Laura Huntingdon Budd

Laura Budd is the incumbent Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 103 and is seeking re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election ¹². The North Carolina Constitution requires that a House member be a qualified voter, have resided in the district for at least one year before the election, and be at least 21 years old; legislators serve two‑year terms with no term limits and assume office on January 1 following the election ².

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Budd earned a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science, cum laude, from Ohio University in 1999 and a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest School of Law in 2002 ¹⁷. She practices law as an attorney and is a member of the Mecklenburg County Bar ¹⁷¹⁵. Budd’s community involvement includes serving as president of the Matthews Athletic Recreation Association (2020‑2022) and vice‑president of the Piedmont Gymnastics Association (2020‑2022). She has also held leadership roles with the Peace & Justice Immigration Clinic, the Matthews Health Clinic, and the Matthews Free Medical Clinic, and volunteers with local charities such as Room in the Inn ¹⁷¹⁵.

Budd was first elected to the state House in 2022, assuming office on January 1, 2023, and was re‑elected in 2024 with 58.1% of the vote (25,772 votes) against Republican Joshua Niday (41.9%) ¹¹. She will complete her current term on January 1, 2027 and is running again in 2026; the Democratic primary was cancelled, allowing her to advance automatically to the general ballot ¹.

During the 2023‑2024 session Budd served on the Appropriations Committee, the Appropriations‑Information Technology Committee, the Education‑K‑12 Committee, the Judiciary II Committee, and the UNC Board of Governors Nominations Committee ¹. In the 2025‑2026 session she sits on the Appropriations Committee, Appropriations‑Transportation, Education‑K‑12, the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery, the House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety, and is an advisory member of Judiciary II and Transportation ⁶.

Budd has introduced a range of legislation, including the Fair Maps Act (HB 20), an Environmental Justice bill (HB 77), multiple bills restricting law‑enforcement cooperation with ICE (HB 78, 80), the Pollinator Protection Act (HB 84), a COLA increase for state and local retirees (HB 90), and measures supporting veterans, teachers, and Medicaid sustainability (e.g., HB 106, 113, 118) ⁵. These bills reflect her focus on equitable representation, environmental stewardship, public safety reform, and support for vulnerable populations.

Budd’s campaign emphasizes education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and social‑justice issues, positioning herself as a community‑focused legislator who leverages her legal background and local leadership experience to serve constituents in Mecklenburg County’s South Charlotte, Ballantyne, and Pineville areas ¹⁵⁹. Her official legislative site provides contact information and resources for constituents, while her campaign website outlines her platform and invites community engagement ⁹¹⁶.

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