# North Carolina's 81st House district

North Carolina's 81st House district is one of 120 districts in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It has been represented by Republican Larry Potts since 2017.

## Geography

Since 2003, the district has included part of Davidson County. The district overlaps with the 30th Senate district.

## District officeholders

| Representative | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| District created January 1, 1993. | District created January 1, 1993. | District created January 1, 1993. | District created January 1, 1993. | 1993–2003 Parts of Cabarrus and Union counties. |
| Tim Tallent | Republican | January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2001 | Redistricted from the 34th district. | 1993–2003 Parts of Cabarrus and Union counties. |
| Jeff Barnhart | Republican | January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 75th district. | 1993–2003 Parts of Cabarrus and Union counties. |
| Hugh Holliman | Democratic | January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2011 | Redistricted from the 37th district. Lost re-election. | 2003–Present Part of Davidson County. |
| Rayne Brown | Republican | January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2017 | Retired. | 2003–Present Part of Davidson County. |
| Larry Potts | Republican | January 1, 2017 – Present | | 2003–Present Part of Davidson County. |

## Election results
### 2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts (incumbent) | 21,922 | 74.23% |
| | Democratic | Joe Watkins | 7,612 | 25.77% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,534 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts (incumbent) | 32,092 | 73.00% |
| | Democratic | Robert Lewis Jordan | 11,872 | 27.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,964 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district Republican primary election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts (incumbent) | 7,697 | 73.08% |
| | Republican | Eric S. Osborne | 2,835 | 26.92% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,532 | 100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts (incumbent) | 20,276 | 71.84% |
| | Democratic | Lewie Phillips | 7,946 | 28.16% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,222 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district Republican primary election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts | 5,817 | 52.24% |
| | Republican | Tyler Lohr Forrest | 3,091 | 27.76% |
| | Republican | Sharon Phillips Pearce | 2,228 | 20.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,136 | 100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Larry Potts | 24,379 | 68.07% |
| | Democratic | Andy Hedrick | 11,438 | 31.93% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 35,817 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rayne Brown (incumbent) | 15,090 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,090 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rayne Brown (incumbent) | 25,775 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,775 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district Republican primary election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rayne Brown | 2,883 | 59.73% |
| | Republican | Fred D. McClure | 1,944 | 40.27% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,827 | 100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rayne Brown | 8,744 | 57.48% |
| | Democratic | Hugh Holliman (incumbent) | 6,469 | 42.52% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,213 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Hugh Holliman (incumbent) | 12,975 | 52.64% |
| | Republican | Rayne Brown | 11,673 | 47.36% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,648 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Hugh Holliman (incumbent) | 8,454 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,454 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Hugh Holliman (incumbent) | 15,141 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,141 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Hugh Holliman (incumbent) | 9,074 | 53.20% |
| | Republican | John T. Walser Jr. | 7,540 | 44.21% |
| | Libertarian | Stuart Britt | 442 | 2.59% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 17,056 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 81st district general election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jeff Barnhart | 23,157 | 62.83% |
| | Democratic | Hector H. Henry II | 13,697 | 37.17% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 36,854 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |