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Robert Reives
2014 - Present
2027
11
Robert Reives (Democratic Party) is a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 54. He assumed office on January 29, 2014. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.
Reives (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 54. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Reives was elected House minority leader in 2020.[1]
Biography
Reives earned his B.S. in business administration/Finance from UNC Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the UNC School of Law. His professional experience includes working as an attorney at Wilson & Reives Attorney's at Law.[2]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Reives was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- House Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs Committee
- Marine Resources and Aqua Culture Committee
- House Redistricting Committee
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee
2021-2022
Reives was assigned to the following committees:
- House Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Judiciary II Committee
- House Redistricting Committee
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee
- Agriculture Committee
- Appropriations Committee
2019-2020
Reives was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- House Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Education - Community Colleges Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee
- House Redistricting Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| North Carolina committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Agriculture |
| • Education - Community Colleges, Vice chair |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary III, Vice chair |
| • Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Reives served on the following committees:
| North Carolina committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Agriculture |
| • Education - Community Colleges, Vice-Chairman |
| • Finance |
| • Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs |
| • Judiciary II |
| • Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Incumbent Robert Reives defeated Joe Godfrey in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Reives (D) | 54.8 | 29,910 |
 | Joe Godfrey (R) | 45.2 | 24,714 | |
| Total votes: 54,624 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Robert Reives advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Joe Godfrey advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Reives in this election.
2022
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Incumbent Robert Reives defeated Walter Petty in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Reives (D) | 55.3 | 23,105 |
| Walter Petty (R) | 44.7 | 18,684 | ||
| Total votes: 41,789 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Robert Reives advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Walter Petty defeated Craig Kinsey in the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Walter Petty | 64.3 | 4,443 | |
| Craig Kinsey | 35.7 | 2,472 | ||
| Total votes: 6,915 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2020
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Incumbent Robert Reives defeated George Gilson Jr. in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Reives (D) | 61.2 | 37,825 |
 | George Gilson Jr. (R) | 38.8 | 23,957 | |
| Total votes: 61,782 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Robert Reives advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. George Gilson Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54.
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Incumbent Robert Reives defeated Jay Stobbs in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Reives (D) | 63.3 | 29,664 |
| Jay Stobbs (R) | 36.7 | 17,219 | ||
| Total votes: 46,883 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Incumbent Robert Reives advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Reives |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54
Jay Stobbs advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Jay Stobbs | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the North Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016.[3] The candidate filing deadline was December 21, 2015.[4]
Incumbent Robert Reives defeated Wesley Seawell in the North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 general election.[5][6]
| North Carolina House of Representatives, District 54 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Robert Reives Incumbent |
57.20% | 24,773 | |
| Republican | Wesley Seawell | 42.80% | 18,534 | |
| Total Votes | 43,307 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections | ||||
Incumbent Robert Reives ran unopposed in the North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 Democratic primary.[7][8]
| North Carolina House of Representatives, District 54 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Robert Reives Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Wesley Seawell ran unopposed in the North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 Republican primary.[9][10]
| North Carolina House of Representatives, District 54 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Wesley Seawell (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the North Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 28, 2014. Incumbent Robert Reives defeated Barry Burns in the Democratic primary, while Andy Wilkie was unopposed in the Republican primary. Reives defeated Wilkie in the general election.[11][12]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Reives Incumbent |
56.2% | 16,875 | |
| Republican | Andy Wilkie | 43.8% | 13,156 | |
| Total Votes | 30,031 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Robert Reives Incumbent |
68.4% | 5,739 |
| Barry Burns | 31.6% | 2,657 |
| Total Votes | 8,396 | |
Endorsements
In 2014, Reives' endorsements included the following:[13]
- NC State AFL-CIO
- Chatham and Lee chapters of the North Carolina Association of Educators
- Sierra Club
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Robert Reives did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Robert Reives did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Robert Reives did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Robert Reives participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on September 27, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Robert Reives's responses follow below.[14]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
The number one priority for any public servant should be to improve the lives of the people they represent. I hope to do this by ensuring robust investment in our education system, fighting for the expansion of Medicaid so that hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged North Carolinians could gain access to potentially life-saving healthcare, and protecting our green spaces and natural resources like Jordan Lake from pollution and other threats.[15][16] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
Healthcare, public education, protecting the environment, and ensuring the legislation we take up respects the rights and dignity of every person. These are the primary ways government intersects with the everyday lives of our citizens, and I always strive to make my decisions on these matters with the best outcomes for every citizen in mind.Cite error: Invalid |
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Robert Reives answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
My father, Robert Reives Sr., is my political hero. He was the first African American county commissioner in my home community, a role in which he still serves. His reputation is one of fairness, decency, respect for all, and working to ensure that the people in his community have every opportunity to succeed.[16] |
” |
| “ | What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Again, the most important characteristic for an elected official is to put the needs of his or her constituents first and to always remember that the number one goal is to help improve the lives of the people he or she represents.[16] |
” |
| “ | What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful office holder?
My pedigree prepares me for public service, but doesn't separate me from the voters: I lived and grew up in some of our more economically disadvantaged areas in our county and have served with and befriended some of the most economically advantaged people in this state. I can be a voice for all.[16] |
” |
| “ | What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To stay abreast of the issues affecting people at home, to build the relationships necessary to address them, and to remember that public service is about serving people by doing whatever is possible to make their lives better in areas like education, healthcare, and the environment.[16] |
” |
| “ | What do you consider to be the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
A House is always going to be more populist and less deliberative than a Senate. I find the same to be true in North Carolina. In partisan terms, however, both chambers are led by a supermajority of Republicans, rendering them essentially indistinguishable in terms of goals and outcomes. More partisan balance would bring a world of positive change to the General Assembly of North Carolina.[16] |
” |
| “ | Do you believe it's beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Of course. My experience in politics prior to election was as a local party vice chair and my experience in government was as a prosecutor. But state government also benefits from the experiences of people in the private and nonprofit sectors, so prior experience in politics and government is by no means a requirement.[16] |
” |
| “ | What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?
Restoring our status as a leader in public education. Quality public education was once a bragging point for North Carolina, but in recent years we have become a state which lags in teacher pay and per pupil funding, and which has attempted to privatize education through vouchers and unnecessary and often unaccountable charter schools. It is imperative that we reverse this trend so that we can ensure the type of student outcomes and attract the type of investments we have historically enjoyed.[16] |
” |
| “ | What do you believe is the idea relationship between the governor and state legislature?
Regardless of partisan differences, governors and legislatures should be able to work together for the benefit of everyone in their state. In North Carolina, the Republican-led General Assembly has moved to strip our Democratic governor of power after power, making this goal that much more difficult to achieve. Instead of focusing on what powers another branch of government has or doesn't have, legislators should be making the lives of their constituents better by ensuring the functions of government serve them the best they can.[16] |
” |
| “ | Do you believe it's beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Of course, and on both sides of the aisle. Despite political polarization, senators and representatives often break with their parties on a number of issues, and working with others on areas of agreement is one way to ensure a legislator is doing his or her best to represent the community he or she serves. Additionally, legislators may need to find others who serve different parts of the state but face similarly unique issues in order to find consensus. Finally, legislators representing overlapping constituencies should always be ready to work together, particularly on local issues.[16] |
” |
| “ | What process do you favor for redistricting?
I support a non-partisan commission to handle redistricting for legislative and congressional districts. Voters should choose their politicians, not the other way around.[16] |
” |
| “ | If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?
I currently serve as vice chairman of the Education & Community Colleges committee and the Judiciary III committee. These committees appealed to me because they reflect some of the areas of public policy about which I am most passionate and in which I have the relevant experience necessary to offer perspective.[16] |
” |
| “ | If you are not currently a member of your party's leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining? If so, why?
I have been involved in House Democratic leadership since my election to my first full term in 2014, when I was named co-chairman of the House Freshman Caucus and treasurer of the Legislative Black Caucus. Two years later, I was elected Deputy Democratic Leader by my colleagues. These positions aren't just titles to me – they're opportunities to shape policy in a meaningful way, to build relationships with Democrats and Republicans alike, and to advocate for the communities I represent.[16] |
” |
| “ | Are you interested in running for a different political office in the future?
There may come a time when the issues or my position in life lead me to seek another office, but for now I am focused on serving the people of District 54 in the North Carolina State House.[16] |
” |
2014
Reives' campaign website highlighted the following issues:[17]
Education
- Excerpt: "Our public schools, community colleges and university system have been under attack. We need to fight back by raising teacher salaries to the national average, reduce class size, restore job protections and put resources into our classrooms."
Jobs and the Economy
- Excerpt: "We need to ensure that we are prepared for the future and not just rely on the past. We need schools, community colleges and universities that prepare our students for the technological age and we need to work to attract high tech manufacturing jobs that pay good wages to well trained employees."
Environment
- Excerpt: "Our natural resources are key to our economic development. Clean water and air is essential to attracting industry and protecting our tourist industry. Wise stewardship of our renewable resources and minerals is essential to provide long-term benefits instead of short-term gain."
Women’s Health
- Excerpt: "The legislature has been trying to turn back the clock on women’s health and choice issues. We need to fight back hard for the sake our daughters and granddaughters to protect their heath and their future."
Voting Rights
- Excerpt: "Democracy is the foundation of our political system and we need to make voting more accessible, not less. I’ll fight to reverse the policies passed by the General Assembly that try to disenfranchise certain segments of our population."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of North Carolina scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from April 24 to December 13.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 to October 25.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from May 18 to July 1.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 30.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from April 28 to September 3. The legislature was in recess from July 8 to September 1 and then reconvened September 2 to September 3.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 9 through August 27.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 10 through July 4.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 11 through June 30. Before the legislature adjourned its regular scheduled session, the legislature scheduled the following additional session dates: August 3, August 18 to August 25, August 28 to August 31, and October 4 to October 17.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from April 25 through July 1.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 14 through September 30.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the General Assembly of North Carolina will be in session from May 14 through a date to be determined by the legislature.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 9 to July 26.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 |
Officeholder North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ WUNC, "Reives picked by NC House Democrats to stay minority leader," December 6, 2022
- ↑ wilsonreiveslaw.com, "About Robert T. Reives, II," accessed February 6, 2014
- ↑ The primary for U.S. congressional elections was rescheduled to June 7, 2016, following legal challenges to North Carolina's district maps. State races were unaffected.
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 Candidate Filing," accessed December 22, 2015
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Listing," accessed August 23, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 General Election results lookup," accessd December 21, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Listing," accessed January 4, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "03/15/2016 Official primary results - Statewide," March 15, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Listing," accessed January 4, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "03/15/2016 Official primary results - Statewide," March 15, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official Primary Election Results For 2014," accessed June 12, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "General Election Candidate List Grouped by Contest," accessed June 12, 2014
- ↑ Official campaign website, "Press Releases," accessed April 21, 2014
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Robert Reives's responses," September 27, 2018
- ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Official campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 21, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
North Carolina House of Representatives District 54 2014-Present |
Succeeded by - |
