Joe P. Tolson

Joe P. Tolson
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2015
Preceded by	Edward Norris Tolson
Succeeded by	Shelly Willingham
Constituency	71st District (1997-2003) 23rd District (2003-2015)
Personal details
Born	(1941-04-15)April 15, 1941 Pinetops, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	February 3, 2019(2019-02-03) (aged 77) Tarboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Alma mater	Barton College, University of Virginia
Occupation	educator

Joe Pat Tolson (April 15, 1941 – February 3, 2019) was an American educator and Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly^[1] representing the state's twenty-third House district, including constituents in Edgecombe and Wilson counties. A retired educator from Pinetops, North Carolina, Tolson retired after the 2013-2014 session, serving his ninth term in the state House.^[2] He was replaced by Shelly Willingham. Tolson died in 2019 from respiratory failure at a hospital in Tarboro, North Carolina.^[3]

Tolson received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Barton College and University of Virginia. He served as assistant vice-president for Edgecombe Community College.^[4]

Electoral history

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2012^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	7,575	58.75%
	Democratic	William Solomon Jr.	5,318	41.25%
Total votes			12,893	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2012^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	30,670	100%
Total votes			30,670	100%
	Democratic hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2010^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	12,043	53.38%
	Republican	Gerald Shepheard	10,517	46.62%
Total votes			22,560	100%
	Democratic hold

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2008^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	20,211	62.21%
	Republican	Garland Shepheard	12,275	37.79%
Total votes			32,486	100%
	Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2006^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	7,924	71.05%
	Republican	Henry Williams II	3,228	28.95%
Total votes			11,152	100%
	Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2004^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	17,040	65.93%
	Republican	Henry Williams II	8,804	34.07%
Total votes			25,844	100%
	Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2002^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	9,678	53.38%
	Republican	Bettie West	8,244	45.47%
	Libertarian	Douglas Ellis	207	1.14%
Total votes			18,129	100%
	Democratic hold

2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 71st district general election, 2000^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Tolson (incumbent)	12,915	63.30%
	Republican	Wade Ellison	7,489	36.70%
Total votes			20,404	100%
	Democratic hold

References

1. "Representative Joe P. Tolson (Democrat, 2011-2012 Session)". North Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
2. "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart.
3. "Former North Carolina state Rep. Joe Tolson dies at 77". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
4. "Joe Tolson Obituary - Tarboro, NC | The News & Observer". Legacy.com.
5. [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
6. [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
7. [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
8. [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
9. [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
10. [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
11. [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
12. "NC State House 071". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 28, 2022.

North Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Edward Norris Tolson	Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 71st district 1997–2003	Succeeded by Larry Womble
Preceded by Mickey Michaux Paul Luebke Paul Miller	Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 23rd district 2003–2015	Succeeded by Shelly Willingham

Media related to Joe P. Tolson at Wikimedia Commons