Senator Kandie D. Smith is a Democrat representing District 5 in the North Carolina State Senate, covering Edgecombe and Pitt Counties. Born on October 20, 1969, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, she has lived in North Carolina for over 30 years and moved to Greenville in 2004, where she became deeply involved in community service, including joining Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and serving on the Neighborhood Advisory Board.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in communications from Charleston Southern University.
• Political Experience: Elected to Greenville City Council for District 1 in 2009, served as Mayor Pro Tem, and made history as the first African American female Mayor of Greenville, NC, in 2017. Elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 8 in 2018, serving two terms . Elected to the NC State Senate for District 5 in 2022, currently in her second term with 2 prior Senate terms. Serves as an educational training consultant.

Notable Achievements and Positions: 1st Vice Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus; 2nd Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus. Secured $215 million for the Brody School of Medicine at ECU; sponsored legislation to increase pay for teachers with advanced degrees.