Kandie Smith

Kandie Smith is the incumbent State Senator for North Carolina's 5th district, an office she has held since January 1, 2023. Her political career began on the Greenville City Council in 2009. She later served as Mayor of Greenville, becoming the first African American woman to hold the position in 2017. Following her time as mayor, she was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 8, serving two terms from 2019 to 2023. Smith earned a bachelor's degree from Charleston Southern University with a major in sociology and a minor in communications.