Ty Harrell

Harrell was raised in Raleigh, North Carolina and graduated from Sanderson High School. Harrell received his B.A in English from Appalachian State University and his M.A in Political Management from The George Washington University. He is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

In early September 2009, the North Carolina State Board of Elections began an official audit of Harrell's campaign finance records, citing irregularities, unusual activity and incomplete entries.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/5961159|title = Elections officials question lawmaker's expenses|date = September 8, 2009}} Among the items that reportedly caught the attention of auditors were hundreds of dollars in campaign expenditures at clothing and luggage stores marked as "committee meetings" on the paperwork Harrell filed.[http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/harrell_asked_for_more_info Harrell asked for more information]The News and Observer {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929063513/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/harrell_asked_for_more_info |date=September 29, 2009 }}

Shortly after the Board of Elections' announcement, the NC House Speaker's Office announced that the Speaker had ordered an ethics investigation of Harrell over his financial records.{{cite web| url = http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1682453.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090914000811/http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1682453.html| archive-date = 2009-09-14| title = Harrell faces ethics probe - Local & State - News & Observer}}

On September 20, 2009, Harrell submitted a letter of resignation to House Speaker Joe Hackney, effective immediately, amid the ongoing controversy over campaign expenditures totaling more than $13,000, revelations he was living outside of his district, and his divorce from his wife.[http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1698481.html The News and Observer]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In his first term as Representative of the 41st district, Harrell supported measures for higher teacher and state employee salaries, accessible and quality healthcare, protection of local small businesses and collaborative university efforts in the search for renewable energy sources.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

Harrell began his second term as Chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology and vice-chair of the House Committee on State Government and State Personnel, as well as vice-chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.

Early in his second term, Harrell received criticism for his support of H. 1252 ("Level Playing Field") in his committee. The bill was heavily supported by various conservative organizations as well as Time Warner Cable, which had a location within then-Representative Harrell's district.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

The left-leaning North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research listed Harrell 52nd in their 2008 effectiveness rankings, the highest ranking given to any freshman lawmaker.{{cite web |url=http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A267435 |title=N.C. General Assembly: Elections: Our Endorsements: Independent Weekly: Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill |website=www.indyweek.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024145803/http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A267435 |archive-date=2008-10-24}} Those rankings have since been criticized for favoring the majority party, as they include votes from the media, lobbyists, and the lawmakers themselves.{{Cite web |url=http://www.capitol-monitor.org/non-profit-profiles/north-carolina-center-for-publ.php |title=North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research: A Long Legacy | Capitol Monitor |access-date=September 12, 2009 |archive-date=October 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018031901/http://www.capitol-monitor.org/non-profit-profiles/north-carolina-center-for-publ.php |url-status=dead }}

In the group's subsequent 2010 rankings, the Raleigh News & Observer reported that "the dubious honor for the biggest drop in effectiveness belongs to former Rep. Ty Harrell, who dropped from 52nd to 110th."[http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/democrats_dominate_house_effectiveness_rankings Democrats dominate House effectiveness rankings]The News and Observer {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100409111730/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/democrats_dominate_house_effectiveness_rankings |date=April 9, 2010 }}

In June 2007, Harrell became the first elected official in North Carolina to endorse Barack Obama,[http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/harrell_for_obama Harrell for Obama]The News and Observer {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023165524/http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/harrell_for_obama |date=October 23, 2008 }} and after the president's election, Harrell was briefly rumored to have been considered a potential choice as Obama's ambassador to Canada.[http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/ambassador_harrell Ambassador Harrell]The News and Observer {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304094428/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/ambassador_harrell |date=March 4, 2012 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.embassymag.ca/page/view/plum_job_or_pain-12-17-2008 |title=PLUM JOB Or Pain-in-the-Neck? {{!}} Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper |website=www.embassymag.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928052148/http://www.embassymag.ca/page/view/plum_job_or_pain-12-17-2008 |archive-date=2011-09-28}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district general election, 2008[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2008&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1227] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ty Harrell (incumbent)

| votes = 30,929

| percentage = 53.77%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Bryan Gossage

| votes = 26,595

| percentage = 46.23%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 57,524

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district Democratic primary election, 2006[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/02/2006&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=36] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ty Harrell

| votes = 1,556

| percentage = 75.75%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Chris Mintz

| votes = 498

| percentage = 24.25%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 2,054

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district general election, 2006[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/07/2006&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=194] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ty Harrell

| votes = 13,051

| percentage = 51.64%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Russell Capps (incumbent)

| votes = 12,224

| percentage = 48.36%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 25,275

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

| loser = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID=569 NC House of Representatives - Ty Harrell] official NC website
• [http://www.dlcc.org/node/1327 DLCC- Representative Ty Harrell] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923102057/http://www.dlcc.org/node/1327 |date=September 23, 2008 }}
• [http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56698 Project Vote Smart - Representative Ty Harrell (NC House)] profile
• Follow the Money - Ty Harrell campaign contributions:
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=87859 2006]
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=99422 2008]
• The Return of Ty Harrell
• [http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/the-return-of-ty-harrell/Content?oid=3727136 2013]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-nc-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Russell Capps}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 41st district|years=2007-2009}}

{{s-aft|after=Chris Heagarty}}

{{s-end}}

{{North Carolina House of Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrell, Ty}}

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Politicians from Newark, New Jersey

Category:Politicians from Raleigh, North Carolina

Category:George Washington University alumni

Category:Appalachian State University alumni

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:African-American state legislators in North Carolina

Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly