North Carolina's 9th congressional district

The 9th congressional district of North Carolina is a Congressional district in south-central North Carolina. The district's current boundaries were redrawn in February 2016 after a U.S. District Court overturned the existing boundaries because of politically directed gerrymandering that suppressed minority representation.[5] The new congressional district consists of Union, Anson, Richmond, Scotland, and Robeson counties; a southeast portion of Mecklenburg County; and parts of Cumberland and Bladen counties.

North Carolina's 9th congressional district
North Carolina's 9th congressional district since January 3, 2017
Representative	Dan Bishop R–Charlotte
Distribution	65.17% urban[1] 34.83% rural
Population (2016)	778,477[2]
Median income	$61,369[3]
Ethnicity	65.6% white 19.45% black 7.74% Native American 7.64% Hispanic 2.53% Asian
Cook PVI	R+8[4]

Republicans have held this district since 1963. Republican Robert Pittenger had represented the district since January 2013. In 2018, Pittenger was defeated by challenger Mark Harris in the Republican primary. The latter faced Democrat Dan McCready in the general election.

Harris was initially called as the winner by several hundred votes, but the result was not certified, pending a statewide investigation into allegations of absentee ballot fraud.[6][7] On February 21, the bipartisan State Election Board unanimously voted to call for a new election for the 9th district, because of ballot fraud by Republican operatives.[8]

A special election was held September 10, 2019, with Democrat Dan McCready running against Republican Dan Bishop, a state senator who won the Republican primary.[9] Bishop won the 2019 special election to the U.S. House of Representatives with 50.8% of the vote to McCready's 48.6%.[10][11]

List of members representing the district

Member	Party	Term	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1793.
Thomas Blount	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795	3rd 4th 5th	Elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Re-elected in 1796. Lost re-election.	1793–1803 [data unknown/missing]
	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799
Willis Alston	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1803	6th 7th	Elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Redistricted to the 2nd district.
Marmaduke Williams	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1809	8th 9th 10th	Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired.	1803–1813 [data unknown/missing]
James Cochran	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1813	11th 12th	Elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Retired.
Bartlett Yancey	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	13th 14th	Elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Retired.	1813–1823 [data unknown/missing]
Thomas Settle	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821	15th 16th	Elected in 1817. Re-elected in 1819. Retired.
Romulus M. Saunders	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823	17th 18th 19th	Elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Retired.
	Crawford Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825			1823–1833 [data unknown/missing]
	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827
Augustine H. Shepperd	Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1833	20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th	Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. [data unknown/missing]
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837			1833–1843 [data unknown/missing]
	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839
John Hill	Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841	26th	[data unknown/missing]
Augustine H. Shepperd	Whig	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843	27th	[data unknown/missing]
Kenneth Rayner	Whig	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Redistricted from the 1st district. [data unknown/missing]	1843–1853 [data unknown/missing]
Asa Biggs	Democratic	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847	29th	[data unknown/missing]
David Outlaw	Whig	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853	30th 31st 32nd	[data unknown/missing]
District inactive				March 3, 1853 – March 4, 1885.
Thomas D. Johnston	Democratic	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889	49th 50th	[data unknown/missing]	1885–1893 [data unknown/missing]
Hamilton G. Ewart	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	51st	[data unknown/missing]
William T. Crawford	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895	52nd 53rd	[data unknown/missing]
					1893–1903 [data unknown/missing]
Richmond Pearson	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	54th 55th	[data unknown/missing]
William T. Crawford	Democratic	March 4, 1899 – May 10, 1900	56th	Lost contested election.
Richmond Pearson	Republican	May 10, 1900 – March 3, 1901	56th	[data unknown/missing]
James M. Moody	Republican	March 4, 1901 – February 5, 1903	57th	[data unknown/missing] Died.
Vacant		February 5, 1903 – March 3, 1903
Edwin Y. Webb	Democratic	March 4, 1903 – November 10, 1919	58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th	[data unknown/missing] Resigned.
					1903–1913 [data unknown/missing]
					1913–1933 [data unknown/missing]
Vacant		November 10, 1919 – December 16, 1919	66th
Clyde R. Hoey	Democratic	December 16, 1919 – March 3, 1921		Elected to finish Webb's term. [data unknown/missing]
Alfred L. Bulwinkle	Democratic	March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929	67th 68th 69th 70th	Elected in 1920. Lost re-election.
Charles A. Jonas	Republican	March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931	71st	Elected in 1928. [data unknown/missing]
Alfred L. Bulwinkle	Democratic	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Redistricted to the 10th district.
Robert L. Doughton	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1953	73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd	Redistricted from the 8th district. [data unknown/missing]	1933–1943 [data unknown/missing]
					1943–1953 [data unknown/missing]
Hugh Quincy Alexander	Democratic	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1963	83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.	1953–1963 [data unknown/missing]
Jim Broyhill	Republican	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1969	88th 89th 90th	[data unknown/missing] Redistricted to the 10th district.	1963–1973 [data unknown/missing]
Charles R. Jonas	Republican	January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1973	91st 92nd	Redistricted from the 8th district. [data unknown/missing] Retired.
Jim Martin	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1985	93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th	Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Retired to run for North Carolina Governor.	1973–1983 [data unknown/missing]
					1983–1993 [data unknown/missing]
Alex McMillan	Republican	January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1995	99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd	Elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Retired.
					1993–2003 [data unknown/missing]
Sue Myrick	Republican	January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2013	104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Retired.
					2003–2003
Robert Pittenger	Republican	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019	113th 114th 115th	Elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Lost renomination.	2013–2017
					2017–Present
Vacant		January 3, 2019 – September 10, 2019	116th	Election voided.[12]
Dan Bishop	Republican	September 10, 2019 – present	116th	Elected to the vacant term.

2018 election

Main article: 2018 North Carolina's 9th congressional district election

In the Republican primary incumbent Robert Pittenger was defeated by former pastor Mark Harris, who had closely challenged him two years earlier.[13] Harris won 48.5 percent of the vote to Pittenger's 46.2 percent.[14]

The New York Times described the election between Harris and Democrat Dan McCready as a "top-tier contest".[15] In results on election day, Harris defeated McCready by 905 votes, but on November 27, 2018, the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Reform declined to certify the election results, citing voting irregularities involving absentee ballots.[16][17] The irregularities in counting and handling of absentee ballots became the subject of a criminal investigation.[18]

Outlets such as the Associated Press[19] and FiveThirtyEight[20] subsequently retracted calling the race, pending the decision of the state board of elections. On December 1, the chair of the state elections board resigned, saying: "The investigation of criminal conduct and absentee voting fraud in the 2018 Republican primary and 2018 general election in congressional district 9 is a matter of vital importance to our democracy", adding that "I will not allow myself to be used as an instrument of distraction in this investigation".[21]

On November 30, the election board of the district decided to hear evidence about “claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities” at a meeting to be held by December 21. A finding of fraud could have resulted in a new election.[22]

On December 5, 2018, independent investigative reporting of the alleged vote thefts detailed a practice that targeted southern rural elderly black voters in the 9th district congressional race and termed the affair, "...the most serious federal election tampering case in years." Campaign workers revealed that the vote tampering went on in a pervasively chaotic atmosphere. Operatives tracked votes and field workers "...would come to your house, they would get you to fill out an absentee ballot to be sent to your house. They would go back and pick it up and then seal it and then find two witnesses," to certify their validity. Such handling of ballots and completed applications by other than board and postal workers is legally prohibited. An informant tabulated the number of ballots delivered to the county election board and said an indicted leader gave the Harris campaign updates on the operation's most recent totals. The leader was employed by Red Dome political consultants which received over $428,000 from the Harris campaign. The informant had delivered 185 absentee ballot applications and the leader personally delivered 592 more.[23] On December 6, Democratic candidate McCready withdrew his earlier submitted election concession.[24] Republican candidate Harris agreed for a new election to be held if allegations of election fraud could be proven by the election board to have affected the contest's outcome.[25] The leader of the North Carolina Republicans, Robin Hayes, stated on December 11 that, regardless to what extent election fraud could be proven to have altered the election, a new election would be necessary in the state's 9th congressional district if investigators can verify a local newspaper report that early voting results in Bladen County were leaked before Election Day.[26][27]

On December 28, the state court dissolved the state election board, before it had certified election results.[28][29] The election board's staff announced that it would continue the investigation, but delayed hearings until a new election board was seated, presumably on January 31.[30][31] Democratic Governor Roy Cooper's attempts to fill an interim board were overridden by the Republican-controlled legislature.[28] Incoming United States House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat, announced that the House of Representatives would not seat Harris under any circumstances until the fraud investigation is completed.[32] Harris announced he would seek court intervention to have him immediately certified as the winner and stated his intention to join the 116th Congress on January 3.[33][34] However, Harris was not permitted to join the new Congress on January 3.

On February 21, the bipartisan state board of elections voted to hold a new election, because, according to board chairman Bob Cordle, "irregularities and improprieties ... tainted the results ... and cast doubt on its fairness."[35] A newly passed law by the North Carolina state legislature will require the parties to hold new primaries before the general election for this seat.[36] Harris has said that he will not run again.

2019 special election

Main article: 2019 North Carolina's 9th congressional district special election

Democrat Dan McCready, a veteran and business executive, was unopposed as his party's nominee for this seat, following his narrow initial loss to Mark Harris in the election voided because of alleged ballot fraud by Republican operatives. After the Republicans conducted their primary, they nominated Dan Bishop, a North Carolina state senator, to run in the special election to be held in September 2019.[9] On September 10, 2019, Bishop won with over 50% of the vote.[10]

See also

• North Carolina's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

References

1. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
2. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
3. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
4. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
5. "Session Law 2016-1". Retrieved May 30, 2016.
6. Morrill, Jim (November 27, 2018). "NC elections board refuses to certify 9th District race, leaving it in limbo". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
7. Bock Clark, Doug (December 2, 2018). "Allegations of G.O.P. Election Fraud Shake North Carolina's Ninth District". The New Yorker. New York City, N.Y. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
8. "Mark Harris calls for new election in 9th district". newsobserver. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
9. Sonmez, Felicia; Gardner, Amy (May 14, 2019). "Republican voters nominate N.C. state lawmaker who sponsored controversial 'bathroom bill' in 9th Congressional District race". Washington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
10. Live results: North Carolina elections, Politico, September 10, 2019.
11. Republican Dan Bishop wins special election for House seat in North Carolina special election, NBC News projects, NBC News, September 10, 2019.
12. "New election ordered in North Carolina House district after possible illegal activities". NBC News. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
13. Morrill, Jim (May 8, 2018). "Challenger Mark Harris stuns U.S. Rep. Pittenger of NC in GOP primary upset". Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, N.C. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
14. Weigel, David (May 8, 2018). "North Carolina GOP congressman loses primary, first House incumbent ousted". Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
15. "We polled voters in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
16. Morrill, Jim (November 29, 2018). "'Tangled web' in Bladen County has questions swirling about votes in the 9th District". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
17. Gardner, Amy; Ross, Kirk (November 29, 2018). "Certification in limbo in N.C. House race as fraud investigation continues". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
18. Durkin, Erin (December 5, 2018). "North Carolina election still undecided amid absentee ballot fraud inquiry" – via www.theguardian.com.
19. "The Latest: AP Retracts call in North Carolina Congress race". AP. November 30, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
20. Rakich, Nathaniel (November 30, 2018). "What The Heck Is Happening In That North Carolina House Race?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
21. Gardner, Amy (December 1, 2018). "North Carolina elections board chairman resigns, says he doesn't want his partisan views to hurt election fraud investigation". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
22. Bock Clark, Doug (December 2, 2018). "Allegations of G.O.P. Election Fraud Shake North Carolina's Ninth District". The New Yorker. New York. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
23. Inside The North Carolina Republican Vote Machine: Cash, Pills — And Ballots, Buzzfeed News, Brianna Sacks and Otillia Steadman, December 5, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
24. "North Carolina: Democrat withdraws concession in congressional race". Associated Press. The Guardian. December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
25. Bump, Philip (December 10, 2018). "Why fraud allegations throw the results in North Carolina's 9th District into doubt". The Washington Post. Washington D.C. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
26. Way, Dan (December 11, 2018). "NCGOP preparing to call for new election in 9th District". Carolina Journal. Raleigh, North Carolina. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
27. Nobles, Ryan (December 13, 2018). "Will Republicans abandon their candidate in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District?". CNN. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
28. Henderson, Bruce; Jarvis, Craig; Brosseau, Carli (December 28, 2018). "9th District chaos: Cooper plans interim elections board, Harris asks to be named winner". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
29. Nobles, Ryan; Krieg, Gregory; Stracqualursi, Veronica; Cohen, Ethan (December 28, 2018). "North Carolina elections board dissolves before certifying November results of 9th district race". CNN. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
30. Dalesio, Emery P. (January 2, 2019). "Hearing into North Carolina ballot fraud claims postponed". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
31. "Hearing On 9th District Investigation Delayed". WFAE. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
32. "House leader says Democrats won't seat candidate in unresolved North Carolina race". AP via NBC News. December 28, 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
33. Gardner, Amy (January 2, 2019). "GOP congressional candidate says he will ask N.C. court to certify his victory as election officials delay fraud hearing". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
34. Morrill, Jim; Murphy, Brian (January 2, 2019). "Mark Harris says he'll go to court as officials delay hearing on election fraud". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
35. Gardner, Amy (February 21, 2019). "N.C. board declares a new election in contested House race after the GOP candidate admitted misspeaking under oath". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
36. "North Carolina lawmakers override veto of elections bill". TheHill. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
    • Williams, Timothy (December 12, 2018). "North Carolina Legislature Calls for New Primary if New Election Is Held in Disputed District". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
    • Bruno, Joe (December 13, 2018). "Amid fraud probe, an election redo might require new primary for 9th District". WSOC-TV. Charlotte, N.C. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
    • Harrison, Steve (December 13, 2018). "Latest On 9th Congressional District Fraud Allegations". WFAE 90.7 Charlotte's NPR News Source. Charlotte, N.C. Retrieved December 13, 2018.

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present