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John Larson (North Carolina)
John Larson (Democratic Party) was a member of the Winston-Salem City Council in North Carolina, representing South Ward. He assumed office in 2016. He left office on December 2, 2024.
Larson (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Winston-Salem City Council to represent South Ward in North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.
Biography
Larson earned his M.A. in history from the University of South Carolina. He was a captain in the U.S. Army from 1972 to 1975. Larson is the vice president of restoration for Old Salem Museums and Gardens.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: City elections in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2024)
General election
General election for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward
Vivian V. Joiner won election in the general election for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Vivian V. Joiner (D)  | 97.8 | 11,101 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.2 | 245 | ||
| Total votes: 11,346 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward
Vivian V. Joiner defeated incumbent John Larson, Adrian Smith, and Carolyn Highsmith in the Democratic primary for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vivian V. Joiner | 35.5 | 967 |
 | John Larson | 29.9 | 814 | |
| Adrian Smith | 19.7 | 536 | ||
 | Carolyn Highsmith | 14.9 | 407 | |
| Total votes: 2,724 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Larson in this election.
2020
See also: City elections in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2020)
General election
General election for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward
Incumbent John Larson defeated Paula J. McCoy and James Taylor in the general election for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Larson (D) | 98.1 | 12,265 |
| Paula J. McCoy (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.1 | 12 | ||
 | James Taylor (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.1 | 12 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.7 | 215 | ||
| Total votes: 12,504 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward
Incumbent John Larson defeated Carolyn Highsmith and Mackenzie Cates-Allen in the Democratic primary for Winston-Salem City Council South Ward on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Larson | 47.4 | 2,417 |
| Carolyn Highsmith | 32.1 | 1,636 | |
| Mackenzie Cates-Allen | 20.5 | 1,044 | ||
| Total votes: 5,097 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
A general election for the mayor's office and all eight city council seats in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, took place on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 15, 2016, in the city council's Northeast, Northwest and South wards. A special primary election was held in the South Ward on June 7, 2016, after a recount revealed ballot errors discussed here. The 2016 election was the first even-year election for the city's mayor and city council following a 2011 state law moving municipal elections from odd years.[2][3][4] John Larson defeated Michael Tyler in the Winston-Salem City Council South Ward general election.[5]
| Winston-Salem City Council South Ward, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  John Larson |
69.03% | 9,830 | |
| Republican | Michael Tyler | 30.71% | 4,373 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.26% | 37 | ||
| Total Votes | 14,240 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 General Election Unofficial Results," November 8, 2016 | ||||
Note: The South Ward Democratic primary on March 15, 2016, finished with Carolyn Highsmith ahead of John Larson by six votes. A candidate can demand a recount if the difference between the votes for that candidate and the votes of the winning candidate is less than 1 percent of the total votes cast in a nonstatewide race. The demand for a recount must be in writing and must be received by the state board of elections by noon on the Wednesday after the final vote count by county officials. In addition, either the county or state board of elections may order a discretionary recount.[6][7]
The Forsyth County Board of Elections concluded its canvass on March 24, 2016, with Highsmith's lead expanding from four votes to six votes based on provisional ballots. Following the canvass, Larson announced on his campaign's Facebook page that he would request a recount by county elections officials.[8] Highsmith agreed with the need for a recount, telling Time Warner Cable News that "people who went to vote did not get to vote."[9] Larson officially filed his request for a recount with the county on March 29, 2016. He also filed a protest with county officials asking for a new election citing disenfranchisement for South Ward voters who were given incorrect ballots.[10] The final recount revealed that 31 voters received ballots for other ward districts and 12 ineligible votes were submitted. On April 6, 2016, the North Carolina State Board of Elections ordered a new election for the South Ward that was held on June 7, 2016.[11]
John Larson defeated Carolyn Highsmith in the Winston-Salem City Council South Ward Democratic primary special election.[5]
| Winston-Salem City Council South Ward, Democratic Primary Special Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| John Larson |
63.12% | 962 |
| Carolyn Highsmith | 36.88% | 562 |
| Total Votes | 1,524 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "06/07/2016 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - FORSYTH," accessed June 7, 2016 | ||
The following candidates ran in the Winston-Salem City Council South Ward Democratic primary election.
| Winston-Salem City Council South Ward, Democratic Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Carolyn Highsmith | 50.07% | 2,029 |
| John Larson | 49.93% | 2,023 |
| Total Votes | 4,052 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "03/15/2016 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - FORSYTH (South Ward)," accessed March 15, 2016 | ||
Endorsements
Larson earned the endorsement of South Ward incumbent Molly Leight.[12]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Larson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
John Larson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Larson's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
| “ |
The most important government is local government. It has the greatest impact on our day-to-day living. The City Council sets policies which guide the future changes that impact all the individuals who live here. City government’s obligation is to provide its citizenry with Safety, Security and Community. There is a Compact between the citizens and government: Payment of taxes equal providing services Safety is clearly paramount. Fire and police protection is essential for our safety at home, on street, in car, at school, or anywhere in our city. Security is about what is happening now, but more importantly what the future will be like. Security is sense of well being and the feeling that things will be good in the future. Economic security We should be assured that tax dollars are carefully spent for the benefit of the whole community. Protecting jobs that pay for the home. Protecting and promoting the value of everyone's property. Protecting our neighborhoods against negative changes. Providing the security that comes with knowing that there will be good jobs, high quality of life, and opportunity for the next generation. We need to be able to keep our young talent here by having a growing and vibrant city where they feel they belong. Community is a sense of belonging. It involves neighbors and neighborhood. South Ward is not an island unto itself, it exists as part of the greater whole. Residents of the South Ward, work, shop, visit and travel through other parts of the city. City Council members must represent (and advocate for) the individual Wards but the Council must also continually consider the broader good for Winston-Salem as a whole. We are a great city, but we should always strive to do better. We should provide a quality of life for all our residents that reflects the aspiration of Winston-Salem of being the City of Arts and Innovation. |
” |
| —John Larson (2016), [14] | ||
Noteworthy events
On March 18, 2020, Larson announced a two-week self-quarantine after attending a conference with two individuals that later tested positive for coronavirus.[15]
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ John Larson for City Council, "Who am I?" accessed February 15, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Chronicle, "W-S City Council races and primaries coming earlier in 2016," October 11, 2015
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Bill 523," June 15, 2011
- ↑ Forsyth County Board of Elections, "Election Schedule," accessed February 11, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwinston - ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "§ 163-182.7. Ordering recounts.," accessed March 16, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "South Ward city council race still up in the air," March 16, 2016
- ↑ Facebook, "John Larson for South Ward," accessed March 27, 2016
- ↑ Time Warner Cable News, "Candidates Call for a Recount in Winston-Salem City Council Race," March 24, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "South Ward candidate John Larson files election protest in six-vote race," March 31, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "State orders new election for Democratic nominee in South Ward," April 7, 2016
- ↑ John Larson for City Council, "Endorsements," accessed February 15, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ John Larson for City Council, "Why am I running?" accessed February 15, 2016
- ↑ WXII, "Winston-Salem City Council members in self-isolation due to potential COVID-19 exposure," March 18, 2020
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Winston-Salem City Council South Ward 2016-2024 |
Succeeded by Vivian V. Joiner (D) |
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