Elections News in Raleigh

In addition to election new candidates to the city council, Raleigh voters will have the opportunity on October 9th to approve a $88.6 million bond for the expansion of city parks and greenways.

UPDATED WITH VIDEO BELOW THE FOLD

Thanks to the League of Women Voters and WakeUp who put on the candidate forum last night. About 100 people showed up at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, mostly an audience of senior citizens but with sprinklings of other age groups.  Thomas Craven, Nancy McFarlane, Questions were asked in turn to each district with the at-large candidates being split into two groups.  Paul Anderson, Will Best, and Russ Stephenson were in one group and Helen Tart, David Williams and Mary Ann Baldwin were in another. 

The first set of moderator questions as well as the candidate’s initial introductions focused around Impact fees.  Most of the candidates said they did support them while Craven, Menendez, and Williams did not.  Taliaferro, an incumbent who claimed to have whole heartedly supported them is largely considered to only support them in a capacity enough to pacify her constituents. As our reader Ann describes below the fold.

A local grassroots effort prior to the election:

If you haven’t heard, Mary Ann Baldwin recently had a fundraiser hosted by Elizabeth Dole’s Treasurer (Brent Barringer). Folks, he raises money to defeat Democrats. He’s supporting Mary Ann Baldwin because she is bought
and paid for by the real estate and development industries. Unfortunately,
the other main Dem candidate, Paul Anderson, was also listed on the
invitation. The stakes are high. We need 25% of the vote on Oct. 9th to
avoid a runoff.

Full Letter Below

In anticipation of tonight’s candidate forum, the Public Policy Polling Blog has released the results of a recent survey of almost 900 Raleigh voters. You can read the full report here: PDF Report and PPP’s take on things here.

PPP Blog’s details are telling:

At-Large First Choice, Second Choice (Vote for 2)

Stephenson: 20, 7%
Baldwin: 16, 10%
Anderson: 12, 6%
Williams: 3, 2%
Tart: 2, 3%
Best: 2, 2%
Undecided: 46, 69%

Russ Stephenson and Mary Ann Baldwin have a clear lead for the two at-large seats on the city council, with Paul Anderson a clear third. However, neither is anywhere close to the 25% needed to avoid a run-off. If everyone voted for two candidates as they are allowed, Stephenson and Baldwin would currently have the support of 13.5% and 13% of the votes respectively. A whopping 57.5% of the vote is still up for grabs.

Much More Below The Old New Raleigh Fold

When I sat down with David Williams, candidate for Raleigh City Council At-Large, he told me he was running with “enthusiasm and fire in his belly.“ In our conversation he stood by those words and explained what ideas he would bring to the city council.