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North Carolina State Senate

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North Carolina State Senate

Seal of North Carolina.png
General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   May 16, 2012
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Walter Dalton, (R)
Majority Leader:   Harry Brown, (R)
Minority leader:   Martin Nesbitt, (D)
Structure
Members:  50
   Democratic Party (19)
Republican Party (31)
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:   Art II, Sec. 2, North Carolina Constitution
Salary:   $13,951/year + per diem + expenses
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010 (50 seats)
Next election:  November 6, 2012 (50 seats)
Redistricting:  North Carolina Legislature has control
Meeting place:
North Carolina Senate.jpg

Contents

The North Carolina State Senate is the upper body of the North Carolina Legislature. The Senate meets at its State Capitol in Raleigh. The Senate consists of 50 members who serve a term of two years. Each member represents an average of 190,710 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 160,986 residents.[2] The Lieutenant Governor is President of the Senate and presides over the daily session. The Lieutenant Governor is elected by the citizens of North Carolina for a four-year term. The Lieutenant Governor has no vote in the Senate except to break a tie. The Senate elects officers from their membership including the President Pro Tempore [3].

Sessions

Section 11 of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution establishes that the North Carolina General Assembly, which the Senate is a part of, is to convene a new regular session every two years, and that the dates for these sessions are to be set by law. Sessions in the General Assembly of North Carolina last two years and begin on odd numbered years after elections. Sessions begin at noon on the third Wednesday after the second Monday in January.[4]

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Senate convened on May 16.

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Senate was in regular session from January 26 through mid June. [5] A special session dealing with redistricting began July 13 and ended July 28. The redistricting session covered more than just redistricting, with Republicans overriding five of Governor Perdue's vetoes. Some of the overturned vetoes include the Women's Right to Know Act and state regulatory overhaul. Democratic lawmakers achieved victory in sustaining the veto on the voter I.D. bill. [6]

A second special session has been called for September 12 to consider constitutional amendments, including a potential ban on same-sex marriage.[6]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Senate was in session from May 12 to July 11. [7]

Elections

2012

See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of North Carolina State Senate will be held in North Carolina on November 6, 2012. A total of 50 seats will be up for election.

The signature filing deadline was February 29, 2012 and the primary date was May 8, 2012.

2010

See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of North Carolina's State Senate were held in North Carolina on November 2, 2010.

The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was February 26, 2010. The primary election day was May 4, 2010. The second primary election was held on June 22, 2010.

In 2010, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $18,614,595 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [8]

Donor Amount
North Carolina Republican Party $2,171,725
North Carolina Democratic Party $1,851,252
North Carolina Democratic Party Caucus $562,126
Bordeaux, Frankie L $477,675
North Carolina Republican Senate Caucus $360,908
North Carolina Democratic Party Senate Caucus $350,810
North Carolina Republican Party Senatorial Trust $245,781
Jackson, Brent $221,410
Goolsby, Thomas C $169,316
North Carolina Medical Society $154,500

Qualifications

Article 2, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution states: Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
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If there is a vacancy in the Senate, the Governor is responsible for selecting a replacement[9] [10]. When making the appointment, the Governor must make the selection from a list of recommended candidates submitted by the political party committee that holds the vacant seat[11]. The appointment must be made by the Governor within seven days of receiving the list of recommended candidates. The person selected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term[10].

Senators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2010, members of the North Carolina Senate are paid $13,951/year. Per diem is $104/day set by statute. Legislators are allowed up to $559/month for expenses.[12]

The $13,951/year that North Carolina senators are paid as of 2010 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem is also the same.[13]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

North Carolina legislators assume office the first day of the new General Assembly in January.

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of May 2012
     Democratic Party 19
     Republican Party 31
Total 50


Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor of the State serves as President of the Senate, but can only vote in the event of a tie. The Senate elects other officers from their members, including a President pro tempore. The President pro tempore then appoints members to serve on the standing committee.[14][15]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party
President of the Senate Walter H. Dalton Electiondot.png Democratic
President Pro Tempore of the Senate Phil Berger Ends.png Republican
State Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Vacant Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Whip Jerry W. Tillman Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Caucus Leader Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. Ends.png Republican
State Senate Minority Leader Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Linda Garrou Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Floyd McKissick Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Don Vaughan Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Minority Whip Josh Stein Electiondot.png Democratic

2010 Leadership

Position Representative Party
President of the Senate Walter H. Dalton Electiondot.png Democratic
State senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Charlie Smith Dannelly Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Majority Leader Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Majority Whip Katie G. Dorsett Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Majority Caucus Leader Charles W. Albertson Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger Ends.png Republican
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Harry Brown Ends.png Republican
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Peter S. Brunstetter Ends.png Republican
State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Neal Hunt Ends.png Republican
State Senate Minority Whip Jerry W. Tillman Ends.png Republican

List of current members

District Representative Party Counties in District
1 Stan White Electiondot.png Democratic Beaufort, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Pasquotank, Tyrrell, Washington
2 Jean Preston Ends.png Republican Carteret, Craven, Pamlico
3 Clark Jenkins Electiondot.png Democratic Edgecombe, Martin, Pitt
4 Ed Jones Electiondot.png Democratic Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Perquimans
5 Louis Pate Ends.png Republican Greene, Pitt, Wayne
6 Harry Brown Ends.png Republican Jones, Onslow
7 Doug Berger Electiondot.png Democratic Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren
8 William Rabon Ends.png Republican Brunswick, Columbus, Pender
9 Thomas Goolsby Ends.png Republican New Hanover
10 William "Brent" Jackson Ends.png Republican Duplin, Lenoir, Sampson
11 Eldon Newton Ends.png Republican Nash, Wilson
12 David Rouzer Ends.png Republican Johnston, Wayne
13 Michael P. Walters Electiondot.png Democratic Hoke, Robeson
14 Daniel Blue, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic Wake
15 Neal Hunt Ends.png Republican Wake
16 Joshua Stein Electiondot.png Democratic Wake
17 Richard Stevens Ends.png Republican Wake
18 Bob Atwater Electiondot.png Democratic Chatham, Durham, Lee
19 Wesley Meredith Ends.png Republican Bladen, Cumberland
20 Floyd McKissick Electiondot.png Democratic Durham
21 Eric Mansfield Electiondot.png Democratic Cumberland
22 Harris Blake Ends.png Republican Harnett, Moore
23 Eleanor Kinnaird Electiondot.png Democratic Orange, Person
24 Richard Gunn Ends.png Republican Alamance, Caswell
25 William R. Purcell Electiondot.png Democratic Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly
26 Phil Berger Ends.png Republican Guilford, Rockingham
27 Donald Vaughan Electiondot.png Democratic Guilford
28 Gladys Robinson Electiondot.png Democratic Guilford
29 Jerry W. Tillman Ends.png Republican Montgomery, Randolph
30 Don East Ends.png Republican Alleghany, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin
31 Peter S. Brunstetter Ends.png Republican Forsyth
32 Linda Garrou Electiondot.png Democratic Forsyth
33 Stan Bingham Ends.png Republican Davidson, Guilford
34 Andrew C. Brock Ends.png Republican Davie, Rowan
35 Wyatt Tucker Ends.png Republican Mecklenburg, Union
36 Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. Ends.png Republican Cabarrus, Iredell
37 Daniel G. Clodfelter Electiondot.png Democratic Mecklenburg
38 Charlie Smith Dannelly Electiondot.png Democratic Mecklenburg
39 Bob Rucho Ends.png Republican Mecklenburg
40 Malcolm Graham Electiondot.png Democratic Mecklenburg
41 Chris Carney Ends.png Republican
42 Austin M. Allran Ends.png Republican Catawba, Iredell
43 Kathryn Harrington Ends.png Republican Gaston
44 Warren Daniel Ends.png Republican Burke, Caldwell
45 Daniel Soucek Ends.png Republican Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes
46 Wes Westmoreland Ends.png Republican Cleveland, Rutherford
47 Ralph Hise Ends.png Republican Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey
48 Tom Apodaca Ends.png Republican Buncombe, Henderson, Polk
49 Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic Buncombe
50 Jim Davis Ends.png Republican Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania

Senate standing committees

The North Carolina Senate has 18 standing committees:

External links

References

  1. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  2. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  3. ↑ "North Carolina Senate" About the Senate, March 3, 2009
  4. ↑ N.C. Gen. Stat. 120-11.1
  5. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Newsobserver.com, NC lawmakers leave town after new maps, overrides, July 28, 2011
  7. ↑ 2010 session dates for North Carolina legislature
  8. ↑ Follow the Money: "North Carolina Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  9. ↑ North Carolina General Assembly "North Carolina Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article II, Section 10)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 North Carolina General Assembly "North Carolina General Statutes(Referenced Statute 163-11(a), NC General Statutes)
  11. ↑ North Carolina General Assembly "North Carolina General Statutes(Referenced Statute 163-11(b-d), NC General Statutes)
  12. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  13. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  14. ↑ Structure of the North Carolina General Assembly
  15. ↑ North Carolina Senate Leadership 2009-2010
v • d • e
Republican majority Current members of the North Carolina State Senate
Senate Majority Leader: Harry Brown (R) • Senate Minority Leader: Linda Garrou (D)
   
Democratic (19) • Republican (31) • North Carolina State Senate • North Carolina House of Representatives
v • d • e
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