Mary Belk | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 88th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Rob Bryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Denise Gardner October 5, 1956 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ralph Belk Jr. |
| Residence | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Profession | Property Management |
| Website | MaryBelk.com |
Mary Gardner Belk (born October 5, 1956 [citation needed]) is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's eighty-eighth House district, which includes portions of Southeast Mecklenburg County. 2017 was her first year in North Carolina House.[1] In the 2017–2018 session, Belk served on the Transportation, Banking, and Justice and Public Safety Appropriations Committees.[2]
Representative Belk lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. She and her husband, Ralph Belk Jr., have four adult children.[3] Her oldest son, Ralph Belk III, serves as her legislative assistant.[4]
Belk graduated from Garinger High School in 1974[5] and studied police science before dedicating time to raising her children. She later returned to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned her BA in political science, graduating with honors in 2006.[3]
Before seeking elective office, Belk served on a number of community Boards, including the Dilworth Community Development Association, the Charlotte Catholic Foundation, the St. Patrick's Church Council,[6] and the Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County.
In September 2016, during her first campaign, Belk was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery to immediately begin treatment.[7] A positive prognosis allowed her to postpone chemotherapy until two days after the 2016 election, and she underwent radiation treatments during her first months serving in the General Assembly.[8] Her office announced that she completed her final radiation treatment on May 18, 2017.[9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Belk (incumbent) | 31,647 | 63.11% | |
| Republican | David Tondreau | 18,497 | 36.89% | |
| Total votes | 50,144 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Belk (incumbent) | 22,561 | 75.63% | |
| Republican | Ty Turner | 7,268 | 24.37% | |
| Total votes | 29,829 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Belk | 21,754 | 50.54% | |
| Republican | Rob Bryan (incumbent) | 21,286 | 49.46% | |
| Total votes | 43,040 | 100% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||