Luther Ernest Barnhardt (November 29, 1903 – June 1, 1980) was an American politician in the state of North Carolina.

He received both his bachelors of laws and juris doctor degrees from Wake Forest University.

He was an attorney in Concord for 52 years and chair of the Cabarrus Board of Elections for a decade.

[1] A Democrat, Barnhardt was a member of the North Carolina Senate for five terms beginning in 1944 as a representative for Cabarrus and Rowan counties.

[1] He died on June 1, 1980, at a nursing home in Charlotte, North Carolina.