KIDS VOTING DURHAM 2020 Youth candidate Guide SCHOOL BOARD, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS
WWW.KIDSVOTINGDURHAM.ORG [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A LETTER TO DURHAM’S YOUTH ...... 2
MESSAGE FOR PARENTS ...... 3 MENSAJE PARA PADRES ...... 4
ABOUT DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS: ...... 5 ABOUT DURHAM COUNTY GOVERNMENT...... 8
ABOUT THE CANDIDATES ...... 10 School Board PAULA JANUZZI-GODFREY ...... 11 STEVE UNRUBE ...... 12 ALEXANDRA VALLADARES ...... 13 JOVONIA LEWIS ...... 14 County Commissioner NIDA ALLAM ...... …15 NATE BAKER ...... 16 LEVON BARNES ...... 17 PATRICK BYKER ...... 18 HEIDI CARTER ...... 19 TARA FIKES ...... 20 FRED FOSTER JR...... 21 BRENDA HOWERTON ...... 22 WENDY JACOBS ...... 23 MATT KOPAC ...... 24
NORTH CAROLINA PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE ELECTION ...... 25
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ...... 26
To find out more about volunteering or hosting a pop-up voting site: kidsvotingdurham.org/volunteer kidsvotingdurham.org/sponsors-partners
The Kids Voting Candidate Guide is written by youth for youth. Joanna “Joni” Brandenburg, designer
Find out more about student leadership opportunities: [email protected]
Find the Candidate Guide online including video clips of the candidates at kidsvotingdurham.org/2020- spring-youth-candidate-guide
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A Letter To Durham’s Youth
As youth in Durham, we want you to know about the importance of the upcoming election. Youth aged 18 and under make up about 30% of the population in Durham, and we deserve to have a voice. Through youth participation, we can make a difference. Local government is instrumental in our day-to-day lives, and it’s important for Durham’s youth to be aware of important issues in our community. Our elected officials decide how to bring about change in the community. We are the future of Durham, and we need to be more involved. Elected officials listen to youth. They answer the questions we ask and respond to our requests, and they’ll engage with you, too. Most candidates in this election responded to the questions Durham youth asked. They listened to us, and they’ll listen to you, too. All you have to do is use your voice.
YOUTH RESOURCES GoDurham provides free bus passes for Youth under the age of 19, which allows youth to ride anywhere in Durham without paying a fare. Activities and information: kidsvotingdurham.org/students/ Made in Durham: madeindurham.org/made/ Youth Justice Project: youthjusticenc.org/ The Durham Voice: durhamvoice.org Durham Youth Listening Project: durhamnc.gov/3911/Durham-Youth-Listening- Project
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Message for Parents
The biggest indicator of whether or not a child will grow up to be an engaged and informed voter is not race, gender, or education level. It is whether or not a trusted adult in their life valued voting and shared that with them while they were young. According to the Constitutional Rights Foundation, “Parents are crucial in helping their children develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with effective citizenship.” YOU are the most important influence on how your child views community engagement and voting. We encourage you not only to be engaged in the elections yourself, but to share that engagement with your child. Here are some tips:
Talk politics at the dinner table. Use this candidate guide to spark conversations about the issues and candidates in Durham’s Mayor and City Council elections. What issues are most important to your family? How important is City Government to your lives? Why do you think only 5-15% of Durham voters usually show up for local elections? Which candidates do you think will do the best job?
Engage in the elections together. Take your child to meet the candidates at the Kids Voting Durham Candidate Forum in October or at another event. Go one step further and encourage others to vote: throw a family voting celebration or have a get-out-the vote drive with tips from kidsvotingdurham.org/parents.
Vote with your kids. Take your children with you when you vote and let them see your enthusiasm and respect for voting. If you vote at an early voting site or a precinct with Kids Voting, they can cast their own ballots as well. Check kidsvotingdurham.org for a list of KVD voting sites and for online voting.
Go beyond the elections. Talk with your kids about who won the elections and about how to hold the Mayor and the City Council accountable for their election promises. Get involved in City Government or volunteer together with a group that works on one of the issues that is most important to your family. Write a family letter to the Mayor or City Council or the Durham Youth Commission about an issue you’d like to see Durham City Government address. Kids Voting Durham is excited to work with you to inspire a lifetime of civic engagement and informed voting for your child. Happy voting!
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Mensaje para padres
El principal factor que determina si un niño crecerá a ser un votante activo e informado no es su raza, genero ni su nivel educativo. El factor determinante es haber tenido un adulto de confianza en sus vidas quien valore la importancia de votar y haya inculcado esta creencia en ellos durante la niñez. Según la Fundación de derechos constitucionales Constitutional Rights Foundation, “Los padres son cruciales para ayudar a sus hijos a desarrollar el conocimiento, las habilidades y las actitudes asociadas con la ciudadanía efectiva.” USTED es la influencia más importante en la opinión que formulará su hijo sobre la participación comunitaria y la votación. Por lo tanto, lo animamos no solo a participar en las elecciones, pero también a compartir ese compromiso con su hijo. A continuación, le brindamos algunas sugerencias: Hable sobre política durante la cena. Use esta guía de candidatos para iniciar conversaciones sobre los asuntos y candidatos en las elecciones para alcalde y Concejo Municipal de Durham. ¿Qué problemas son más importantes para su familia? ¿Qué tan importante es el gobierno de la ciudad para sus vidas? ¿Por qué cree que solo 5 a 15% de los votantes de Durham suelen presentarse a las elecciones locales? ¿Cuáles candidatos cree usted que harán el mejor trabajo?
Participen juntos en las elecciones. Lleve a su hijo a conocer a los candidatos durante el Foro de Candidatos de Kids Voting Durham en octubre o en algún otro evento. Obtenga más información sobre la vivienda asequible y otros temas clave en esta elección leyendo las noticias, yendo a foros comunitarios y hablando con amigos y vecinos para conocer sus puntos de vista. Vaya un paso más allá y anime a otros a votar: organice una celebración de votación familiar u organice una campaña para votar utilizando los consejos disponibles en kidsvotingdurham.org/parents/
Vote con sus hijos. Lleve a sus hijos con usted cuando vote y deje que vean su entusiasmo y respeto por votar. Si usted vota en un sitio de votación temprana o en un recinto electoral donde tenemos votación de Kids Voting, ¡ellos también podrán votar! Este año usted también podrá llevarlos a votar a unos de los varios lugares de votación comunitaria que tendremos. Visite nuestra página kidsvotingdurham.org para ver una lista completa de lugares de votación de KVD y para votar en línea.
El trabajo continua aun después de las elecciones. Hable con sus hijos sobre quién ganó las elecciones y hable con ellos acerca de cómo asegurarse que el alcalde y el Consejo Municipal cumplan sus promesas electorales. Participe en el gobierno de la ciudad o sea voluntario en algún grupo que trabaje para mejorar algunos de los asuntos que sean de importancia para su familia. Escriba una carta en familia al alcalde o al Concejo Municipal o a la Comisión Juvenil de Durham sobre algún tema que le gustaría ver que el Gobierno de la ciudad trabajase para solucionar. Kids Voting Durham está muy contento en trabajar con usted para inspirar toda una vida de participación cívica y votación informada para su hijo. ¡Feliz votación!
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Durham Public Schools: Who Makes Decisions?
HOW DO WE ELECT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS? Every two years, Durham citizens elect 3 or 4 members to the 7- member Durham Board of Education (School Board). School Board elections are nonpartisan, meaning none of the candidates run in association with a political party. The School Board has 7 members who each serve 4-year terms.
One school board member is an at-large member, meaning that they can live anywhere in Durham County. The remaining members are elected from Districts 1, 2, 3, & 4 and Consolidated Districts A & B and must reside in those districts. In 2020, Durham is electing at-large, District A, and District B school board members.
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ABOUT DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS (DPS)
Durham Public School (DPS) is among the 10 largest school districts in NC. More information about DPS and its programs can be found on the DPS website, dpsnc.net, and on the following sites:
NC School Report Cards ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/src/district?district=320LEA&year=2019&lng=en Great Schools - greatschools.org/north-carolina/durham/durham-public-school-district/ Racial Equity Report Card/Youth Justice Project: southerncoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2018-RERC-Durham.pdf
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ABOUT DURHAM SCHOOLS LOCAL, STATE AND US GOVERNMENT – WHO DECIDES WHAT IN NC? According to the Constitution, States have the ultimate authority for running public education programs, but in NC, and in most states, the State gives some of that control to the local school systems. The US government doesn’t have a formal role in public education but does offer funds which may have some conditions attached to them.
SCHOOL SYSTEM COUNTY STATE US GOV’T Can provide about 10% Can apply for grants but Provides about 35% of Provides about 50% of of funding FUNDING doesn’t control most of funding funding Provides funding for its funding nutrition programs Chooses education standards (Common Imposes some CURRICULUM / Chooses textbooks & Core) and course curriculum n/a COURSE of STUDY elective courses requirements for all requirements as a public schools condition of funding
Sets schedules for Imposes some testing testing and test Sets standardized tests TESTING n/a requirements (NCBL) as preparation required a condition of funding requirements
DPS, CHARTERS PRIVATE & HOME SCHOOLS – WHATS THE DIFFERENCE ? Durham has many types of schools, including DPS public schools, public charters, private schools, and homeschools.
DPS PUBLIC PRIVATE HOMESCHOOLS CHARTERS SCHOOLS Durham County Each Charter has its Private individuals or Parents have authority over GOVERNED BY School Board own board boards their child’s education County, State, & Federal operating Receives equal share Collects tuition or funds of County and State private money – does Imposes some regulations Additional County FUNDING operating funds not receive (testing, NCLB) as a condition funds for building Does not receive funds government funds of funding and school for buildings maintenance
- Must be free & - Must be free & accept all students accept students - Can charge - Must follow State chosen through lottery students course of study & - Must follow State - Cost responsibility pf parent - Can choose own OTHER REGULATIONS standardized tests course of study & - Does not need to follow curriculum - Must provide standardize tests State tests - Does not need to special education for - Must provide special follow State tests students with education for students disabilities with disabilities
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Durham County Government: WHAT DOES IT DO? What did you do this morning? If you went to school, used a library, voted in Kids Voting or as an adult, or visited the school nurse, or interacted with your school SROs, Durham County Government was affecting you every step of the way. It provides funding for our schools, runs our library system, oversees foster care and adoptions, manages juvenile justice, and provides community health and safety services.
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Durham County Government: HOW IS IT RUN?
Durham is led by 5 County Commissioners. Durham County Commission elections are held every 4 years, and each Commissioner is elected to a 4-year term. Commissioner Candidates run in partisan races, where they are affiliated with a political party. All of the 15 candidates who are running for County Commissioner are Democrats. No candidates have filed to run for the Republican or other parties. Because of that, the 5 candidates chosen in the Democratic Primary Election will likely be the only candidates on the ballot for the County Commissioner General Election in November 2020.
Durham County Commissioners are responsible for making policy for the County Government, hire & oversee the Durham County Manager, who runs the day-to-day operations of the county.
County & City Government: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
DURHAM COUNTY CITY OF DURHAM Community college / Durham Tech Public School Sidewalks Cooperative Extension Register of Deeds/Records Street lighting Courts Social Services Traffic Control Elections Soil & Water Conservation Urban Development Jails Tax Assessment / Property Taxes Buses / Public Transit Libraries Youth Detention Facilities Water supply Mental Health Services Garbage collection Public health services BOTH COUNTY & CITY GOVERNMENT Animal shelters Law enforcement Public Art Parks & open spaces Emergency & Fire Services Public & Affordable Housing Environmental Protection Land use regulation
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About the Candidates
In March 2020, there are 3 candidates running for the general Election for School Board seat and 1 candidate running for each School Board Consolidated Districts A and B. Youth voters may vote for 1 candidate in each of these races. (Adult Durham voters can vote in the at-large election and the election of the district where they live. The candidates that are elected in this election.
15 candidates are running in the Primary Election for County Commissioner. Only Democrats have filed to run for County Commission so this will be the only party primary held for County Commissioner. Youth and adult voters may vote for 5 candidates. The 5 candidates with the most votes will be on the November ballot to be elected to the 5 open Durham County Commission seats. Durham County is unusual in the regard that only Democrats have filed to run, and the 5 candidates elected in the primary will not likely have any competition on the November ballot and will likely all be elected to the open seats.
All candidates were invited to submit a photo, their web and social media information, a 3-minute video, and responses to the Kids Voting Durham questionnaire. All that responded are included in the following pages. Candidate videos are included in the online version of the KVD Youth Candidate Guide at kidsvotingdurham.org/2020-spring-youth-candidate-guide
The following candidates did not respond to the Kids Voting invitation to submit information:
School Board, Consolidated District A County Commissioner Xavier Cason Nimasheena Burns James Hill Regina Mays Michael Page John Rooks, Jr.
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Paula Januzzi-Godfrey CANDIDATE FOR: School Board, At-Large CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: PJG-FOR-DPS.COM t @PaulaforDurham c @PaulaforDurham f PJGforDPS REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I have been an educator for 35 years and I love teaching and public education. I want to be on the Durham School Board because I think we need someone on the board who will stand up for students and teachers. I will really listen to students, teachers and parents and do my best to make decisions that are fair for ALL students and teachers in Durham Public Schools. I want Equity for all schools! I do not feel that all schools are treated equally, and I want that to stop. I do not believe in judging a student, teacher or school by test scores. I know many, many students who work hard and who are absolutely brilliant, but they don’t get high test scores. This does not mean that they should be treated any differently than students or schools with high test scores. I have mentored over 80 teachers and they all deserve equal support and resources, no matter which school they teach in or where the school is located in Durham.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES EQUITY FOR FAMILIES (students and parents) I want more teachers and principals to understand that being bias and racist means and how that affects the way they may be treating students and families unfairly. I want Durham Public Schools to have less suspensions, especially for black and brown students. I want every student to be treated with fairness and not to be judged for looking, sounding or acting differently than others. I also want more translators for our families and students who do not speak English. I want students who need services to help them learn and be successful to get those services without their families having to fight for them. I want every student to feel safe at their school.
EQUITY FOR EDUCATORS (teachers and administrators) Another priority for me is to recruit and retain teachers, especially teachers of color. Teaching is a hard job, but I believe that it is one of the most important jobs in the world. I want to make sure that Durham Public Schools has teachers who are brown and black, so our students have role models in schools who look like them and who represent different cultures and languages. I also want teachers to be paid more and to be treated like professionals, including having high quality professional development that is meaningful to them.
EQUITY FOR ALL (schools) I want to make sure that the new Universal Pre-K programs are providing quality care and early childhood education for all of the young students they serve. We need all of our youngest students to have a strong start so they can be successful when they start kindergarten. Another equity issue I care about is the fact that all schools are not treated fairly. I have worked in many different schools across Durham and I have seen for myself that some schools need repairs, some schools have unsafe playgrounds or athletic facilities, and some students and teachers are not treated the same.
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Steve Unrube CANDIDATE FOR: School Board, At-Large CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: STEVENUNRUHE.COM f SteveUnruhe4DurhamSchools REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I am currently on the school board and I am running for re-election. We have many problems and challenges in our schools, including bias in our disciplinary system, the need for renovation of many of our buildings and construction of several new schools, finding and creating curriculum materials that reflect the diversity of our students and families, and teaching all of our children effectively. I am proud of the progress that we have made on these issues and many others, and hope to continue this work and keep us moving forward together. TOP 3 PRIORITIES My top three priorities for the coming four years are:
Keep our best educators by raising pay and improving working conditions
Address issues of equity so that all of our children receive the best possible education
Move forward with the construction of a new Northern High and two new elementary schools, and with the renovation of many of our existing school buildings
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Alexandra Valladares CANDIDATE FOR: School Board, At-large CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: ALEXANDRAVALLADARES.COM c @AlexandraforDurham f AlexandraValladaresforSchoolBoard
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE Alexandra is an organizer, educator, musician, circle host, DPS parent, and City of Durham Human Relations Commissioner who believes that it's time to bring our communities together without compromising the particular interests and priorities that emerge from each. She leads parent forums with the Superintendent for the 32.8% of families in DPS that identify as Hispanic or Latinx. TOP 3 PRIORITIES Dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline
Prioritize Equity and Wellness
Support Marginalized Communities
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Jovonia Lewis CANDIDATE FOR: SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT A CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: JLEWISFORDPS.COM t @JLewisforDPS c @JLewisforDPS f JLewisforDPS REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I want to serve on the Durham Public School Board of Education because I care about the academic success of all children and the importance of educating and embracing the whole child. I also value the family and community engagement to support the success of whole child. I want to be able to inform and support policy and practices that puts the students’ academic success first while including social, emotional, equitable and restorative practices. TOP 3 PRIORITIES Academic success for all kids to create practices that educate and embrace the whole child. When I talk about embracing the whole child, I am particularly referring to their social emotional health and wellness. It is equally as important to have strong academic outcomes, but we need to make sure that we are supporting kids to reach their full potential in the arts and sciences, social interactions and building confidence and self-esteem. I will advocate for more support staff and more counselors. I will continue to build bridges of collaboration in the community to support the whole child.
Bridge communication and relationship between school, teachers and families. Centering the school within the community would improve Durham Public Schools. Creating a genuine community of support around students that includes the voices of marginalized parents. I would like to influence the education and empowerment of parent voices to know their student rights and advocate for the whole child to be educated. There should be a specific policy that speaks directly to engaging marginalized families. Parents should feel welcomed, understood and seen as the expert with their child to increase a positive relationship and support for teachers and schools.
Re-district to ease over-crowding and increasing equity within our schools is necessary to support the academic success of students. I would advocate for a plan that is inclusive of research, foreseeable trends and family input from those most impacted by the changes. Every decision must be made with the success of every child in mind and the equitable distribution of resources. I will work to make sure we have racially and economically balanced schools that are reflective of the real world. I will make sure that the communication is going out to families in various forms, include student voices and their needs and make decisions that is best for the District as a whole. Our communities are stronger when every single voice feels heard and when residents have access to the resources they need to thrive.
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Nida Allam CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: NIDAALLAM.COM t @NidaAllam c @NidaAllamNC f NidaAllamNC
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I am running serve as a member of the Durham County Board of Commissioners because I believe in a government that works for the people. As a county commissioner, I will prioritize uplifting the voices of our most marginalized community members and making sure the opportunities we create and the resources we provide are shared equitably across our communities. We have a diverse community here in Durham and we need to come together to be inclusive in every aspect of governing, from access to transportation to education to job growth. It is our job as leaders in Durham to make sure every resident has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the growth of our county. TOP 3 PRIORITIES Safe & Healthy Communities We must fight for a Durham where everyone is safe and able to thrive in a healthy environment. We know our communities are safer when law enforcement is trained to de-escalate situations and when our schools are better resourced with counselors and social workers. We are healthier when residents have access to safe and affordable places to live and when children have access to green spaces to play.
High-Quality Education We must fight for a Durham where access to a high-quality education is a right, not a privilege. While the state of North Carolina may be at the bottom of the nation in per-pupil funding and resources for teachers, Durham does not have to be. We must make the investments in our students and teachers to ensure that we are preparing our children for the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow. Education goes beyond secondary school. If we want to maximize the potential of every one of our residents, we must work to make sure that parents and workers have access to continuing education and job training opportunities they need.
Building bridges and removing barriers for more inclusive communities We must fight for a Durham where every single resident, no matter their race, gender, income, or country of origin can fully participate and contribute to our community. We do this by investing in transportation and job training, making public resources available by providing language services for our non-English speaking residents and supporting our Department of Social Services to ensure they have enough staffing and resources to meaningfully serve Durham residents. Our communities are stronger when every single voice feels heard and when residents have access to the resources they need to thrive.
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Nate Baker CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: NATEFORDURHAM.COM t @NateforDurham c @NateforDurham f NateBakerDurham
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I want to serve as a member of the Durham County Commission because I believe we need to change the way government works to be more democratic and responsible to future generations. I was born and raised in Durham and lived in a small house across the street from Northgate Mall (even before Southpoint Mall existed!). I attended Durham Public Schools K-12 before moving around and living in a number of places, like New York, West Texas, and Brazil. I received my Master’s degree at UNC and have been an urban planner for a decade, helping local governments implement community-driven long range plans that create more sustainable and inclusive cities and counties. I believe that I have the experience and vision that Durham needs to make this community more sustainable, just, and responsible to young people and future generations. TOP 3 PRIORITIES My top three priorities as commissioner will be to: Restructure government from top-down to bottom up by empowering residents of all ages with meaningful decision-making; Achieve greenhouse gas neutrality and transform the built and natural environment by ending our current practice of allowing endless automobile-oriented sprawl and by instead creating walkable, green, diverse communities; Expand opportunity and advance equity by transitioning our economic development strategy to one that democratizes work places and gives the workers power over themselves and through better and more accessible public schools, health services, housing, and just law enforcement.
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LeVon Barnes CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: LEVON4DURHAM.COM t @candidateLeVon c @Levon4Durham f Levon4Durham REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I want to be your next County Commissioner because while things seem great in Durham the value of a persons success still lies in what zip code they reside in, what race they are, what their sexual identity is. As a proud Durham Public Schools teacher I see everything that is right and a lot of what is wrong in our county. Being a teacher has prepared me for this moment. It's the stories of families just trying to make it day by day with little to no money. My students who confide in me that they have to sleep on the floor because of the danger of getting shot while their sleeping. The families who have no access to mental health care because they don't qualify or after graduation choosing between going to college or work because of affordability. But it's also the story of perseverance, the grit that's in them to graduate and go to college to make it better for their families. This is why I'm running because we are not doing enough, we need someone in the County Commissioners office that see's things from the lens of the working family, that has a level of humanity to the bridges in place to make Durham a place for all. TOP 3 PRIORITIES Free Community College Tuition starting in 2021. Free tuition will be provided by increasing the Durham Tech Promise from $1,000 to up to $4,000 per year. This increase will provide students with an opportunity to break the cycle of generational poverty by eliminating a major barrier for students who cannot afford to further their education and account for expenses such as textbooks and other related expenses that can be funded as an education expense. Ultimately, this change will make our local workforce more attractive to employers coming into the county and provide additional access to higher education for students who are completing or recently completed high school. As I stated in the previous question, we are already critically behind in closing the wealth gap and th only way this can be accomplished is through education. By 2020, 67% of the jobs coming into the state are going to require a post secondary certificate or degree. Accountability & Increased Funding in our Social and Human Services Department with a specific focus on mental health and chemical dependency. Building partnerships with community partners like Blue Cross Blue Shield, STARR program, and other state agencies is vital. By creating a pipeline with NCCU Social Work Department to increase the number of social and mental health case workers, it will lessen the caseload of current employees and build a positive experience for citizens who are in crisis. In this department, the emphasis on being effective, efficient and equitable have to be a priority. Focus on Public Safety. This focus will include a Re-Entry Wing within our jail in partnership with our Sheriff’s office. In addition, public and private partners including the Criminal Justice Resource Center (CJRC) will provide services while in jail. Ultimately, focus will work to end the high levels of recidivism (which is the tendency for a convicted criminal to reoffend) that we see in Durham County. Further according to a report done by the Indy over 1,000 residents re-entered the Durham County Jail ten or more times since 2011 with an average length of stay nine days at $125.00 per day. The cost is more than $1,100 per stay. We have to do better and we will.
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Patrick Byker CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: BYKETOPROGRESS.COM
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I want to serve as a member of the board of commissioners because i believe the single most critical issue facing all of durham county is the reduction of systemic poverty. I will address that issue with my 25 years of experience in economic development, community development and housing development and i pledge to give all i have to forge partnerships between Durham county and Durham’s faith community so that we address the felt needs of our less fortunate residents.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES My top three priorities if elected County Commissioner are:
Increase the County tax base by attracting new investment throughout Durham as appropriate;
Attract better paying jobs for our citizens; and
Forge the partnerships with the faith community to help individuals and families beyond the services currently provided through Durham County.
I am hopeful these priorities do not warrant any significant tax increase, but can be accomplished through hard work and creativity.
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Heidi Carter CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: HEIDICARTER.COM f HeidiforDurhamCC
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE For the past fifteen years, twelve on the Board of Education and three as a County Commissioner, it has been my high honor to serve all of Durham County, and I remain committed to this diverse, complex and dynamic community we love so much. Our County has given much to my family and me, and I want to give back by helping everyone enjoy the wonderful quality of life Durham offers, especially those who are most vulnerable and have been by-passed by Durham’s prosperity. During my first term as Commissioner, we made numerous accomplishments and began many promising new initiatives. I want to serve again to steer them through to completion. TOP 3 PRIORITIES We must have outstanding public schools for all children, including a high-quality preschool experience. The County must provide as much local funding as possible so we will have the best teachers in beautiful, clean and healthy schools…including nutritious and nourishing school lunches.
Prosperity for all starts with a safe, warm place to call home. We do not have an adequate supply of affordable housing in Durham, so the County and City must work together to increase our supply and help more people be able to afford a home.
We must take bold action to address climate change and reduce our Carbon emissions. We must protect our open spaces and farmland, and most of all, we need to drive less. We must have more reliable and frequent bus service and a network of protected lanes so people will be safe walking, biking and rolling to get around. Let’s work together to set Durham on a course for greener living and more shared prosperity in the next and best decade yet.
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Tara Fikes CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: TARAFIKES.COM f Tara L Fikes for County Commissioner 2020
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I am a long-time resident of Durham, with many years of professional experience as a county government employee, who would now like to serve in a policy making role in my local community. Specifically, as Durham has grown and become known in the state as a place with a thriving downtown with high rise condos, new business with many high-paying jobs, nice restaurants, nice entertainment venues like the DPAC and the Carolina Theater and so on many have been attracted to the area to enjoy all of these “nice” things. But, I am afraid that many of our long-time residents are not able to enjoy these things because they are not able to afford those things. Therefore, I want to be the voice at the table that ensures that as thrive as a community, EVERYONE thrives not just a specific segment of the population.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES To ensure that everyone thrives, my top three priorities as County Commissioner will be:
Education, Workforce Development, and Enhancing Our Quality of Life. To thrive, we must invest the resources necessary to provide effective strategies for ALL students to be prepared to pursue either career or college options upon completion of high school.
Also, Durham County is doing a great job recruiting new business to locate here now we need to increase the ability of our local residents to fill the new jobs available by providing workforce training opportunities in partnership with the local community college system.
I believe we must focus on enhancing the quality of life for Durham residents by supporting programs that address our critical community needs such as affordable housing, safety, and health care.
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Fred Foster Jr. CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: ELECTFREDFOSTER.COM
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I want to serve on the Durham County Commission to provide a voice of reason and stability. To help get us back on track of providing services that are being neglected which is making the overall community unsafe. Also, to foster an environment of inclusiveness so that the resources are used for all Durham Citizens and just those with the same philosophical beliefs.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES My three top priorities as a County Commissioner will be:
Public Safety
Education
Economic Development (JOBS).
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Brenda Howerton CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: BRENDAHOWERTON.OM t @Darmont65 f CommissionerBHowerton
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I was first elected as a Durham County Commissioner in 2008, and back then, I was the only African American woman on the Durham Board of Commissioners. I served as the Vice Chair of the Commission from 2012 to 2016. I am currently serving in my third, four-year term.
I grew up on a farm in Caswell County and know all about hard work. I moved to Durham in 1986. I am a member of Union Baptist Church. I raised four children, two of whom graduated from Durham Public Schools. I love being a grandmother to my three wonderful grandchildren. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Magna Cum Laude, from Shaw University, in Raleigh, North Carolina. From 2017-2018, I was the President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). This association represents all 100 of North Carolina’s county governments before the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government. I am the first Durham County Commissioner to be elected president of NCACC
My work includes being a voice for everyone who lives in Durham for issues like: public education; early childhood education; public health; workforce development; juvenile justice; planning; business; tourism; and every part about life in Durham. I enjoy public service and take my role seriously to make Durham a better place to live, work, and grow up in. I am an individual who tries to see the good in everyone, but I also understand that there are barriers to equal treatment in our society. We must work hard to talk to each other, love each other, and break down the walls of poverty and discrimination.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES Crime - There are too many random shootings in our community. Oftentimes, culprits are those who come from impoverished communities and they have few skills that afford them the opportunities to gain meaningful employment. Crime prevention funding is a function of Federal grants and local property taxes.
Job Development - Every day in Durham, there are 21,000 high-tech jobs in the Research Triangle, Treyburn Park and throughout Durham. Every day in Durham, we have over 6,000 people looking for work. They seem to go unfilled by our people. Given the abundance of jobs that exist, the key is to give poor people the skills to obtain a job.
Close the Education Gap - Society will only advance if we educate our people. Working with our General Assembly to adequately fund our public schools and pay teachers, reevaluate funding private and parochial schools with taxpayer money. Return the cap on charter schools. Stop the practice of unfair and uneven discipline in schools as well as work harder to identify students of color who are gifted.
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Wendy Jacobs CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: WENDYJACOBSFORDURHAM.COM t @JacobsforDurham f WendyJacobsforDurham
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I am Chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners and am currently in my second term of office. I am a former Durham Public Schools teacher and my three children are DPS graduates. I am running for re-election for county commissioner because I love serving the people of our community in this role. I work hard every day to bring people together to come up with solutions to address our problems and make Durham a better place to live for everyone. I am passionate about being your county commissioner and working in partnership with all parts of our diverse community, to build an equitable, thriving Durham where everyone can take care of themselves and their families and have a good quality of life.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES My top three priorities are all related to ending child poverty in Durham. Today one out of four children in Durham lives in poverty. This is unacceptable in a community like ours that has so much. We can make sure all our children have an equitable opportunity for life long success.
Strong Early Childhood System Our children are our future. There is nothing more important that investing in our children. I supported more than $10 million of funding for our Durham PreK Program and our fantastic early childhood programs. I will keep supporting these programs in our budget. Research has shown with a strong foundation of literacy beginning at birth, our children will start kindergarten ready to learn and on the pathway to success in school and life!
Strong Education to Jobs Pipeline- Cradle to Career System We have the highest paying jobs in our state right here in Durham County. I have helped create more than 2,500 good paying jobs over just the past two years and more than $1.5 billion worth of investment in our tax base to fund our schools and county services. I support strong K-12 schools and Durham Tech. Our students, youth and adults must have the education and training they need and be directly connected to the great jobs in Durham.
Health and Well Being for All I will keep fighting for a Durham where everyone can feel safe and have the resources they need. I strongly support county programs that help people with mental health, substance misuse and connect people to jobs, healthcare, education, transportation and housing. Root causes of community and family violence can and must be addressed.
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Matt Kopac CANDIDATE FOR: COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA: MATTFORDURHAM.COM t @MattKopacforDurahm c @MattforDurham f MattforDurham
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE I am running for County Commissioner because I want all of our residents to be able to thrive. I believe we can come together as a community and grow in a way that aligns with our values. I believe we can create a Durham that is just and sustainable.
TOP 3 PRIORITIES Affordability (+Opportunity)
Great Public Schools
A Green Deal for Durham
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North Carolina Presidential Preference Election
The following parties will have primaries in North Carolina in 2020 to help determine which candidate will be on the ballot for President from their party in November 2020. Check each party’s website for information about how they choose which candidate to put on the General Election ballot. Presidential primaries are not included in the March 2020 Kids Voting Ballot.
CONSTITUTION PARTY constitutionparty.com The 2020 Presidential Nominating Convention is planned to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina in April. Candidates Don Blankenship donblankenship.com/ Charles Kraut cwk2020.com/
DEMOCRATIC PARTY democrats.org Candidates Michael Bennet michaelbennet.com/ Amy Klobuchar amyklobuchar.com/ Joseph R. Biden joebiden.com/ Deval Patrick devalpatrick2020.com/ Michael R. Bloomberg mikebloomberg.com/ Bernie Sanders berniesanders.com/ Cory Booker (withdrew) corybooker.com/ Tom Steyer tomsteyer.com Pete Buttigieg peteforamerica.com/ Elizabeth Warren elizabethwarren.com/ Julian Castro (withdrew) julianforthefuture.com/ Marianne Williamson (withdrew)marianne.com/ John Delaney (withdrew) johndelaney.com/about/ Andrew Yang yang2020.com/ Tulsi Gabbard tulsi2020.com/
GREEN PARTY gp.org Candidates (no primary required) Howie Hawkins howiehawkins.us/
LIBERTARIAN PARTY lp.org Candidates Max Abramson MaxAbramson.org/ Adam Kokesh KokeshForPresident.com/ Ken Armstrong Armstrong2020.com/ John McAffee whoismcafee.com/ Dan Taxation is Theft Berhman Behrman2020.com James Orlando Ogle Kenneth BleVINS blevinsforpresident.org/ USParliament.org/google2020.php Souraya Faas facebook.com/SourayaFaas/ Steve Richey Erik Gerhardt erikgerhardt2020.com/ facebook.com/SteveRicheyforPresident2020/ Jedidiah Hill twitter.com/alchemistjedi?lang=en Kim Ruff ruffphillips2020.com/ Jacob Hornberger JacobForLiberty.com/ Arvin Vohra VoteVohra.com/ Jo Jorgenson JoJ2020.com/ Vermin Supreme VerminSupreme2020.com/
REPUBLICAN PARTY gop.com/ Candidates Donald J. Trump donaldjtrump.com/ Bill Weld weld2020.org
More information at vote411.org
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Additional Resources VOTING & ELECTIONS Durham County Board of Elections: DCoVotes.com Vote 411 Vote411.org Ballotpedia: ballotpedia.org Project Vote Smart: votesmart.org (Info on NC & US Candidates) NC Center for Voter Education: ncvotered.com Democracy NC: democracy-nc.org
COUNTY GOVERNMENT Durham County Government: DCoNC.gov Twitter: @CityofDurhamNC Instagram @DurhamCountyGov Videos & news: youtube.com/user/DCoWebmaster
DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS Durham Public Schools: DPSNC.net Twitter @DurhamPublicSch Instagram @durham_public_schools Videos & news: youtube.com/user/durhampublicschools
LOCAL CANDIDATE INFORMATION & ENDORSEMENTS Committee on the Affairs of Black People: dcabp.org/pac Friends of Durham: friendsofdurham.com/2020-election.html People’s Alliance: peoplesalliancepac.org/ Independent Weekly: indyweek.com/news/elections Herald Sun: heraldsun.com Ballotpedia Durham City Council: ballotpedia.org
FOR TEACHERS Curricula and opportunities available at kidsvotingdurham.org/educators
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About Kids Voting Durham
Kids Voting Durham helps youth 18 and under understand and believe in the power they have as active citizens and informed voters. Through a combination of classroom curricula, hands-on experience and interaction with decision-makers, family education, and an authentic voting experience, Kids Voting ensures Durham’s young people experience effective civic engagement from a young age. Contact us! KIDS VOTING DURHAM S C H O O L B O A R D E L E C T I O N S 2 0 2 0 (919) 560-7321 KIDS CAN VOTE TOO! 721 Foster Street Durham, NC 27701 1 at durham precincts See the Kids Voting website at kidsvotingdurham.org kidsvotingdurham.org or other social media for locations! [email protected] TUESDAY, MARCH 3 from 2:30-7:30 PM Instagram: 2 on our website kidsvotingdurham.org/elections @kidsvotingdurham Click on VOTE HERE and enter voter ID "000" when prompted. Facebook: Kids FEBRUARY 15 THROUGH MARCH 3, closing at 7:30 PM Voting Durham 3 at a pop-up site Twitter: Sites will be listed at kidsvotingdurham.org @kidsvotingdurha Youtube: Kids Voting 4 at school Call 919-560-7321 to become a Durham participating school!