Wayne Goodwin

File:Representative G. Wayne Goodwin.gif

After serving as President of the Young Democrats of North Carolina, Goodwin served four full terms in the North Carolina state House. Goodwin campaigned as the Democratic nominee for the position of North Carolina Commissioner of Labor in the 2004 election, losing in a close race to incumbent Republican Cherie Berry.

Goodwin served as the Assistant Commissioner of Insurance and Assistant State Fire Marshal for the State of North Carolina from 2005 through 2008. In 2008, Goodwin filed to run for Commissioner of Insurance after the surprise retirement of longtime Commissioner Jim Long.[ Long not running for re-election | newsobserver.com projects] Goodwin defeated David Smith in the Democratic primary 56%–43%NC Primary Election Results 2008, NC State Board of Elections and went on to beat Republican John Odom and Libertarian Mark McMains with 51.57% of the vote.NC General Election Results 2008, NC State Board of Elections He was sworn in on January 10, 2009.{{cite news| last1 = Bonner| first1 = Lynn| last2 = Niolet| first2 = Benjamin| title = Council of State also sworn in today: These four among those who will help the new governor steer the ship of state| newspaper = The News & Observer| date = January 10, 2009}} Goodwin won re-election in the 2012 general contest by almost four percentage points.

He was a candidate for re-election to his post in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/news/local-news-5/17071/goodwin-seeks-third-term-as-n-c-insurance-commissioner|title=Goodwin seeks third term as N.C. insurance commissioner|date=Oct 8, 2015|website=Richmond County Daily Journal|access-date=Apr 3, 2019}} After very narrowly losing the general election, Goodwin announced that he would run for chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/nc-democrats-again-seeking-new-party-leader/16381646/|title=NC Democrats again seeking new party leader|date=Dec 28, 2016|website=WRAL.com|access-date=Apr 3, 2019}} With the support of 92% of ballots cast, he was elected to lead the state party on Feb. 11, 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/nc-democratic-party-elects-wayne-goodwin-as-chair/16522802/|title=NC Democratic Party elects Wayne Goodwin as chair|date=Feb 11, 2017|website=WRAL.com|access-date=Apr 3, 2019}} Two years later, in January 2019, Goodwin won unanimous re-election to a second term as chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncdp.org/press/north-carolina-democrats-reelect-chairman-goodwin-announce-new-party-leadership/|title=North Carolina Democrats Reelect Chairman Goodwin, Announce New Party Leadership|date=Jan 26, 2019|website=North Carolina Democratic Party|access-date=Sep 2, 2020}} After completing a customary second term, Goodwin chose to refrain from a third term soon after his wife died from cancer and he had two children to raise. His first vice chair, Bobbie Richardson, succeeded Goodwin as party chair.[https://www.wral.com/bobbie-richardson-elected-1st-black-nc-democratic-chair/19549984/ WRAL.com]

He unsuccessfully sought a third (non-consecutive) term as insurance commissioner in the 2020 election.

In 2022, Goodwin was appointed commissioner of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.[https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2022/01/16/former-north-carolina-insurance-commissioner-wayne-goodwin-named-states-next-dmv-commissioner/ Coastland Times] As commissioner, he lifted various restrictions for LGBT speech on vanity plates. Previously, vanity plates with LGBT content were not permitted by the Division. Under the direction of Goodwin, the DMV cracked down on racist and antisemitic vanity plates that had been approved due to creative spelling used to get around DMV restrictions.{{Cite web |last=WRAL |date=2023-01-13 |title=More LGBTQ phrases allowed on North Carolina vanity plates |url=https://www.wral.com/more-lgbtq-phrases-allowed-on-north-carolina-vanity-plates/20671164/ |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}}

Goodwin has also made several changes as commissioner to streamline DMV service. He has implemented extended walk-in hours and extended business hours at several DMV locations, as well as expanded online services. He has also announced the introduction of DMV self-service kiosks in places such as pharmacies and grocery stores, allowing DMV customers to renew their license and registration while shopping for groceries or picking up prescriptions.{{Cite web |date= February 14, 2023 |title=North Carolina DMV to add self-service, estimated wait time features, limited online ID renewals |url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/north-carolina-dmv-self-service-estimated-wait-time-features/275-ee8082c5-03ad-4b69-9bcb-df36b0692b22 |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=wcnc.com |language=en-US}}

In March 2025, Goodwin announced he would not seek re-appointment for his office, and was succeeded by Paul Tine on May 6, 2025. During his time as commissioner, Goodwin filled over 400 DMV vacancies across the state and decreased wait times by an average of 27 minutes.{{Cite web |last=WRAL |date=2025-02-26 |title=Facing pressure, NC DMV commissioner says he plans to step down |url=https://www.wral.com/story/facing-pressure-nc-dmv-commissioner-says-he-plans-to-step-down/21879624/ |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NCDOT Names Paul Tine as New DMV Commissioner |url=https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2025-04-30-paul-tine-new-dmv-commissioner.aspx |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=NCDOT |language=en-US}} In his departure, Goodwin cited a lack of cooperation from the North Carolina General Assembly{{Cite web |date=2024-09-06 |title=North Carolina DMV Says Lack of Staff Is Root of Many Problems |url=https://www.governing.com/workforce/north-carolina-dmv-says-lack-of-staff-is-root-of-many-problems |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=Governing |language=en}} in implementing some of his proposed improvements, such as opening new offices and hiring additional staff. He stated, “In addition to ongoing DMV modernization projects and online initiatives launched or expanded on my watch, NC needs a DMV workforce that more proportionally reflects the explosive population growth of our State. NC has had well over 2.4 million *new* residents over 20 years but only [netted] 3 new offices...I have shared this fact publicly time and time again while underscoring that DMV is an essential service.”{{Cite web |last=Arthur |first=Keely |last2=reporter |first2=WRAL consumer |date=2025-02-26 |title=Wayne Goodwin’s tenure: DMV wait times improve, but public dissatisfaction persists |url=https://www.wral.com/consumer/5onyourside/wayne-goodwin-nc-dmv-tenure-improvements-dissatisfaction-2025/ |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}}

Goodwin was a Morehead Scholar and US Senate/William Randolph Hearst Scholar. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in political science and then went on to graduate from the UNC School of Law. While at UNC, he was a member of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies.{{cite web | url=https://www.diphi.org/board/ | title=Board of Directors | date=28 November 2013 }} He was married to Melanie Wade Goodwin, also a former state legislator and attorney, until her death at age 50 in 2020. They are the parents of two children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wfae.org/post/ex-nc-rep-goodwin-who-made-history-childbirth-dies|title=Ex-NC Rep. Goodwin, Who Made History With Childbirth, Dies|first=Gary D.|last=Robertson |website=www.wfae.org|date=2 September 2020 |access-date=Sep 2, 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.waynegoodwin.org Wayne Goodwin campaign site]
• [http://www.eighthdistrictdemsnc.blogspot.com Wayne's World]
• {{Ballotpedia}}
• {{C-SPAN|9274497}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-nc-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Hugh Alfred Lee}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 32nd district|years=1997–2003}}

{{s-aft|after=Jim Crawford}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Trudi Walend}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 68th district|years=2003–2005}}

{{s-aft|after=Curtis Blackwood}}

|-

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before=James Long}}

{{s-ttl|title=Insurance Commissioner of North Carolina|years=2009–2017}}

{{s-aft|after=Mike Causey}}

|-

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=Doug Berger}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor|years=2004}}

{{s-aft|after=Mary Fant Donnan}}

{{s-bef|before=James E. Long}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance|years=2008, 2012, 2016, 2020}}

{{s-aft|after=Natasha Marcus}}

{{s-bef|before=Patsy Keever}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party|years=2017–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Bobbie Richardson}}

{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Wayne}}

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives

Category:North Carolina commissioners of insurance

Category:North Carolina Democratic Party chairs

Category:North Carolina lawyers

Category:People from Hamlet, North Carolina

Category:People from Rockingham, North Carolina

Category:University of North Carolina School of Law alumni

Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly