Durham election update
I've been out all day, but in my inbox is a note that the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People has endorsed Bill Bell in the Mayor's race, and Farad Ali as the only candidate they are endorsing in the Council race. Bell apparently has gotten the nod from the Committee over Thomas Stith which, according to the Frank Hyman Theory of Durham Politics, should propel him to election. (Frank's theory is that receiving the endorsement of two of the three main PACs in Durham, the Committee, the People's Alliance, and the Friends of Durham is necessary to win a citywide election. Bell has been endorsed by the PA and the Committee, Stith by the Friends.)
David Harris continues to be passed over by the Committee, reportedly due to past conflicts with Chair LaVonia Allison. That leaves only two candidates for Council receiving more than one endorsement, Eugene Brown and Dianne Catotti, who have both been endorsed by the Friends and the PA. David Harris has been endorsed by the PA, and Laney Funderburk by the Friends. It will be interesting to see which of the three (Ali, Harris, or Funderburk) manages to eke out a victory in what will probably be a very close race for the third at-large seat in this election. Steve Monks is the remaining candidate on the ballot. I suppose if the Friends revisit their endorsements things could get even more complicated.
If you are not yet registered to vote, North Carolina has a new, same-day voter registration program. You'll need to go to BoE headquarters on Corporation St., and register and cast your ballot as part of the early voting program. Early voting is underway from now through Saturday, November 3. Details here.
David Harris continues to be passed over by the Committee, reportedly due to past conflicts with Chair LaVonia Allison. That leaves only two candidates for Council receiving more than one endorsement, Eugene Brown and Dianne Catotti, who have both been endorsed by the Friends and the PA. David Harris has been endorsed by the PA, and Laney Funderburk by the Friends. It will be interesting to see which of the three (Ali, Harris, or Funderburk) manages to eke out a victory in what will probably be a very close race for the third at-large seat in this election. Steve Monks is the remaining candidate on the ballot. I suppose if the Friends revisit their endorsements things could get even more complicated.
If you are not yet registered to vote, North Carolina has a new, same-day voter registration program. You'll need to go to BoE headquarters on Corporation St., and register and cast your ballot as part of the early voting program. Early voting is underway from now through Saturday, November 3. Details here.
Labels: Durham, elections, local politics
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4 Comments:
So the Committee has endorsed a Bell-Ali slate?
This explains why Bil Bell failed to endorse David Harris at his office opening when given a chance to do so by a reporter, even though both are Democrats, and took the opportunity to plug Ali instead. And why Bell issued a city press release announcing yet another last minute program to help the black community with Farad Ali as a co-sponsor. He's using every opportunity to plug the Durham Committee slate. I'd bet my mortgage Bell got the mayoral endorsement despite not being able to give them a chunk of money exactly because he agreed to push Ali.
Does anyone know if Bell is getting any money from the democratic party to push an unaffiliated like that? I'd like to know what democrats think of it.
I'm not voting for either Bell or Ali now. I am writing someone else in for Mayor. I can't stomach all of their transparent flurry of ideas and programs and I'm not going to support anyone who lets themselves be used as a tool of the Durham Committee.
Lavonia Allison declined in the Herald Sun to say how many people partipcated in the endorsement meeting, but it was a whopping 9 people fom the political committee and 13 general members who rubber stamped their decision. That's a mandate if ever I saw one: 22 people speaking for all of Durham's African American population.
By
Anonymous, at 12:33 PM
I have been seeing the same complaint about Ali everywhere...that he is unaffliated. Who cares? Why is this such a big issue when this is a NON PARTISAN election? Truth be told everyone should have been unaffliated and then we would be forced to actually listen to what they have to say instead of just picking them for their party. Look at Peterson, she declared herself Democrat but based on some of her positions on certain topics she isnt someone i would want representing me.
I have listened to what Ali has to say and he seems to really care about the city, he may not have experiance in public service but he has business connections and community connections that outweigh even those on the council today. He can get things done.
I think party politics only serve to keep us all divided and doesnt help anything to get accomplished.
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Anonymous, at 3:57 PM
Farad Ali is the single biggest blowhard in this entire city. All he does is talk. Did he ever do a thing except for his conveniently timed plan for businesses to "adopt a disadvantaged neighborhood" (which is so condecending I could scream?). There is not one thing on his "record of service" that doesn't serve him and his career directly. He's just another phony blowhard and that is the last thing Durham needs another of. And don't for a moment think he's not going to be conservative about more than one issue. I find him tedious, ego-driven and to have a very short attention span. He'll make a terrible city councilman if elected.
I don't vote for anyone based on what they say anymore. I am too old and too smart for that. I vote for them based on what they've done and he hasn't done a thing that it wasn't his job to do.
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Anonymous, at 1:00 AM
gee, sounds a little personal, did he do something to you? I don't know him like you do apparently, but I do know that he works for a non-profit...so he must be doing some of it out of passion for the city...right.
By
Anonymous, at 7:14 PM
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