North Carolina's 8th Senate district

North Carolina's 8th State Senate district
Senator	Bill Rabon R – Winnabow
Demographics	74%  White 14%  Black 6%  Hispanic 1%  Asian 1%  Native American 4%  Multiracial
Population (2023)	214,201

North Carolina's 8th Senate district is one of 50 districts in the North Carolina Senate. It has been represented by Republican Bill Rabon since 2011. ^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Columbus and Brunswick counties, as well as a small sliver of New Hanover County. The district overlaps with the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 46th state house districts.

District officeholders since 1965

Single-member district

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
Julian Russell Allsbrook ( Roanoke Rapids )	Democratic	January 1, 1965 – January 1, 1967	Redistricted to the 4th district.	1965–1967 All of Warren and Halifax counties. [2]

Multi-member district

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
Jesse Hinnant Austin Jr. ( Clayton )	Democratic	January 1, 1967 – January 1, 1969		Dallas Alford Jr. ( Rocky Mount )	Democratic	January 1, 1967 – January 1, 1969	Redistricted from the 12th district.	1967–1973 All of Johnston, Nash, and Wilson counties. [3]
James Russell Kirby ( Wilson )	Democratic	January 1, 1969 – January 1, 1973	Redistricted to the 7th district.	J. Marvin Johnson ( Smithfield )	Democratic	January 1, 1969 – January 1, 1971
				Henry Mariott Milgrom ( Battleboro )	Democratic	January 1, 1971 – January 1, 1973

Single-member district

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
Thomas Edward Strickland ( Goldsboro )	Democratic	January 1, 1973 – January 1, 1977	Redistricted from the 9th district.	1973–1993 All of Wayne and Greene counties. [4]
Henson Barnes ( Goldsboro )	Democratic	January 1, 1977 – January 1, 1993	Retired.
John Kerr III ( Goldsboro )	Democratic	January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2003	Redistricted to the 7th district.	1993–2003 All of Wayne and Greene counties. Part of Lenoir County. [5]
R. C. Soles Jr. ( Tabor City )	Democratic	January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2011	Redistricted from the 18th district. Retired.	2003–2013 All of Columbus, Brunswick, and Pender counties. [6] [7]
Bill Rabon ( Winnabow )	Republican	January 1, 2011 – Present
				2013–2023 All of Bladen, Pender, and Brunswick counties. Part of New Hanover County. [8] [9] [10]
				2023–Present All of Columbus and Brunswick counties. Part of New Hanover County. [11] [12]

Election results

2024

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2024 ^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	87,026	59.90%
	Democratic	Katherine Randall	58,259	40.10%
Total votes			145,285	100%
	Republican hold

2022

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2022 ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	67,693	100%
Total votes			67,693	100%
	Republican hold

2020

North Carolina Senate 8th district Libertarian primary election, 2020 ^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Anthony Mascolo	74	57.81%
	Libertarian	Ethan Bickley	54	42.19%
Total votes			128	100%

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2020 ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	85,484	62.01%
	Democratic	David Sink	48,040	34.85%
	Libertarian	Anthony Mascolo	4,335	3.14%
Total votes			137,859	100%
	Republican hold

2018

North Carolina Senate 8th district Libertarian primary election, 2018 ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Anthony H. Mascolo	53	58.24%
	Libertarian	Randolph W. "Randy" Crow	38	41.76%
Total votes			91	100%

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2018 ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	55,024	58.55%
	Democratic	David W. Sink Jr.	36,191	38.51%
	Libertarian	Anthony H. Mascolo	2,764	2.94%
Total votes			93,979	100%
	Republican hold

2016

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2016 ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	78,274	100%
Total votes			78,274	100%
	Republican hold

2014

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2014 ^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	39,402	57.01%
	Democratic	Ernie Ward	29,707	42.99%
Total votes			69,109	100%
	Republican hold

2012

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2012 ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon (incumbent)	58,282	59.96%
	Democratic	Danny Hefner	38,919	40.04%
Total votes			97,201	100%
	Republican hold

2010

North Carolina Senate 8th district Republican election, 2010 ^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon	9,406	66.83%
	Republican	Bettie Fennell	4,669	33.17%
Total votes			14,075	100%

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2010 ^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Rabon	46,216	63.55%
	Democratic	David Redwine	26,511	36.45%
Total votes			72,727	100%
	Republican gain from Democratic

2008

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2008 ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent)	47,905	48.66%
	Republican	Bettie Fennell	45,093	45.80%
	Libertarian	Rachel Joiner Merrill	5,454	5.54%
Total votes			98,452	100%
	Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2006 ^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent)	26,407	52.59%
	Republican	Bill Fairley	23,802	47.41%
Total votes			50,209	100%
	Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2004 ^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent)	39,897	54.26%
	Republican	Jack Swann	33,627	45.74%
Total votes			73,524	100%
	Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina Senate 8th district Republican election, 2002 ^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ray Gilbert	3,208	56.47%
	Republican	Dial Gray	2,473	43.53%
Total votes			5,681	100%

North Carolina District 8th district general election, 2002 ^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent)	28,513	54.56%
	Republican	Ray Gilbert	20,993	40.17%
	Libertarian	Edward Gore	2,750	5.26%
Total votes			52,256	100%
	Democratic hold

2000

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2000 ^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Kerr III (incumbent)	26,283	60.72%
	Republican	Ed Wharton	17,001	39.28%
Total votes			43,284	100%
	Democratic hold

References

1. "State Senate District 8, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
2. J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1965-1966" . Retrieved April 26, 2024.
3. J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1967" . Retrieved April 26, 2024.
4. J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1973-1974" . Retrieved April 26, 2024.
5. "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
6. "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
7. "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina general Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
8. "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
9. "2018 Senate Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
10. "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
11. "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
12. "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
13. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
14. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
15. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
16. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
17. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
18. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
19. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
20. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
21. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
22. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
23. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
24. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
25. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
26. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
27. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
28. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
29. "NC State Senate 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 13, 2022.