As voters hit the polls for early voting, a North Carolina statewide civil rights organization and a national one too share their endorsements for the General Election for 2019.
Equality North Carolina has provided picks across 12 key contest arenas, showcasing mayoral, city council, alderman and other municipal races. They are:
Carrboro:
Mayor — Lydia Lavelle
Alderman — Steve Friedman,
Susan Romaine and Damon Seils
Chapel Hill:
Mayor — Pam Hemminger
Town Council At-Large — Sue Hunter, Michael Parker, Amy Ryan and Renuka Soll
Charlotte:
City Council — District 1, Larken Egleston; District 5, Matt Newton; At-Large, Julie Eiselt and Braxton Winston
Davidson:
Town Commissioners — Jane Campbell and Jim Fuller
Durham:
Mayor — Steve Schewel
City Council, At Large — Javiera Caballero, Jillian Johnson and Charlie Reece
Greenville:
City Council, District 2 — John Landrine
(Despite a Pitt County Board of Elections ruling that showed that he actually lived in District 1, he has chosen to continue his District 2 bid and has not withdrawn from the race.)
High Point:
City Council, At Large — Joshua “Fox” Brown
(write-in candidate)
Hillsborough:
Mayor — Jenn Weaver
Town Board — Mark Bell and Matt Hughes
Huntersville:
Town Commissioner — Lance Munger
Morrisville:
Town Council, District 1 — Ann Robotti
Salisbury:
City Council — Ladale Benson, Al Heggins and Tamara Sheffield
Wilmington:
Town Council — Kimberly Spader
Candidates who are members of the LGBTQ community are:
Jane Campbell, a retired Navy captain
Matt Hughes
Lydia Lavelle, elected as the first openly lesbian mayor in North Carolina
Damon Seils, has served as one of Gov. Roy Cooper’s appointees on the North Carolina Human Relations Commission
Tamara Sheffield, going for her second term on the Salisbury City Council
Endorsements by The Victory Fund are:
Jane Campbell, Matt Hughes, Lydia Lavelle and Damon Seils
Jonathan Melton, Raleigh City Council, At-Large (has already won his race and will be one of the first of two openly LGBTQ councilmembers, the other being Saige Martin, who captured the District D seat, will also be the youngest for Raleigh’s council/is one of the co-founders of Stonewall Sports)
As of press time, endorsements were not available from MeckPAC and the Human Rights Campaign.