View source for Joe P. Tolson

{{Short description|American politician (1941–2019)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image                         = Joe Pat Tolson.jpg
|image_size                    = 180px
| caption                      =
| office                       = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]]
| term_start                   = January 1, 1997
| term_end                     = January 1, 2015
| predecessor                  = Edward Norris Tolson
| successor                    = [[Shelly Willingham]]
| constituency                 = [[North Carolina's 71st House district|71st]] District (1997-2003) <br/> [[North Carolina's 23rd House district|23rd]] District (2003-2015)
| party                        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]
| birth_date                   = {{birth date|1941|4|15}}
| birth_place                  = [[Pinetops, North Carolina]], U.S.
| death_date                   = {{death date and age|2019|02|03|1941|04|15}}
| death_place                  = [[Tarboro, North Carolina]], U.S.
| spouse                       = 
| alma_mater                   = [[Barton College]], [[University of Virginia]] 
| occupation                   = educator
| residence                    = 
| website                      = 
}}
'''Joe Pat Tolson''' (April 15, 1941 – February 3, 2019) was an American educator and [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the [[North Carolina General Assembly]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?nUserID=48&sChamber=H|title=Representative Joe P. Tolson (Democrat, 2011-2012 Session)|publisher=[[North Carolina General Assembly]]|accessdate=31 March 2011|archive-date=7 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407110324/http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=48|url-status=dead}}</ref> representing the state's twenty-third House district, including constituents in [[Edgecombe County, North Carolina|Edgecombe]] and [[Wilson County, North Carolina|Wilson]] counties.  A retired educator from [[Pinetops, North Carolina]], Tolson retired after the 2013-2014 session, serving his ninth term in the state House.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart}}</ref>
He was replaced by [[Shelly Willingham]]. Tolson died in 2019 from respiratory failure at a hospital in Tarboro, North Carolina.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former North Carolina state Rep. Joe Tolson dies at 77 |url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article225504725.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207022834/https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article225504725.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 7, 2019 |accessdate=4 February 2019 |work=The Sacramento Bee}}</ref>

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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsobserver/obituary.aspx?=joe-pat-tolson&pid=191452291&fhid=5794|title=Joe Tolson Obituary - Tarboro, NC &#124; The News & Observer|website=[[Legacy.com]]}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
===2012===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2012<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/08/2012&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1037] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 7,575
| percentage = 58.75%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Solomon Jr.
| votes = 5,318
| percentage = 41.25%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 12,893
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2012<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/06/2012&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1204] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 30,670
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 30,670
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2010===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2010<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1200] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 12,043
| percentage = 53.38%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Gerald Shepheard
| votes = 10,517
| percentage = 46.62%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 22,560
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2008===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2008<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2008&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1207] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 20,211
| percentage = 62.21%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Garland Shepheard
| votes = 12,275
| percentage = 37.79%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 32,486
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2006===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2006<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/07/2006&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=176] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 7,924
| percentage = 71.05%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Henry Williams II
| votes = 3,228
| percentage = 28.95%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 11,152
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2004===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2004<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2004&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=181] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 17,040
| percentage = 65.93%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Henry Williams II
| votes = 8,804
| percentage = 34.07%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 25,844
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2002===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2002<ref>[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/05/2002&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=189] ''North Carolina State Board of Elections''.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 9,678
| percentage = 53.38%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Bettie West
| votes = 8,244
| percentage = 45.47%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Douglas Ellis
| votes = 207
| percentage = 1.14%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 18,129
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2000===
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 71st district general election, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=781742|title=NC State House 071|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Tolson (incumbent)
| votes = 12,915
| percentage = 63.30%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Wade Ellison
| votes = 7,489
| percentage = 36.70%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 20,404
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-nc-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Edward Norris Tolson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] <br/> from the [[North Carolina's 71st House district|71st]] district|years=1997–2003}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Larry W. Womble|Larry Womble]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Mickey Michaux]] <br/> [[Paul Luebke]] <br/> [[Paul Miller (North Carolina politician)|Paul Miller]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] <br/> from the [[North Carolina's 23rd House district|23rd]] district|years=2003–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Shelly Willingham]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{commons category-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tolson, Joe P.}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:People from Edgecombe County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Barton College alumni]]
[[Category:University of Virginia alumni]]
[[Category:Educators from North Carolina]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]

{{NorthCarolina-NCRepresentative-stub}}