E. Nelson Cole

E. Nelson Cole
Cole in the 2003 legislative manual
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2011
Preceded by	Ken Miller
Succeeded by	Bert Jones
Constituency	25th District (1997-2003) 65th District (2003-2011)
In office January 1, 1993 – January 1, 1995
Preceded by	Rector Samuel Hunt III Peggy Wilson
Succeeded by	Cary Allred Ken Miller Dennis Alan Reynolds
Constituency	25th District
Personal details
Born	(1937-03-29) March 29, 1937 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of South Carolina (BS)

Edward Nelson Cole (born Charlotte, North Carolina, March 29, 1937) is a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly. A resident of Reidsville, North Carolina, he represented the state's sixty-fifth House district, which includes constituents in Rockingham County, for eight terms.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina (1962),¹² Cole worked as a manager for Ford Motor Company until becoming an auto dealer in 1980. Cole has been active on transportation-related issues, sponsoring a bicycle safety law and being a member of several national transportation groups - the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Council³ and the National Conference of State Legislatures standing committee on transportation.⁴ As of the 2009-2010 session, he was the co-chairman of the legislature's Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee.⁵

Cole was defeated for re-election to his House seat by conservative independent candidate Bert Jones on November 2, 2010.⁶ In the 2012 election, Cole is running to attempt a comeback and return to his former seat.⁷