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The Vote Ledger
JH

Jesse Helms

Senator from North Carolina
SENATEREPUBLICAN1973–2003ID H000463
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
6%with Dems
of 5,663 votes
Nominations
2%with Dems
of 52 · confirmations only
All contested
6%with Dems
of 5,715 · both combined
Steepest move
−10 pts
1983 → 1985
still a Republican

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓19731979198519911997
2001–02107th Congress
Sat as a Republican
1.7%with Democrats
legislation only
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1983 → 1985, −10 pts — within one party label.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Nov 19, 2002noneDennis W. Shedd, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth CircuitNOMINATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005A bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005A bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Full textA bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.Party majoritiesDemocrats Yea · Republicans YeaCounts toward scoreNo — both party majorities voted Yea.
Where this lands
YEAVoted with both majorities — not scored
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005To establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005To establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005Of a perfecting nature.LEGISLATIONNAYREP MAJORITY
Oct 16, 2002H.R. 5010A bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Oct 16, 2002H.R. 3295A bill to require States and localities to meet uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements applicable to Federal elections, to establish grant programs to provide assistance to States and localities to met those requirements and to improve election technology and the administration of Federal elections, to establish the Election Administration Commission, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Oct 11, 2002H.J.Res. 114A joint resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
9 most recent roll calls shown · 243 contested votes scored in the 107th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance7.1% · 1,520 votes
Government Operations and Politics4.3% · 489 votes
Armed Forces and National Security4.7% · 486 votes
Taxation5.1% · 353 votes
International Affairs9.2% · 294 votes
Agriculture and Food8.9% · 202 votes
Energy3.2% · 185 votes
Labor and Employment1.8% · 163 votes
Transportation and Public Works4.6% · 152 votes
Education2.7% · 147 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance35% · 137 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement4.4% · 136 votes
Congress10.7% · 122 votes
Social Welfare11.2% · 107 votes
Finance and Financial Sector1.9% · 105 votes
Health0% · 105 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources3.2% · 93 votes
Law3.7% · 82 votes
Environmental Protection2.5% · 79 votes
Commerce1.3% · 77 votes
Immigration9.7% · 72 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues1.7% · 59 votes
Science, Technology, Communications7% · 43 votes
Housing and Community Development0% · 32 votes
Animals0% · 31 votes
Sports and Recreation0% · 24 votes
Depletion allowances13% · 23 votes
Income tax35% · 20 votes
Water Resources Development5.3% · 19 votes
Power resources0% · 17 votes
Independent regulatory commissions0% · 16 votes
Congressional-Presidential relations9.1% · 11 votes
Families0% · 11 votes
Political participation0% · 10 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Political representation— · 9 votes
Automobile insurance— · 8 votes
Economic stabilization— · 8 votes
Public works— · 8 votes
Solar heating and cooling— · 8 votes
Amnesties— · 7 votes
Commemorations— · 7 votes
Age and employment— · 6 votes
Intergovernmental relations— · 6 votes
Black lung— · 5 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 5 votes
Day care— · 5 votes
Embargo— · 5 votes
Industrial relations— · 5 votes
Mortgages— · 5 votes
Native Americans— · 5 votes
Petroleum industry— · 5 votes
Credit— · 4 votes
Territories (U.S.)— · 4 votes
Heating— · 3 votes
International monetary system— · 3 votes
Mines and mineral resources— · 3 votes
Motor vehicles— · 3 votes
Range management— · 3 votes
District of Columbia— · 2 votes
Government corporations— · 2 votes
Government publications— · 2 votes
Government securities— · 2 votes
Private Legislation— · 2 votes
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Conservation of natural resources— · 1 vote
Dairy industry— · 1 vote
Disaster relief— · 1 vote
Federal advisory bodies— · 1 vote
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1 vote
Lobbying— · 1 vote
Monuments and memorials— · 1 vote
Ships and shipping— · 1 vote
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1 vote

They also voted in 39 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

15 Congresses
93rd · 1973107th · 2001
Republican · Senate · NC93rd–107th
Term datesexact
Members · North Carolina
JH

Jesse Helms

Senator from North Carolina
SENATER1973–200315 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
6.5%with Democrats
of 5,663 votes · 93.5% with Republicans
Nominations2%of 52 votes
All contested6%of 5,715 · combined
Steepest move−10 pts1983→85, as a Republican

Career arc

10050019732001
2001–02 · 107th · Republican1.7%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityYea
Republican majorityYea
Counts toward scoreNo
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 243 contested votes scored in the 107th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance7.1% · 1,520
Government Operations and Politics4.3% · 489
Armed Forces and National Security4.7% · 486
Taxation5.1% · 353
International Affairs9.2% · 294
Agriculture and Food8.9% · 202
Energy3.2% · 185
Labor and Employment1.8% · 163
Transportation and Public Works4.6% · 152
Education2.7% · 147
Foreign Trade and International Finance35% · 137
Crime and Law Enforcement4.4% · 136
Congress10.7% · 122
Social Welfare11.2% · 107
Finance and Financial Sector1.9% · 105
Health0% · 105
Public Lands and Natural Resources3.2% · 93
Law3.7% · 82
Environmental Protection2.5% · 79
Commerce1.3% · 77
Immigration9.7% · 72
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues1.7% · 59
Science, Technology, Communications7% · 43
Housing and Community Development0% · 32
Animals0% · 31
Sports and Recreation0% · 24
Depletion allowances13% · 23
Income tax35% · 20
Water Resources Development5.3% · 19
Power resources0% · 17
Independent regulatory commissions0% · 16
Congressional-Presidential relations9.1% · 11
Families0% · 11
Political participation0% · 10
Political representation— · 9
Automobile insurance— · 8
Economic stabilization— · 8
Public works— · 8
Solar heating and cooling— · 8
Amnesties— · 7
Commemorations— · 7
Age and employment— · 6
Intergovernmental relations— · 6
Black lung— · 5
Constitutional amendments— · 5
Day care— · 5
Embargo— · 5
Industrial relations— · 5
Mortgages— · 5
Native Americans— · 5
Petroleum industry— · 5
Credit— · 4
Territories (U.S.)— · 4
Heating— · 3
International monetary system— · 3
Mines and mineral resources— · 3
Motor vehicles— · 3
Range management— · 3
District of Columbia— · 2
Government corporations— · 2
Government publications— · 2
Government securities— · 2
Private Legislation— · 2
Congressional oversight— · 1
Conservation of natural resources— · 1
Dairy industry— · 1
Disaster relief— · 1
Federal advisory bodies— · 1
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1
Lobbying— · 1
Monuments and memorials— · 1
Ships and shipping— · 1
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1

Also voted in 39 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Service record

93rd · 1973107th · 2001
Republican93rd–107th

Party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40thWesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105thBen Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th
AD320 × 50 · Anchor