North Carolina's 23rd Senate district

North Carolina's 23rd
State Senate district
North Carolina's 23rd; State Senate district
Senator
	Graig Meyer ; D – Chapel Hill
Demographics	66% White ; 15% Black ; 9% Hispanic ; 6% Asian ; 4% Multiracial
Population (2023)	209,256

Last updated June 28, 2025

North Carolina's 23rd Senate district is one of 50 districts in the North Carolina Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Graig Meyer since 2023.^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Orange, Caswell, and Person counties. The district overlaps with the 2nd, 50th, and 56th state house districts.

District officeholders

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
Paul Sanders Smith ( Salisbury )	Republican	January 1, 1993 – January 1, 1997	Redistricted from the multi-member district. Retired.	1993–2003 Parts of Iredell, Rowan, and Davidson counties.^[2]
Jim Phillips Sr. ( Lexington )	Democratic	January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2001	Retired.
Cal Cunningham ( Lexington )	Democratic	January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2003	Redistricted to the 33rd district and retired.
Eleanor Kinnaird ( Chapel Hill )	Democratic	January 1, 2003 – August 19, 2013	Redistricted from the 16th district. Resigned.	2003–2005 All of Orange and Chatham counties.^[3]
				2005–2013 All of Orange and Person counties.^[4]
				2013–2023 All of Orange and Chatham counties.^[5]^[6]^[7]
Vacant		August 19, 2013 – September 13, 2013
Valerie Foushee ( Chapel Hill )	Democratic	September 13, 2013 – January 1, 2023	Appointed to finish Kinnaird's term. Retired to run for Congress.
Graig Meyer ( Chapel Hill )	Democratic	January 1, 2023 – Present		2023–Present All of Orange, Caswell, and Person counties.^[8]^[9]

Election results

2024

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2024^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Graig Meyer (incumbent)	77,146	65.85%
	Republican	Laura Pichardo	40,011	34.15%
Total votes			117,157	100%
	Democratic hold

2022

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2022^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Graig Meyer	23,717	82.38%
	Democratic	Jamie DeMent Holcomb	5,072	17.62%
Total votes			28,789	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2022^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Landon Woods	5,798	58.29%
	Republican	Bill Cooke	4,149	41.71%
Total votes			9,947	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2022^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Graig Meyer	59,973	67.30%
	Republican	Landon Woods	29,140	32.70%
Total votes			89,113	100%
	Democratic hold

2020

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2020^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Valerie Foushee (incumbent)	88,429	68.31%
	Republican	Tom Glendinning	41,016	31.69%
Total votes			129,445	100%
	Democratic hold

2018

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2018^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Valerie Foushee (incumbent)	73,332	71.29%
	Republican	Tom Glendinning	29,530	28.71%
Total votes			102,862	100%
	Democratic hold

2016

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2016^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Valerie Foushee (incumbent)	79,520	68.06%
	Republican	Mary Lopez Carter	37,322	31.94%
Total votes			116,842	100%
	Democratic hold

2014

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2014^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Valerie Foushee (incumbent)	53,652	68.20%
	Republican	Mary Lopez-Carter	25,021	31.80%
Total votes			78,673	100%
	Democratic hold

2012

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2012^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	71,919	66.97%
	Republican	Dave Carter	35,467	33.03%
Total votes			107,386	100%
	Democratic hold

2010

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2010^[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ryan A. Hilliard	2,249	76.39%
	Republican	Jon Greg Bass	695	23.61%
Total votes			2,944	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2010^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	36,611	64.87%
	Republican	Ryan A. Hilliard	19,828	35.13%
Total votes			56,439	100%
	Democratic hold

2008

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2008^[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	27,172	64.28%
	Democratic	Moses Carey Jr.	15,099	35.72%
Total votes			42,271	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2008^[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	62,192	70.90%
	Republican	Greg Bass	25,527	29.10%
Total votes			62,192	100%
	Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2006^[23]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	31,947	73.70%
	Republican	E. B. Alston	11,400	26.30%
Total votes			43,347	100%
	Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2004^[24]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	49,730	65.40%
	Republican	Robert E. "Whit" Whitfield	26,307	34.60%
Total votes			76,037	100%
	Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2002^[25]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	12,488	50.24%
	Democratic	Howard Lee (incumbent)	12,369	49.76%
Total votes			24,857	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2002^[26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)	37,481	65.74%
	Republican	Peter Morcombe	17,686	31.02%
	Libertarian	Christopher Todd Goss	1,847	3.24%
Total votes			57,014	100%
	Democratic hold

2000

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2000^[27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John "Scott" Keadle	3,007	49.99%
	Republican	Patricia P. "Peaches" Rickard	1,810	30.09%
	Republican	Sharon Hege Everhart	1,198	19.92%
Total votes			6,015	100%

North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2000^[28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cal Cunningham	27,726	53.37%
	Republican	John "Scott" Keadle	23,095	44.45%
	Libertarian	Lawrence James Clark	1,131	2.18%
Total votes			51,952	100%
	Democratic hold

References

↑ "State Senate District 23, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
↑ "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
↑ "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "2018 Senate Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
↑ "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ "NC State Senate 23 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
↑ "NC State Senate 23". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

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[1] "State Senate District 23, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2025.

[2] "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 27, 2025.

[3] "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[4] "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[5] "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[6] "2018 Senate Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[7] "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[8] "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 16, 2022.

[9] "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 17, 2025.

[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.

[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] "NC State Senate 23 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

[28] "NC State Senate 23". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 8, 2022.

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v t e Members of the North Carolina State Senate
157th General Assembly (2025–2026) President of the Senate Rachel Hunt (D) President pro tempore Phil Berger (R) Majority Leader Michael Lee (R) Minority Leader Sydney Batch (D)
▌ Bobby Hanig (R) ▌ Norman Sanderson (R) ▌ Bob Brinson (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) ▌ Terence Everitt (D) ▌ Val Applewhite (D) ▌ Natalie Murdock (D) ▌ Tom McInnis (R) ▌ Sophia Chitlik (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) ▌ Dana Caudill Jones (R) ▌ Paul Lowe Jr. (D) ▌ Carl Ford (R) ▌ Chris Measmer (R) ▌ Todd Johnson (R) ▌ Eddie Settle (R) ▌ Vickie Sawyer (R) ▌ Mujtaba Mohammed (D) ▌ DeAndrea Salvador (D) ▌ Joyce Waddell (D) ▌ Caleb Theodros (D) ▌ Woodson Bradley (D) ▌ Brad Overcash (R) ▌ Ted Alexander (R) ▌ Mark Hollo (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