Marcia Helen Morey

Marcia Helen Morey is the incumbent Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 30, a seat she has held since her appointment on April 5, 2017 and for which she is again on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election ¹. The district covers parts of Durham County, and her current term runs until January 1, 2027.

Born on August 14, 1955 in Decatur, Illinois, Morey earned a Bachelor of Arts from Millikin University, a Master of Education from Reed College, and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Law School ¹⁷. Before entering politics she was an elite swimmer, serving as co‑captain of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1976 Montreal Games and competing in the 100‑meter and 200‑meter breaststroke events ⁷.

After law school she returned to North Carolina, serving as an assistant district attorney in Durham and then as a district court judge for the 14th Judicial District from 1999 to 2017, becoming chief district court judge in 2011 and serving in that capacity until her legislative appointment ¹⁷. In 1998 Governor Jim Hunt appointed her executive director of the Governor’s Commission on Juvenile Crime and Justice, where she helped cut juvenile crime rates by roughly 40 % ⁷²⁰. As a judge she created the state’s first misdemeanor diversion program for 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds, later expanding it as the “Misdemeanor Diversion Program (MDP)” which has assisted over 300 youths and been adopted statewide ⁷¹⁸²⁰.

In the General Assembly, Morey has served on a range of committees, most recently the Appropriations Committee, the House Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety Committee, the Education – K‑12 Committee, the Families, Children, and Aging Policy Committee, and the Judiciary II Committee (2023‑2024 session) ¹. She has been a vocal advocate for bail reform, juvenile‑justice legislation such as House Bill 280 that raised the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18, and policies to strengthen public schools, expand Medicaid, and raise the minimum wage. Her stance on bail reform drew criticism in early 2026 when she argued there was “no correlation” between a high‑profile murder and the bail system, a comment reported by Fox News ¹⁹.

Morey’s legislative record includes sponsoring bills on environmental waste management, veterans’ benefits, election‑day holidays, and the Fair Maps Act, among others, reflecting a broad policy portfolio ⁶. She also served on Governor Roy Cooper’s Task Force on Racial Equity and the Juvenile Sentencing Review Board, contributing to statewide equity and clemency recommendations ¹⁸.

Outside the Capitol, Morey remains active in her Durham community, continuing to champion LGBTQ rights, reproductive health, and labor protections. Her campaign website outlines her progressive platform and provides contact information for constituents ¹⁴.

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