# North Carolina's 51st House district

North Carolina's 51st House district is one of 120 districts in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It has been represented by Republican John Sauls since 2017.

## Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Lee County, as well as part of Moore County. The district overlaps with the 12th and 21st Senate districts.

## District officeholders
### Multi-member district

| Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | District created January 1, 1983. | 1983–1993 All of Buncombe and Transylvania counties. Part of Henderson County. |
| Marie Colton | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. | Martin Nesbitt | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. Lost re-election. | Narvel Crawford | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. | Gordon Greenwood | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1993 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. | 1983–1993 All of Buncombe and Transylvania counties. Part of Henderson County. |
| Marie Colton | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. | Martin Nesbitt | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. Lost re-election. | Narvel Crawford | Democratic | January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1995 | Redistricted from the 43rd district. | | | | | 1993–2003 Part of Buncombe County. |
| Wilma Sherill | Republican | January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 116th district. | Larry Linney | Republican | January 1, 1995 – January 1, 1997 | Lost re-election. | Lanier Cansler | Republican | January 1, 1995 – April 8, 2001 | Resigned. | | | | | 1993–2003 Part of Buncombe County. |
| Wilma Sherill | Republican | January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 116th district. | Martin Nesbitt | Democratic | January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 114th district. | Lanier Cansler | Republican | January 1, 1995 – April 8, 2001 | Resigned. | | | | | 1993–2003 Part of Buncombe County. |
| Wilma Sherill | Republican | January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 116th district. | Martin Nesbitt | Democratic | January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 114th district. | Vacant | Vacant | April 8, 2001 – April 11, 2001 | | | | | | 1993–2003 Part of Buncombe County. |
| Wilma Sherill | Republican | January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 116th district. | Martin Nesbitt | Democratic | January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 114th district. | Mark Crawford | Republican | April 11, 2001 – January 1, 2003 | Appointed to finish Cansler's term. Redistricted to the 115th district and lost re-election. | | | | | 1993–2003 Part of Buncombe County. |

### Single-member district

| Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| John Sauls | Republican | January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2007 | Retired. | 2003–2005 All of Lee County. Parts of Harnett and Moore counties. |
| John Sauls | Republican | January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2007 | Retired. | 2005–2013 All of Lee County. Part of Harnett County. |
| Jimmy Love | Democratic | January 1, 2007 – January 1, 2011 | Lost re-election. | 2005–2013 All of Lee County. Part of Harnett County. |
| Mike Stone | Republican | January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2015 | Lost re-election. | 2005–2013 All of Lee County. Part of Harnett County. |
| Mike Stone | Republican | January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2015 | Lost re-election. | 2013–2019 Parts of Lee and Harnett counties. |
| Brad Salmon | Democratic | January 1, 2015 – January 1, 2017 | Lost re-election. | 2013–2019 Parts of Lee and Harnett counties. |
| John Sauls | Republican | January 1, 2017 – Present | | 2013–2019 Parts of Lee and Harnett counties. |
| John Sauls | Republican | January 1, 2017 – Present | | 2019–2023 All of Lee County. Part of Harnett County. |
| John Sauls | Republican | January 1, 2017 – Present | | 2023–Present All of Lee County Part of Moore County. |

## Election results
### 2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls (incumbent) | 16,973 | 64.98% |
| | Democratic | Malcolm Hall | 9,147 | 35.02% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,120 | 100% |

### 2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls (incumbent) | 22,628 | 57.33% |
| | Democratic | Jason Cain | 16,841 | 42.67% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 39,469 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls (incumbent) | 13,707 | 52.79% |
| | Democratic | Lisa D. Mathis | 12,259 | 47.21% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,966 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls | 17,904 | 55.66% |
| | Democratic | Brad Salmon (incumbent) | 14,262 | 44.34% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 32,166 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brad Salmon | 10,755 | 53.94% |
| | Republican | Mike Stone (incumbent) | 9,182 | 46.06% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,937 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Stone (incumbent) | 15,764 | 52.03% |
| | Democratic | W. P. "Bill" Tatum | 14,533 | 47.97% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 30,297 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Stone | 10,793 | 53.53% |
| | Democratic | Jimmy Love (incumbent) | 9,370 | 46.47% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 20,163 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jimmy Love (incumbent) | 19,231 | 59.18% |
| | Republican | Linda Shook | 13,264 | 40.82% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 32,495 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district Republican primary election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tim McNeill | 1,121 | 59.09% |
| | Republican | Bobby Ray Hall | 776 | 40.91% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,897 | 100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jimmy Love | 8,724 | 54.16% |
| | Republican | Tim McNeill | 7,383 | 45.84% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 16,107 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls (incumbent) | 13,255 | 50.74% |
| | Democratic | Leslie Cox | 12,869 | 49.26% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,124 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Sauls | 8,500 | 51.14% |
| | Democratic | Leslie Cox (incumbent) | 7,819 | 47.04% |
| | Libertarian | Mark Jackson | 302 | 1.82% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 16,621 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district Democratic primary election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Martin Nesbitt (incumbent) | 9,617 | 31.76% |
| | Democratic | Barbara Field | 8,668 | 28.62% |
| | Democratic | J. Ray Elingburg | 7,520 | 24.83% |
| | Democratic | C. Michael Morgan | 4,477 | 14.78% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 30,282 | 100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 51st district general election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Wilma Sherrill (incumbent) | 41,402 | 19.18% |
| | Democratic | Martin Nesbitt (incumbent) | 38,594 | 17.88% |
| | Republican | Lanier Cansler (incumbent) | 38,041 | 17.63% |
| | Democratic | Barbara Field | 32,224 | 14.93% |
| | Democratic | J. Ray Elingburg | 29,951 | 13.88% |
| | Republican | Betty B. Williams | 28,384 | 13.15% |
| | Reform | Kristina Michele Murphy | 3,593 | 1.67% |
| | Reform | Lance Kurland | 1,836 | 0.85% |
| | Reform | Jerold F. Johnson | 1,811 | 0.84% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 215,836 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |