{"biography":"Joyce Lucille Davis Waddell is the incumbent Democratic State Senator for North Carolina\u2019s 40th Senate District and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election\u202f[1]. The district, which includes parts of Mecklenburg County, is represented by Senator Waddell, who first assumed office on January\u202f1,\u202f2015 and is currently serving her sixth term in the Senate\u202f[1][7].\n\nBorn on July\u202f11,\u202f1944, Waddell earned a Bachelor of Science from South Carolina State University and holds three master\u2019s degrees\u2014one each from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina A&T State University, and Appalachian State University\u2014before completing a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro\u202f[7][9]. Her extensive academic background underpins a three\u2011decade career in education, including 21\u202fyears as a teacher and administrator within the Charlotte\u2011Mecklenburg Schools system\u202f[1][9].\n\nBefore entering state politics, Waddell served on the Charlotte\u2011Mecklenburg Board of Education from 2009 to 2014, where she helped shape local education policy\u202f[16]. Since her first election in 2014, she has been a consistent presence on key Senate committees, most recently serving on the Appropriations on Education/Higher Education, Appropriations/Base Budget, Health Care, Finance, Pensions and Retirement and Aging, and Rules and Operations of the Senate committees for the 2025\u20112026 session\u202f[6][1]. Her legislative focus has centered on education funding, health care access, and economic issues affecting working families.\n\nIn the 2024\u20112026 election cycle, Waddell\u2019s platform emphasizes raising North Carolina\u2019s minimum wage to $7.25, expanding Medicaid to ensure broader health\u2011care coverage, and increasing funding for public schools, particularly to support teachers\u202f[16]. She has publicly opposed Senate Bill\u202f49, which would restrict curriculum on gender identity and sexuality in early grades and require parental notification of pronoun changes\u202f[16].\n\nWaddell\u2019s public service record includes service on more than 15 boards and community organizations, many focused on children and education, and she remains active in civic groups such as the African American Caucus of the Democratic Party, the Black Women\u2019s Caucus of Mecklenburg County, and the League of Women Voters\u202f[9]. Her office is located at 16\u202fWest\u202fJones\u202fStreet, Room\u202f1106, Raleigh, NC\u202f[3][4], and she can be reached by phone at 919\u2011733\u20115650\u202f[15].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Joyce Waddell - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joyce_Waddell)\n- [2] [North Carolina State Senate District 40 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_State_Senate_District_40)\n- [3] [Senator Joyce Waddell - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/393)\n- [4] [Senator Joyce Waddell - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/393)\n- [6] [Committees - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Committees/S/393)\n- [7] [Joyce Waddell - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Waddell)\n- [9] [Joyce Waddell's Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/149844/joyce-waddell)\n- [15] [State Senator Joyce Waddell | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/19781)\n- [16] [Joyce Waddell platform & website | North Carolina State Senator, District 40](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-nc-general-election-nc-state-state-senator-nc-state-senate-40/candidates/joyce-waddell)\n- [17] [North Carolina State Sen. Joyce Waddell - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/241007/Joyce_Davis_Waddell.html)\n- [20] [Joyce Waddell | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/joyce-waddell-ead2f75a-3d79-413c-b37e-26a31a8ab0a8)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_040","county":"mecklenburg","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 40"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Joyce","fullname":"Joyce Davis Waddell","lastname":"Waddell","middlename":"Davis","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_040","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 40","county":"mecklenburg","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_senate_040","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 40","county":"mecklenburg","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Joyce Davis Waddell is the Democratic State Senator for NC District\u202f40, running for re\u2011election in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"f00ac767f480c03d"}