1972Final resultsIncumbent defeated
1972 election for North Carolina House District 23
North Carolina House of Representatives · North Carolina
7 seats: Henry E. Frye (D), Thomas Gilmore (D), Robert Odell Payne (R), Charles W. Phillips (D), Charles E. Webb (D), Thomas B. Sawyer (D), Margaret P. Keeseeforrester (R) won.
7 seatsHenry E. FryeDemocrat · winner · incumbent
8.7%38,974
Thomas GilmoreDemocrat · winner
8.0%35,735
Robert Odell PayneRepublican · winner · incumbent
7.7%34,230
Charles W. PhillipsDemocrat · winner · incumbent
7.7%34,195
Charles E. WebbDemocrat · winner
7.6%34,036
Thomas B. SawyerDemocrat · winner
7.4%33,148
Margaret P. KeeseeforresterRepublican · winner
7.3%32,806
William L. RevelsRepublican
7.3%32,779
Clifton T. Hunt Jr.Republican · incumbent
7.3%32,466
W. Mark ShortDemocrat · incumbent
6.9%30,954
Leon HodgesRepublican
6.1%27,410
W. H. BarnettDemocrat
6.0%26,795
Thomas L. HillardRepublican
5.8%25,950
Edmund LoweRepublican
5.8%25,683
Richard B. LayOther party
0.3%1,413
446,574 votes
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1972
Races before and after
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET
The candidates
Henry E. Frye (D)Thomas Gilmore (D)Robert Odell Payne (R)Charles W. Phillips (D)Charles E. Webb (D)Thomas B. Sawyer (D)Margaret P. Keeseeforrester (R)William L. Revels (R)Clifton T. Hunt Jr. (R)W. Mark Short (D)Leon Hodges (R)W. H. Barnett (D)Thomas L. Hillard (R)Edmund Lowe (R)
Also on the ballot: Richard B. Lay (Other party), 0.3%