Carson Smith
North Carolina State Representative, District 16 since 2018. Ran in 4 elections between 2018 and 2024, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
North Carolina State Representative, District 16Born 1967Firefighter
- In office
- 7 yrs
- Since 2018
- Bills became law
- 5
- 22 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 5.6%
- Chamber median 3.8%
- With party
- 100%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +25.1
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Appropriations · vice chair
- Appropriations, Justice and Public Safety · chair
- Judiciary 2 · vice chair
- Justice and Public Safety Legislative Oversight · co-chair
- Pensions and Retirement · chair
- Election Law
- Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs
- Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety Select
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
APPOINTMENTS; APPROPRIATIONS; ARMED FORCES; BUDGETING; CHARITABLE DONATIONS; CIVIL PROCEDURE; CONFIDENTIALITY; CORPORATIONS · Became law Jul 2026
COMMERCE; CONSUMER PROTECTION; CRIMES; EMPLOYMENT; FINANCIAL SERVICES; INSURANCE; PRESENTED; PUBLIC; RATIFIED; RETAILING; THEFT; WORKERS COMPENSATION; CHAPTERED · Became law Jun 2026
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS; COUNTIES; EMERGENCY SERVICES; IMMIGRATION; JAILS; LAW ENFORCEMENT; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; NOTIFICATION; PRESENTED; PUBLIC; RATIFIED; SHERIFFS; VETOED; ALIENS; CHAPTERED; VETO OVERRIDDEN · Became law Jul 2025
ATTORNEYS; BOARDS; CHARTER SCHOOLS; CJRS; CORPORATIONS · Became law Jun 2025
CJRS; DEATH & DYING; DEATH BENEFITS; FUNDS & ACCOUNTS; GENERAL ASSEMBLY; INSURANCE; INSURANCE · Became law Jun 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Smith sits in the North Carolina House of Representatives
Smith is closer to the center than 59% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Stephen Ross, Celeste Cairns, Larry Strickland
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:55 PM ET
With Smith’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans100%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills7%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Smith’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Smith | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2026 | SJR 1091: Adjournment Resolution. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 78–28 |
| Aug 5, 2026 | HB 268: 2026 Budget Technical Corrections - II. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 79–28 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | HB 834: State Board of Elections Administrative Changes. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 74–35 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | SB 1092: 2026 Senate and House Appointments. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 71–38 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | SB 445: Regulatory Reform Act of 2026. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 84–26 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Smith was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 | Won | R+25.1 | R+39.6 | −14.5 |
| 2024 | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 | Won | R+41.7 | R+39.6 | +2.1 |
| 2022 | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2020 | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 | Won | R+28.8 | — | — |
| 2018 | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 | Won | R+18.7 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: North Carolina State Board of Elections (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Seats Smith has held
- North Carolina House of Representatives, District 16 · since 2018
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Smith has run against
- Jim Harris (D) · 2026 election, won
- Frances Lakey (D) · 2024 election, won
- Debbi Fintak (D) · 2020 election, won
- John Johnson (D) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: North Carolina State Board of Elections (unofficial)
How we know Smith
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/6f78b8a8-f77c-4aef-bfa4-b3dac3312e33
- Wikidata Q61679853
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET