Candidate Info Viewer (v6) - Wake County Democratic Party

Sydney Batch

NC Senate District 17

Candidate Statement:

Sydney Batch is a mom, attorney, social worker, and leader who never backs down from fighting for North Carolina families.

Her career began in courtrooms and child-welfare offices, where she confronted hard realities: families navigating uncertainty, children without a voice, communities under pressure. These experiences shaped a simple truth: when government fails to act, people suffer.

A proud "Triple Tar Heel," Sydney earned her B.A., J.D., and M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She co-founded the law firm Batch, Poore & Williams, P.C., where she practices family and child-welfare law alongside her husband, J. Patrick Williams. They live in Wake County with their two sons.

In 2018, she was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 37 and began serving in January 2019. In January 2021, she transitioned to the North Carolina State Senate, representing District 17, following appointment to fill a vacancy. In December 2024, she was elected by her peers to serve as Leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus, becoming both the first woman and the first Black woman to hold that role in the General Assembly.

As Democratic Leader, Sydney brings discipline, focus, and backbone to the job-because the stakes are high and the margin for error is zero. Her mission: restore balance in Raleigh, break the Republican supermajority, and make sure government works for families, not special interests.

Direct Quote:

The GOP's reign of chaos has gone on long enough. As Senate Democratic Leader, Sydney Batch is working to break their supermajority and restore balance in Raleigh-so North Carolina can finally focus on what matters: strong schools, affordable health care, and a government that serves families, not itself.

Issues:

Strong Public Schools

Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring every child in North Carolina has access to a world-class public education, regardless of where they live or how much money their family makes. We're fighting to raise teacher pay, fully fund our public schools, and keep politics out of the classroom, because strong public schools are the foundation of opportunity and prosperity for every family in our state.

Strong Public SchoolsSenate Democrats are committed to ensuring every child in North Carolina has access to a world-class public education, regardless of where they live or how much money their family makes. We're fighting to raise teacher pay, fully fund our public schools, and keep politics out of the classroom, because strong public schools are the foundation of opportunity and prosperity for every family in our state.

Economic Opportunity

We believe that every North Carolinian deserves the chance to build a good life. That's why we support policies that grow small businesses, expand workforce development, invest in rural and urban communities alike, and ensure working families can earn a living wage. Senate Democrats are focused on building an economy that works for everyone, not just the well-connected few.

Economic OpportunityWe believe that every North Carolinian deserves the chance to build a good life. That's why we support policies that grow small businesses, expand workforce development, invest in rural and urban communities alike, and ensure working families can earn a living wage. Senate Democrats are focused on building an economy that works for everyone, not just the well-connected few.

Affordable Health Care

We are fighting to make quality health care more affordable and accessible for every North Carolina family. We support expanding Medicaid, strengthening rural hospitals, improving access to mental healthcare, and protecting access to reproductive care, because no North Carolinian should go bankrupt just to see a doctor.

Affordable Health CareWe are fighting to make quality health care more affordable and accessible for every North Carolina family. We support expanding Medicaid, strengthening rural hospitals, improving access to mental healthcare, and protecting access to reproductive care, because no North Carolinian should go bankrupt just to see a doctor.