Earl Harris
- This article is about the late Indiana state representative in District 2. For his son, a 2016 candidate for the same district, see Earl Harris, Jr.
Earl Harris (November 8, 1941 - March 23, 2015) was a Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 2 from 1992 to March 23, 2015. Harris was being treated for cancer. He served as Assistant Minority Floor Leader.
Biography
Harris' professional experience included working as a Fixed Asset Administrator with the East Chicago School Corporation and owner of the Kentucky Package Store. He served in the United States Navy.
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Government and Regulatory Reform |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedures |
| • Statutory Committee on Ethics |
| • Statutory Committee on Interstate and International Cooperation |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Rules and Legislative Procedures |
| • Statutory Committee on Ethics |
| • Statutory Committee on Interstate and International Cooperation |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Harris served on these committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Rules and Legislative Procedures |
| • Statutory Committee on Ethics |
| • Statutory Committee on Interstate and International Cooperation |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Harris served on these committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Government and Regulatory Reform |
| • Interstate and International Cooperation |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedures |
| • Statutory Committee on Ethics, Vice chair |
Issues
Legislative walkout
Harris and 36 other Democratic representatives participated in a legislative walkout on February 22, 2011, in opposition to proposed right-to-work legislation that would have limited union powers in Indiana. The Democratic departure left the House void of a quorum, leaving only 58 of the 67 representatives needed to establish a quorum.[1] Terri Austin, Steven Stemler and Vanessa Summers stayed behind to provide, if necessary, a motion and a seconding motion, which would enable them to stop any official business from proceeding should the Republicans try to do so.[1]
On March 7, 2011, House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer revealed that the Democrats were staying at the Comfort Suites in Urbana, Illinois during their absence from the statehouse.[2] According to the Indiana Constitution, Article 4, sections 11 and 14, the House may enforce fines and other methods to compel absent members to return. Beginning on March 7, 2011, each Democrat was subject to a fine of $250, to be withheld from future expense or salary payments, for each day they were not present in the statehouse.[3] Regarding their actual pay, House Speaker Brian Bosma announced that the 37 lawmakers were required to be physically present in the chambers to receive their per diem payment of $152/day.[2]
On March 21, 2011, Governor Mitch Daniels (R) and House Republicans increased daily fines from $250/day to $350/day. In response to the increase in fines, House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer stated that Democrats "will remain steadfast" in their opposition to the right-to-work bill.[4] Rep. Winfield Moses, Jr. (D) called the increase "a poke in the eye," and said it would not cause the Democrats to return.[5]
The Democrats returned to the statehouse on March 28, 2011, after the two sides had agreed to compromise on a number of issues, including shelving the controversial right-to-work bill.[3] Although the Democrats had some of their demands met, each absent member accrued a total of $3,500 in fines.[3]
The Legislature ended up passing right-to-work legislation on February 1, 2012, becoming the 23rd state to do so. Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) signed the measure into law.[6]
Elections
2014
Elections for the Indiana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent Earl L. Harris was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Jayson Reeves was unopposed in the Republican primary. Harris defeated Reeves in the general election.[7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Earl L. Harris Incumbent |
90.2% | 8,659 | |
| Republican | Jayson Reeves | 9.8% | 942 | |
| Total Votes | 9,601 | |||
2012
Harris won re-election in the 2012 election for Indiana House of Representatives District 2. Harris defeated Ricardo Garcia in the May 8 Democratic primary[9] and ran unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Earl Harris Incumbent |
100% | 19,042 | |
| Total Votes | 19,042 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Earl Harris Incumbent |
68.8% | 4,608 |
| Ricardo Garcia | 31.2% | 2,094 |
| Total Votes | 6,702 | |
2010
Harris defeated Republican candidate Kenneth Stevenson by a margin of 9,260 to 3,303 in the November 2 general election.[12]
In the May 4 primary election, Harris ran unopposed. [13]
| Indiana House of Representatives, District 2 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Earl Harris (D)
|
9,260 | |||
| Kenneth Stevenson (R) | 3,303 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Democrat Earl Harris won re-election to the Indiana House of Representatives District 2 receiving 17,516 votes. He ran unopposed.[14]
| Indiana House of Representatives, District 2 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Earl Harris (D)
|
17,516 | |||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Democrat Earl Harris won re-election to Indiana House of Representatives District 2 unopposed, receiving 8,425 votes.[15]
| Indiana House of Representatives, District 2 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Earl Harris (D)
|
8,425 | |||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Harris was Chair of the African American Leadership Forum of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Board Member of the Northwest Indiana League and President of Sunnyside Homeowners Association.[16]
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Indiana scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2015
In 2015, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 6 through April 29.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 6 through March 14.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 7 through April 29.
|
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Earl + Harris + Indiana + Legislature
See also
- Indiana State Legislature
- Indiana House of Representatives
- Indiana House Committees
- Indiana state legislative districts
External links
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Watchdog Indiana Candidate Ratings
- Campaign contributions: 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994
- Earl Harris on Facebook
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 IndyStar.com, "Indiana Democrats trigger Statehouse showdown over anti-union legislation," February 22, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fox 59, "Fines begin for absent House Democrats," March 7, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Wall Street Journal, "Pressure Mounts on Absent Democrats in Wisconsin, Indiana," March 3, 2011 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wsj" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ IndyStar.com, "Dems' walkout drags on, among nation's longest," March 23, 2011
- ↑ WFIE.com, "Indiana Republicans say they're done negotiating," March 17, 2011
- ↑ Reuters, "Indiana becomes 23rd "right-to-work" state," February 1, 2012
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed February 10, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 12, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Election Results 2012," accessed May 8, 2012
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "List of May 8, 2012, primary candidates," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, “Election Results – Indiana General Election, November 6, 2012,” accessed January 24, 2013
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2010 Official General Election Results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2010 Official Primary Election Results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2008 Official General Election Results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2006 Official election results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Political Summary," accessed March 6, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Indiana House of Representatives District 2 1982–March 2015 |
Succeeded by Donna Harris (D) |
