Joyce Waddell
North Carolina State Senator, District 40 since 2014. Ran in 7 elections between 2014 and 2024, winning 7. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- 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
No bills in this list for the 2025–2026 session.
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
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.
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 State Senate, District 40 | Won | D+67.1 | D+50.2 | +16.9 |
| 2024 | North Carolina State Senate, District 40 | Won | D+58.8 | D+50.2 | +8.6 |
| 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 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: North Carolina State Board of Elections (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $20.6K
- Spent
- $28.2K
- Cash
- $18.8K
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections filings through Oct 17, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 1:06 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| JOYCE WADDELL SENATE 40 CAMPAIGN State | Active |
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections filings through Oct 17, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 1:06 AM ET
Seats Waddell has held
- North Carolina State Senate, District 40 · since 2014
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Waddell has run against
- Bobbie Shields (R) · 2026 election, won
- Jeff Scott (I) · 2024 election, won
- Marguerite Cooke (R) · 2016 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: North Carolina State Board of Elections (unofficial)
How we know Waddell
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/3e8067e6-6232-4ebb-979c-d077ab968446
- Wikidata Q44152743
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET