DemocratIn office since Nov 2014

Joyce Waddell

North Carolina State Senator, District 40 since 2014. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.

North Carolina State Senator, District 40Born 1944

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 12 yrs; Since 2014
Bills became law: 0; 4 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 0.3%; Chamber median 8.4%
With party: 82%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +67.1; 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 and Base Budget
Appropriations on Education and Higher Education
Finance
Governmental Operations Commission
Health Care
Health and Human Services Legislative Oversight
Legislative Education Oversight
Legislative Research Commission
Pensions and Retirement and Aging
Rules and Operations of the Senate

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 4 sponsored · 0 became law

BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw

SB 608 Revise Various Laws/Work 1st Cash Assistance.
EMPLOYMENT; POVERTY; PREGNANCY; PUBLIC; PUBLIC HEALTH; SOCIAL SERVICES; WOMEN; WORK FIRST; FAMILY ISSUES · Failed in committee Mar 2025

SB 525 Living Wage Guarantee Act.
COMMERCE; CORPORATIONS · Failed in committee Mar 2025

SB 194 SchCalFlex/Char-Meck/CC.
BOARDS; CALENDAR; COUNTIES; EDUCATION; EDUCATION BOARDS; ELEMENTARY EDUCATION; KINDERGARTEN; LOCAL; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; MUNICIPALITIES; SECONDARY EDUCATION; MECKLENBURG COUNTY; CHARLOTTE · Failed in committee Mar 2025

SB 159 Elderly Prop. Tax Appreciation Exclusion.
AGING; PROPERTY; PUBLIC; REAL ESTATE; TAX EXEMPTIONS; TAXATION; TAXES · Failed in committee Feb 2025

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Waddell sits in the North Carolina State Senate

Waddell is closer to the center than 86% of the chamber's Democrats.

Closest: Woodson Bradley, Julie Mayfield, Gladys Robinson

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:55 PM ET

With Waddell’s party

Votes with the chamber's Democrats82%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills20%

Black tick: the average of Democrats in the North Carolina State Senate.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Waddell’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.

Date	Bill	Waddell	Dem. majority	Rep. majority	Result
Jul 29, 2026	HB 562: Budget Technical Corrections Modifications.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Passed 34–3
Jul 28, 2026	SB 1092: 2026 Senate and House Appointments.	Yes	No	Yes	Passed 32–9
Jul 2, 2026	SB 257: 2026 Appropriations Act.	No	No	Yes	Passed 35–10
Jul 2, 2026	HB 56: 2026 Budget Technical Corrections.	Yes	No	Yes	Passed 30–13
Jul 1, 2026	SB 474: Adjust Counties/Reappraisal Moratorium.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Passed 40–7

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Waddell was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028North Carolina State Senate, District 40

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 Senate District 40	Won	D+67.1	D+50.2	+16.9
2024	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	D+58.8	—	—
2022	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	D+34.4	—	—
2020	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	D+44.1	—	—
2018	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	D+51.3	—	—
2016	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	D+65.0	—	—
2014	North Carolina State Senate, District 40	Won	—	—	—
2014	North Carolina State Senate, District 40 (primary)	Won	+14.0	—	—