Edward Charles Goodwin

Edward Charles Goodwin is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 1 and is on the ballot for re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election ²⁶. The North Carolina Constitution requires state House members to be at least 21 years old, a qualified voter, and a resident of the district they represent; Goodwin meets these criteria, having been born and raised in Edenton, North Carolina, within the district he now serves ²⁶.

Goodwin was born on September 4, 1952 in Edenton, NC, and graduated from John A. Holmes High School before attending East Carolina University. He left college to serve in the United States Air Force from 1972 to 1976, where he worked as a nuclear weapons specialist, earned the Airman’s Medal for Heroism, and later served as an INF Nuclear Arms Treaty Inspector in the former Soviet Union (1989‑1992) ²⁶. After his military service he returned to ECU and earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 1981 ²⁶.

Following college, Goodwin joined the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as a special agent in 1983 and served until his retirement in 2004, completing a 23‑year law‑enforcement career that included investigations of serious crimes and national security matters ²⁶⁸. He then returned to his hometown, where he entered local politics, winning election to the Chowan County Board of Commissioners in 2008 and serving until 2012 ²⁸. In 2012 he sought the office of North Carolina Secretary of State, losing to incumbent Elaine Marshall ⁶⁸. He later served as an aide to Governor Pat McCrory and was appointed director of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division from 2014 to 2017 ⁶.

Goodwin was first elected to the North Carolina House in 2018, assuming office on January 1, 2019, and has been re‑elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024, with his current term set to end on January 1, 2027 ²⁶⁸. In the 2025‑2026 legislative session he holds several leadership positions: Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Chair of the Appropriations – Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources Committee, Chair of the Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and member of the Agriculture, Environment, Marine Resources and Aqua Culture, State Personnel, Wildlife Resources, and Transportation committees ²⁶⁸.

As a legislator, Goodwin has sponsored a range of bills reflecting his priorities. Notable proposals include the NC Constitutional Carry Act (HB 5), a Firearm Discharge/Preempt Local Ordinance (HB 9), legislation to protect veterans such as the Disabled Veteran Motor Vehicle Tax Exclusion (HB 39) and the Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act (HB 69), as well as measures supporting agriculture, broadband expansion, and coastal resilience ⁵. His public statements and campaign materials emphasize strengthening public safety, expanding broadband in rural areas, supporting farmers and small businesses, and advocating for veterans and military families ⁷¹¹.

Goodwin resides in Edenton with his wife Lori and their three children. He remains active in his community, drawing on his military, law‑enforcement, and legislative experience to represent the interests of eastern North Carolina’s coastal and agricultural districts.

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