American Samoa (H, S) Guam Northern Mariana Islands (H, S) Puerto Rico (H, S) U.S. Virgin Islands
Legislative elections	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
List of U.S. state legislators Lists of past U.S. state legislatures

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Germany United States Israel