Joe John

Joe John
Joe John
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives; from the 40th district
	In office; January 1, 2017 – January 21, 2025
Preceded by	Marilyn Avila
Succeeded by	Phil Rubin
Personal details
Born	Joseph Robert John; October 13, 1939; East Chicago, Indiana, U.S.
Died	January 22, 2025 (aged 85)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Evelyn
Children	3
Education	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA, MA, JD)
Occupation	Judge; lawyer;
Website	Official website

Joseph Robert John Sr. (October 13, 1939 – January 22, 2025) was an American politician who was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, having served from 2017 to 2025. He had formerly been judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.^[1] He served on that court from 1992 until 2000. Previously, he had been a state superior court and state district court judge, based in Greensboro. He had also been a prosecutor and practiced at the firm of Pell, Pell, Weston & John.

Life and career

In 2010, John was named interim director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation crime lab by N.C. Attorney General Roy A. Cooper.^[2] He was named to the post on a permanent basis in 2011.^[3] John retired in 2014.

John was elected as a Democrat to the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 40, in 2016, defeating incumbent Rep. Marilyn Avila.^[4]^[5]^[6] In 2018, John was re-elected to a second term after defeating Avila in a rematch. John won a third term in 2020, defeating Republican challenger Gerald Falzon.

During his time in office, John had focused on fully funding North Carolina schools, eliminating partisan gerrymandering, and fighting against what he called the "War on an Independent Judiciary".

John resigned his seat in the legislature on January 21, 2025, after his cancer diagnosis was deemed terminal.^[7] He died the next day, on January 22, at the age of 85.^[8]

Electoral history

2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 40th district Democratic primary election, 2022^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe John (incumbent)	5,520	74.10%
	Democratic	Marguerite Creel	1,929	25.90%
Total votes			7,449	100%

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 40th district general election, 2020^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe John (incumbent)	31,837	56.47%
	Republican	Gerald Falzon	24,545	43.53%
Total votes			56,382	100%
	Democratic hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 40th district general election, 2018^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe John (incumbent)	24,193	51.24%
	Republican	Marilyn Avila	21,256	45.02%
	Libertarian	David Ulmer	1,767	3.74%
Total votes			47,216	100%
	Democratic hold

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 40th district general election, 2016^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe John	23,786	50.41%
	Republican	Marilyn Avila (incumbent)	23,402	49.59%
Total votes			47,188	100%
	Democratic gain from Republican

Committee assignments

^[13]

2021–2022 session

Appropriations
Appropriations – Justice and Public Safety
Judiciary II
Families, Children, and Aging Policy
Transportation

2019–2020 session

Appropriations
Appropriations – Justice and Public Safety
Judiciary
Families, Children, and Aging Policy
Transportation

2017–2018 session

Appropriations
Appropriations – Justice and Public Safety
Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs
Insurance
Judiciary II
State and Local Government II

References

^ North Carolina. Secretary of State; North Carolina. Legislative Reference Library; North Carolina Historical Commission (1916). North Carolina manual [serial]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Library. [Raleigh] : North Carolina Historical Commission.
^ Greensboro News-Record: Former Greensboro judge named interim director of SBI crime lab
^ News & Observer: SBI lab upgrades its temporary leader
^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
^ News & Observer: Former Appeals Court judge runs for NC House
^ WRAL.com
^ WRAL (January 20, 2025). "NC Rep. Joe John of Raleigh, facing terminal cancer diagnosis, resigns from state legislature". WRAL.com. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
^ "NC Rep. Joe John, who served in state judicial, administrative and legislative roles, dies after battle with cancer". WRAL. January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
^ "Joe John". Retrieved January 15, 2022.

External links

North Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Marilyn Avila	Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 40th district 2017-2025	Succeeded by Phil Rubin

[1] North Carolina. Secretary of State; North Carolina. Legislative Reference Library; North Carolina Historical Commission (1916). North Carolina manual [serial]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Library. [Raleigh] : North Carolina Historical Commission.

[2] Greensboro News-Record: Former Greensboro judge named interim director of SBI crime lab

[3] News & Observer: SBI lab upgrades its temporary leader

[4] "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved January 15, 2022.

[5] News & Observer: Former Appeals Court judge runs for NC House

[6] WRAL.com

[7] WRAL (January 20, 2025). "NC Rep. Joe John of Raleigh, facing terminal cancer diagnosis, resigns from state legislature". WRAL.com. Retrieved January 20, 2025.

[8] "NC Rep. Joe John, who served in state judicial, administrative and legislative roles, dies after battle with cancer". WRAL. January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.

[9] [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[10] [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[11] [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[12] [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[13] "Joe John". Retrieved January 15, 2022.

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