# North Carolina's 23rd Senate district

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.

## 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 |
| Jim Phillips Sr. | Democratic | January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2001 | Retired. | 1997–2003 Parts of Iredell, Rowan, and Davidson counties. |
| Cal Cunningham | Democratic | January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 33rd district and retired. | 1997–2003 Parts of Iredell, Rowan, and Davidson counties. |
| Eleanor Kinnaird | Democratic | January 1, 2003 – August 19, 2013 | Redistricted from the 16th district. Resigned. | 2003–2005 All of Orange and Chatham counties. |
| Eleanor Kinnaird | Democratic | January 1, 2003 – August 19, 2013 | Redistricted from the 16th district. Resigned. | 2005–2013 All of Orange and Person counties. |
| Eleanor Kinnaird | Democratic | January 1, 2003 – August 19, 2013 | Redistricted from the 16th district. Resigned. | 2013–2023 All of Orange and Chatham counties. |
| Vacant | Vacant | August 19, 2013 – September 13, 2013 | | 2013–2023 All of Orange and Chatham counties. |
| Valerie Foushee | Democratic | September 13, 2013 – January 1, 2023 | Appointed to finish Kinnaird's term. Retired to run for Congress. | 2013–2023 All of Orange and Chatham counties. |
| Graig Meyer | Democratic | January 1, 2023 – Present | | 2023–Present All of Orange, Caswell, and Person counties. |

## Election results
### 2024

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

### 2022

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Graig Meyer | 23,717 | 82.38% |
| | Democratic | Jamie DeMent Holcomb | 5,072 | 17.62% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,789 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Landon Woods | 5,798 | 58.29% |
| | Republican | Bill Cooke | 4,149 | 41.71% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,947 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Graig Meyer | 59,973 | 67.30% |
| | Republican | Landon Woods | 29,140 | 32.70% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 89,113 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

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

### 2018

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

### 2016

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

### 2014

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

### 2012

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

### 2010

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ryan A. Hilliard | 2,249 | 76.39% |
| | Republican | Jon Greg Bass | 695 | 23.61% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,944 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent) | 36,611 | 64.87% |
| | Republican | Ryan A. Hilliard | 19,828 | 35.13% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 56,439 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent) | 27,172 | 64.28% |
| | Democratic | Moses Carey Jr. | 15,099 | 35.72% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 42,271 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent) | 62,192 | 70.90% |
| | Republican | Greg Bass | 25,527 | 29.10% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,192 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

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

### 2004

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

### 2002

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent) | 12,488 | 50.24% |
| | Democratic | Howard Lee (incumbent) | 12,369 | 49.76% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,857 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2002 :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 57,014 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2000

North Carolina Senate 23rd district Republican primary election, 2000 :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 6,015 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2000 :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 51,952 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |