North Carolina's 3rd Senate district

North Carolina's 3rd
State Senate district
North Carolina's 3rd; State Senate district
Senator
	Bob Brinson; R–New Bern
Demographics	49% White; 41% Black; 4% Hispanic; 1% Asian; 1% Native American; 4% Multiracial
Population (2023)	198,097

North Carolina's 3rd Senate district is one of 50 districts in the North Carolina Senate. It has been represented by Republican Bob Brinson since 2025.^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Lenoir, Craven, and Beaufort counties. The district overlaps with the 3rd, 12th, 13th, and 79th house districts.^{[citation needed]}

District officeholders since 1973

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
William Mills (Maysville)	Democratic	January 1, 1973 – January 1, 1977	Redistricted from the 6th district.	1973–1983 All of Onslow County.^[2]
Jerry Popkin (Jacksonville)	Democratic	January 1, 1977 – January 1, 1979
William Mills (Maysville)	Democratic	January 1, 1979 – January 1, 1983
Joseph Thomas (Vanceboro)	Democratic	January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987	Redistricted from the 2nd district.	1983–1993 All of Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico counties.^[3]
Bill Barker (Oriental)	Democratic	January 1, 1987 – January 1, 1991	Retired.
Bev Perdue (New Bern)	Democratic	January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2001	Retired to run for Lieutenant Governor.
Bev Perdue (New Bern)	Democratic	January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2001	Retired to run for Lieutenant Governor.	1993–2003 All of Craven and Pamlico counties. Part of Carteret County.^[4]
Scott Thomas (New Bern)	Democratic	January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2003	Redistricted to the 2nd district.
Clark Jenkins (Tarboro)	Democratic	January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2015	Lost re-nomination.	2003–2005 All of Edgecombe, Martin, Bertie, Washington, and Tyrrell counties. Part of Pitt County.^[5]
				2005–2013 All of Edgecombe and Martin counties. Part of Pitt County.^[6]
				2013–2019 All of Northampton, Hertford, Bertie, Chowan, Edgecombe, Martin, and Tyrrell counties.^[7]
Erica Smith (Gaston)	Democratic	January 1, 2015 – January 1, 2021	Retired to run for U.S Senator.
Erica Smith (Gaston)	Democratic	January 1, 2015 – January 1, 2021	Retired to run for U.S Senator.	2019–2023 All of Vance, Warren, Northampton, Bertie, Martin, and Beaufort counties.^[8]
Ernestine Bazemore (Aulander)	Democratic	January 1, 2021 – January 1, 2023	Lost re-nomination.
Bobby Hanig (Powells Point)	Republican	January 1, 2023 – January 1, 2025	Redistricted from the 1st district. Redistricted to the 1st district.	2023–2025 All of Warren, Northampton, Halifax, Martin, Bertie, Hertford, Gates, Camden, Currituck, and Tyrrell counties.^[9]
Bob Brinson (New Bern)	Republican	January 1, 2025 – Present	Redistricted from the 2nd district.	2025–Present All of Lenoir, Craven, and Beaufort counties.^[10]

Election results

2024

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Republican primary election, 2024^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Brinson	13,211	54.41%
	Republican	Michael Speciale	11,069	45.59%
Total votes			24,280	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2024^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Brinson (incumbent)	64,025	59.99%
	Democratic	Charles Dudley	42,704	40.01%
Total votes			106,729	100%
	Republican hold

2022

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2022^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Valerie Jordan	13,644	59.65%
	Democratic	Ernestine Bazemore (incumbent)	9,229	40.35%
Total votes			22,873	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2022^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bobby Hanig (incumbent)	37,984	52.53%
	Democratic	Valerie Jordan	34,320	47.47%
Total votes			72,304	100%
	Republican hold

2020

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2020^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ernestine Bazemore	45,507	52.03%
	Republican	Thomas S. Hester Jr.	41,959	47.97%
Total votes			87,466	100%
	Democratic hold

2018

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2018^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Erica Smith (incumbent)	33,942	53.86%
	Republican	C. "Chuck" Earley Jr.	29,082	46.14%
Total votes			63,024	100%
	Democratic hold

2016

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2016^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Erica Smith (incumbent)	57,507	100%
Total votes			57,507	100%
	Democratic hold

2014

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2014^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Erica Smith	10,557	48.34%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	8,730	39.97%
	Democratic	Alan Mizelle	2,552	11.69%
Total votes			21,839	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2014^[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Erica Smith	39,635	100%
Total votes			39,635	100%
	Democratic hold

2012

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2012^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	19,694	67.46%
	Democratic	Florence Arnold Armstrong	9,500	32.54%
Total votes			29,194	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2012^[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	65,851	100%
Total votes			65,851`	100%
	Democratic hold

2010

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2010^[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	9,313	49.73%
	Democratic	Frankie L. Bordeaux	7,119	38.01%
	Democratic	Florence Arnold Armstrong	2,295	12.26%
Total votes			18,727	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Republican primary election, 2010^[23]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	C. B. Daughtridge	1,707	76.31%
	Republican	Henry Williams	530	23.69%
Total votes			2,237	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2010^[24]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	27,586	62.72%
	Republican	C. B. Daughtridge	16,399	37.28%
Total votes			43,985	100%
	Democratic hold

2008

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2008^[25]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	16,187	50.52%
	Democratic	Shelly Willingham	13,200	41.20%
	Democratic	Henry Williams II	2,652	8.28%
Total votes			32,039	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2008^[26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	57,703	100%
Total votes			57,703	100%
	Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2006^[27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	7,969	64.28%
	Democratic	Shelly Willingham	4,429	35.72%
Total votes			12,398	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2006^[28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	19,633	100%
Total votes			19,633	100%
	Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2004^[29]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	5,044	33.13%
	Democratic	Shelly Willingham	4,991	32.79%
	Democratic	Charles Elliott Johnson	4,011	26.35%
	Democratic	Jim Rouse	1,177	7.73%
Total votes			15,223	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary run-off election, 2004^[30]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	6,070	54.47%
	Democratic	Shelly Willingham	5,074	45.53%
Total votes			11,144	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2004^[31]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins (incumbent)	36,343	66.04%
	Republican	Beverly Moore	18,686	33.96%
Total votes			55,029	100%
	Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2002^[32]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins	10,687	45.30%
	Democratic	Patricia Ferguson	9,757	41.36%
	Democratic	Ann M. Slocumb	1,626	6.89%
	Democratic	Henry Williams II	1,523	6.46%
Total votes			23,593	100%

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2002^[33]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clark Jenkins	26,444	66.69%
	Republican	Don Carson	12,743	32.14%
	Libertarian	Henry Boschen	464	1.17%
Total votes			39,651	100%
	Democratic hold

2000

North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2000^[34]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Scott Thomas	29,313	54.13%
	Republican	David G. Hipps	24,836	45.87%
Total votes			54,149	100%
	Democratic hold

References

^ "State Senate District 3, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
^ J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1973-1974". Retrieved July 22, 2025.
^ J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate Districts Map - 1985 to 1992". Retrieved July 22, 2025.
^ "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
^ "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
^ "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
^ "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
^ "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
^ "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
^ "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [8] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [9] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [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.
^ "NC State Senate 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 30, 2021.

[1] "State Senate District 3, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2025.

[2] J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1973-1974". Retrieved July 22, 2025.

[3] J.D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate Districts Map - 1985 to 1992". Retrieved July 22, 2025.

[4] "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

[5] "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

[6] "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 10, 2022.

[7] "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

[8] "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

[9] "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 15, 2022.

[10] "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 8, 2024.

[11] [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[12] [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[13] [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[14] [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[15] [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[16] [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[17] [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[18] [8] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[19] [9] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[20] [10] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[21] [11] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[22] [12] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[23] [13] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[24] [14] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[25] [15] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[26] [16]North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[27] [17] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[28] [18]North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[29] [19] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[30] [20] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[31] [21]North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[32] [22] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[33] [23]North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[34] "NC State Senate 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 30, 2021.

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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