Sydney J. Batch, J.D., M.S.W. is one of the founding partners of Batch Poore & Williams, PC. Sydney Batch grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As a triple tarheel, Sydney received her Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Social Work and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Sydney J. Batch, J.D., M.S.W. | Batch, Poore & Williams, PC

In her spare time, Sydney enjoys reading, traveling, watching football, and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Sydney Batch is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Social Work, and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has a husband and two sons.

Article

The combination of her dual degree in law and social work provide her with a unique understanding of the often intersecting worlds of law and social work. Her primary practice areas are family law and child protective services. She also practices appellate law. Sydney is certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist and a parenting coordinator.

Her primary practice areas are family law and child protective services. She also practices appellate law. Sydney is certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist and a parenting coordinator.

Sydney is a founding partner of Batch Poore & Williams, PC. Her practice areas include family law, child protective services, and appellate law, and she is certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist and a parenting coordinator.

Elected to the NC House representing Southern Wake County in 2018, Sydney was appointed to fill a vacant seat in the NC Senate in 2021 and was reelected in 2022. She currently serves as the Democratic Deputy Leader in the NC Senate. Throughout her legislative career, Senator Batch has been a staunch advocate for families and small businesses.

Candidate Info: Sydney Batch | Wake County Democratic Party

General election for North Carolina State Senate District 17. Incumbent Sydney Batch defeated Patrick Bowersox in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 17 on November 5, 2024.

North Carolina State Senate District 17 | Ballotpedia

Sydney currently serves as a North Carolina state senator for District 17. She was appointed to fill a vacant state Senate seat in 2021 and was reelected in 2022 and 2024. Sydney was previously elected to the North Carolina House representing Southern Wake County in 2018.

Candidate Info - Sydney Batch - Wake County Democratic Party

North Carolina State Senate District 17 - Ballotpedia

2026 North Carolina General Election

With rent, property taxes, and home sale prices all rising, what, if anything, should the state legislature do to address this growing affordability crisis? I filed a bill this year that would cap the amount a person could offer for the nonrefundable due diligence in North Carolina. This would allow more people to compete with investors who have more liquidity to purchase homes and who can afford larger due diligence amounts.

Candidate Questionnaire: Sydney Batch, NC Senate 17 | INDY Week

I have continuously served as an advocate for families and small businesses. As a social worker, family law lawyer and small business owner, my life experiences have helped me advocate for legislation that improves the lives of working North Carolinians and their families. As a legislator, I believe that policy and evidence-based research should inform and guide the legislation passed in the North Carolina General Assembly. I have advocated for a number of common sense reforms, including paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access.

What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them? Lowering costs for families: I voted to lower the income tax rates and I co-sponsored legislation to reinstate the earned income tax and child care tax credit.

Do you support raising North Carolina’s minimum wage, and if so by how much? If not, what other initiatives would you take to support low-income families in North Carolina? Yes, we should raise it to $15 an hour over the course of the next few years and tie it to inflationary measures after that point.

Introduced a bill to cap nonrefundable home-purchase due-diligence payments.

Advocates for paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access.

Voted to lower income tax rates and co-sponsored legislation to reinstate earned income and child care tax credits.

Supports raising North Carolina's minimum wage to $15 an hour over several years and indexing it to inflation.

- Introduced a bill to cap nonrefundable home-purchase due-diligence payments.
- Advocates for paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access.
- Voted to lower income tax rates and co-sponsored legislation to reinstate earned income and child care tax credits.
- Supports raising North Carolina's minimum wage to $15 an hour over several years and indexing it to inflation.

Economy

What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them? Keeping our communities safe: I sponsored 6 bills and voted to increase law enforcement funding and training initiatives.

Do you support strengthening gun safety regulations such as expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and raising the age to buy or otherwise regulating the sales of assault-style weapons? Please explain. Yes. I support common sense gun safety regulations and have sponsored legislation to increase the safe storage of firearms.

Says she sponsored six bills and voted to increase law-enforcement funding and training initiatives.

Supports gun-safety regulations and has sponsored legislation to increase safe firearm storage.

- Says she sponsored six bills and voted to increase law-enforcement funding and training initiatives.
- Supports gun-safety regulations and has sponsored legislation to increase safe firearm storage.

Public Safety

Should North Carolina expand Medicaid? Where do you stand on increasing the number of slots for the Innovations Waiver for special needs individuals? Yes. I also believe we must significantly increase the number of slots for the Innovations waiver. For far too long and for too many years, we have North Carolinians in desperate need of services without the resources to receive them.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this spring that overturned Roe v. Wade. The legal cutoff for abortion in North Carolina is now 20 weeks. Do you believe the 20-week cutoff is too restrictive, not restrictive enough, or just right? As a state lawmaker, would you support legislation that further limits or prohibits abortion in North Carolina, or punishes/criminalizes abortion providers or patients? I believe that the current status quo in North Carolina regarding abortion should remain the same, with one caveat. I believe Roe v Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood should be codified at the state level. I am a co-sponsor of legislation to do just that. I agree with the holdings of those cases and believe that a state can add reasonable restrictions to abortion after viability. Prior to that I believe women should have access to abortions without restrictions.

What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them? Protecting women’s reproductive rights: I co-sponsored a bill to codify Roe and Casey. I will continue to sustain the Governor’s veto on bills that severely restrict abortion access and reproductive rights.

Do you support reforming North Carolina’s marijuana laws? Do you support full legalization? Please explain your position. Yes, and I believe that we should pass and implement a medicinal marijuana system in North Carolina.

Supports expanding Medicaid and significantly increasing Innovations Waiver slots for people with special needs.

Co-sponsored legislation to codify the Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion-rights standards in state law.

Supports abortion access without restrictions before viability and says states may impose reasonable restrictions after viability.

Plans to vote to sustain the governor's vetoes of bills that severely restrict abortion access and reproductive rights.

Supports creating and implementing a medical marijuana system in North Carolina.

- Supports expanding Medicaid and significantly increasing Innovations Waiver slots for people with special needs.
- Co-sponsored legislation to codify the Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion-rights standards in state law.
- Supports abortion access without restrictions before viability and says states may impose reasonable restrictions after viability.
- Plans to vote to sustain the governor's vetoes of bills that severely restrict abortion access and reproductive rights.
- Supports creating and implementing a medical marijuana system in North Carolina.

Healthcare

When it comes to teacher pay, North Carolina is one of the lowest-paying states in the nation. Schools across the state are facing shortages of educators, support staff, and other key personnel. Do you support raising teacher pay to at least the national average? What else can the General Assembly do to improve working conditions for teachers and make the teaching profession more attractive to potential future educators? Yes. The General Assembly can also hire more support staff, school counselors, therapists, nurses and psychologists so that teachers can prioritize teaching children and allow other professionals to care for students’ other needs.

Supports fully funding public schools to comply with the state Supreme Court's Leandro decision.

Does the General Assembly have a constitutional obligation to comply with the state Supreme Court order in the Leandro case to fully fund public schools and give every child in North Carolina a sound basic education? Yes.

Supports raising teacher pay to the national average and hiring additional school support staff and mental health professionals.

- Supports raising teacher pay to the national average and hiring additional school support staff and mental health professionals.

Education

Do you believe that the state government has an obligation to prevent the impacts of climate change? If so, please state three specific policies you support to address climate change. Yes, and I believe that North Carolina should be the next state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to do our part to help curb global warming.

Do you believe that the state government has an obligation to prevent the impacts of climate change? If so, please state three specific policies you support to address climate change. Yes, and I believe that North Carolina should be the next state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to do our part to help curb global warming. I also voted for HB 951 which has several provisions to address climate change, including a reduction in carbon emissions in NC. I would also expand the use of solar and other renewable energy sources across our state.

To what extent do you support municipalities exerting local control over issues such as regulating greenhouse gas emissions, criminal justice reforms and police oversight, and passing development-regulating ordinances? I believe that municipalities are more familiar with the challenges facing their communities and may have unique ways to address those challenges. Towns and municipalities should have some flexibility on setting standards, such as tree ordinances and the like, that are in line with statutory authority. However, I believe there are certain areas of the law where uniform regulations would be helpful for every municipality to abide by so that there is consistency and protections for constituents across this state.

Supports North Carolina joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Voted for House Bill (HB) 951, which includes provisions to reduce carbon emissions in North Carolina.

Plans to expand solar power and other renewable energy sources statewide.

Supports allowing municipalities flexibility to set standards, including tree ordinances, within their legal authority.

- Supports North Carolina joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Voted for House Bill (HB) 951, which includes provisions to reduce carbon emissions in North Carolina.
- Plans to expand solar power and other renewable energy sources statewide.
- Supports allowing municipalities flexibility to set standards, including tree ordinances, within their legal authority.

Energy & the Environment

As of January 5, 2026, Sydney Batch did not have a website or any information online.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Supports an independent process for drawing legislative and congressional districts.

Would you support an independent process for drawing new legislative and congressional districts? Yes.

Voting & Elections

Sydney Batch

- Advocates for paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access.
- Voted to lower income tax rates and co-sponsored legislation to reinstate earned income and child care tax credits.
- Supports raising North Carolina's minimum wage to $15 an hour over several years and indexing it to inflation.

- Co-sponsored legislation to codify the Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion-rights standards in state law.
- Supports abortion access without restrictions before viability and says states may impose reasonable restrictions after viability.
- Plans to vote to sustain the governor's vetoes of bills that severely restrict abortion access and reproductive rights.
- Supports creating and implementing a medical marijuana system in North Carolina.

- Voted for House Bill (HB) 951, which includes provisions to reduce carbon emissions in North Carolina.
- Plans to expand solar power and other renewable energy sources statewide.
- Supports allowing municipalities flexibility to set standards, including tree ordinances, within their legal authority.

As of January 5, 2026, Mrs. Sydney Batch’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Mrs. Sydney Batch

Sydney Batch is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has a bachelor 27s degree in English, a master 27s degree in social work, and a law degree from the University of North Carolina. She and her husband, J. Patrick Williams, have two sons.

Sydney is a family law attorney and a founding partner at Batch, Poore & Williams, PC. She also works as a certified parent coordinator. 

Sydney is currently a North Carolina state senator representing District 17. She was first appointed to the Senate in 2021 and was reelected in 2022. She previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2018 to 2021.

Senator Sydney Batch - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Patrick J. Bowersox

Shirley Johnson

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina Senate.