Joyce Elliott

Joyce Ann Elliott (born March 20, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Arkansas. From 2009 to 2022, she was a member of the Arkansas Senate representing the 31st district, which consisted of portions of Little Rock and Pulaski County. She was previously a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, serving from 2001 to 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Elliott was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 and 2020 elections for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district, losing the former election to Republican Tim Griffin, and the latter to incumbent Republican French Hill. If elected, she would have been the only African American to ever represent Arkansas in Congress.

Early life, education, and career
Joyce Ann Elliott was born on March 20, 1951, in Willisville, Arkansas. Elliott was the second person of color to graduate from her recently integrated high school; the first was her older sister.

Elliott attended Southern Arkansas University where she earned a B.A. in English and speech. She attended Ouachita Baptist University where she earned an M.A. in English.

Elliott taught at Joe T. Robinson High School from 1989 to 2003.

State legislature
Elliott served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. In 2008, she was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, where she represented the 31st district.

Elliott began working on hate crime legislation in 2001 during her first term in office. Arkansas is one of three states without a statute criminalizing various types of bias-motivated violence or intimidation.

In 2020, she was the chair of the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus.

In 2020 she was endorsed by Barack Obama.

2010 election
Elliott ran against Republican nominee Timothy Griffin for the seat of retiring Democratic incumbent Vic Snyder who retired. In the general election, Elliott lost to Griffin.

2020 election
Elliott announced her candidacy for the U.S. House in Arkansas's 2nd congressional district on November 12, 2019, against Republican incumbent French Hill.