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Tisha S. Waddell (Mayor of Fayetteville, North Carolina, candidate 2025)
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Tisha S. Waddell is running for election for Mayor of Fayetteville in North Carolina. She is on the ballot in the primary on October 7, 2025.[source]
Waddell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Tisha S. Waddell provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on August 28, 2025:
- High school: Hardaway High School
- Associate: Fayetteville Technical Community College
- Gender: Female
- Religion: Christian
- Profession: Business Owner
- Prior offices held:
- Fayetteville City Council (2017-2021)
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Not red. Not blue. Just True.
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook
- Campaign Instagram
Elections
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Fayetteville
The following candidates are running in the primary for Mayor of Fayetteville on October 7, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| John Ashford (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Courtney Banks-McLaughlin (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Mario Benavente (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Mitch Colvin (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Kathy Keefe Jensen (Nonpartisan) | ||
Clifton L. Johnson (Nonpartisan)  | ||
| Nahlee Iris Smith (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tisha S. Waddell (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Paul A. Williams (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Freddie de la Cruz (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tisha S. Waddell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Waddell's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My professional path has taken me from the global stage to Fayetteville. As a military dependent living and working in Northern Africa, Europe, and Asia, I had the opportunity to build bridges across cultures and represent our nation with integrity and poise. Those experiences, along with extensive travel across the U.S., shaped my unshakable belief in ethical leadership, responsible governance, and the power of community.
Here at home, I’m a devoted wife, mother, and doting grandmother. My faith anchors me, and my purpose guides me. Whether at the table or in the trenches, I strive to unite diverse voices, earn trust through action, and keep the Golden Rule at the center of my leadership.
During my time on Council, I championed down payment assistance for first responders, advanced infrastructure improvements, and stood firmly against the proposed lease of PWC, protecting public assets and demanding transparency. I made the difficult decision to resign when I could no longer, in good conscience, support what I believed to be unethical practices. That decision solidified my belief that service must be rooted in trust, not personal gain.- I believe municipal government must operate with transparency, and that its elected body should uphold the highest ethical standards, addressing misconduct without regard to person or position. I believe the City Council must remain accountable to the people who elected them, not to special interest groups or individuals with influence. In my view, no one, regardless of race, gender, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, or any other factor, should receive preferential treatment. The standards of the City and the responsibilities of public office should be applied consistently across the board.
- Families matter. They are the backbone of strong neighborhoods, and strong neighborhoods build strong communities. Thriving communities are reflected in low crime rates, high employment, and well-performing schools. So when we see our city struggling with an underperforming economy, low-rated schools, and rising violent crime, it’s clear that our families are struggling too. Municipalities that succeed in the long term are those that prioritize the needs of their people, attracting economic development that benefits citizens, not just corporations. When we focus on stabilization, we reduce the strain on city budgets and shift away from costly, reactionary policies toward proactive strategies that drive real growth.
- Infrastructure investment in Fayetteville and surrounding municipalities is key to unlocking our region’s full potential. Our city remains strategically disadvantaged by limited highway access, particularly the lack of direct routes to the west and north, and limited high-capacity connectivity to the east, which restricts regional access and hinders long-term growth. Additionally, our aging water, road, and stormwater systems pose safety risks and result in costly damage for residents. To attract sustainable economic development, we must modernize and expand the capacity of our water and energy infrastructure. Fayetteville’s future depends on systems that support growth, safeguard families, and meet the evolving needs of our community.
Transparency, accountability, and principled leadership are essential for restoring public trust. Too often, decisions are made behind closed doors, favoring the few while the needs of everyday citizens go unrepresented.
Life has a way of humbling us, and I’ve learned to value authenticity over perfection. I admire those who walk in truth, even when it costs them something, and who choose growth over image. That’s the kind of character I aspire to and surround myself with.
Ethics must be the foundation of every decision. Without them, trust erodes, accountability disappears, and leadership becomes self-serving. Officials who lead with integrity set a standard, earn public confidence, and prioritize the long-term well-being of the communities they serve.
Equally important is the ability to build and sustain relationships, within government, across sectors, and most importantly, with constituents. Effective leaders don't operate in silos. They engage, collaborate, and create spaces where people feel heard and respected. Building trust is a long game, but it’s what drives real progress.
Clear communication supports that trust. It’s not just about informing, it’s about being transparent and understandable. People need to know not only what is happening, but why decisions are made.
The ability to negotiate reflects wisdom. Progress isn’t achieved through grandstanding but through compromise, common ground, and collective vision.
That means leadership from the Mayor’s seat is less about control and more about consensus-building, accountability, and transparency. It requires someone who can facilitate productive dialogue among Council Members, provide clear and consistent communication to the public, and work closely with the City Manager to ensure policies are implemented effectively.
The Mayor must also set the tone for ethical governance, upholding standards of conduct and ensuring decisions are made in the public’s best interest, not behind closed doors and always with the input of the governing body.
Watching the Twin Towers fall from so far away, holding my child in my arms, I felt an overwhelming mix of confusion and deep sorrow. Even across the world, the weight of that day was undeniable. It’s a moment that forever changed how we saw the world, and the years that followed demonstrated the importance of resilience in the face of tragedy.
She was also tough. Life didn’t hand her an easy path, she was orphaned, misunderstood, and rejected early on. Yet, despite all that, she maintained a softness, a deep capacity to love and to be loved. I admired that tension in her character, the way she held onto hope without hardening her heart.
What I found most compelling was her steady growth toward refinement. Not perfection, but maturity. She didn’t become who others thought she ought to be, she became exactly who she was always meant to be. That spoke to my own journey of self-acceptance and learning to evolve without losing what makes you unique.
It also means knowing that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about surrounding yourself with people who challenge your thinking and help you show up at your best for the people you serve. A strong mayor knows when their own strengths are needed and when to rely on others to fill in the gaps so that the community is never overwhelmed, or underwhelmed, by their leadership.
That starts with team building, creating a culture of collaboration, trust, and accountability within the Council. Each Council Member is their district’s first line of defense when issues arise or when representation is needed in the community. The Mayor should support them in that role by ensuring they have the tools, access, and information needed to advocate effectively for their constituents.
Equally important is the Mayor’s responsibility to represent the will of the Council and the city in regional, national, and international relationships. That includes building strategic partnerships that lead to infrastructure investment, economic growth, and opportunities for Fayetteville residents. These external relationships must be rooted in the priorities established by the Council and reflect the long-term needs of the city, not personal agendas.
Our focus should remain on what serves the people of Fayetteville best. That means evaluating policies based on impact, not politics, and working collaboratively with state leaders to advocate for solutions that move our city forward.
As Mayor, I wouldn’t be involved in day-to-day police operations, but I would be responsible for setting the tone of leadership and ensuring that public safety policies align with the values and expectations of our residents. That means advocating for the resources officers need to do their jobs effectively, while also ensuring transparency, fair enforcement, and consistent community engagement.
It’s also essential that the Mayor supports the City Council’s role in shaping public safety priorities and ensures law enforcement remains responsive to the concerns of each district. The Mayor should help law enforcement build trust, not just through presence, but through policy, accountability, and open communication.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
