AARP and partners holding Raleigh City Council Candidate Forums

RALEIGH - WakeUP Wake County, in partnership with AARP North Carolina, Blue Ridge Corridor Alliance, El Pueblo, Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation, Raleigh/Apex NAACP, NC Asian Americans Together, League of Women Voters of Wake County, LGBT Center of Raleigh, Muslim American Public Affairs Council, and Oaks & Spokes, is hosting the 2022 Raleigh City Council Candidate Forum Series ahead of this November’s midterm elections.

This coalition was brought together to reach voters of color, voters with low incomes, and communities who have historically been disinvested from and engage them in the upcoming local election. Municipalities have sole authority on issues like zoning, investments in affordable housing, and public transportation; yet most residents who participate in local elections are often not the residents who need these investments most. This coalition will bring together residents who will be most impacted by local government decisions to hear what candidates have to say on important issues.

This November, voters will decide who will represent them in Washington D.C., but just as important is who represents us locally on Raleigh City Council. Local decisions have huge impacts on our daily lives – decisions that determine whether residents can access safe, reliable public transportation, affordable housing, walkable and resilient neighborhoods, and important services such as parks and utilities.

Voter participation in local elections is critical for ensuring a thriving, representative community. The Forum Series will help to inform Raleigh voters about who is running for office and to learn more about the responsibilities of local elected officials. The Forum Series will also give voters the opportunity to hear from the candidates first-hand on some of our community’s most pressing issues: affordable housing, public transit, inflation, and rising costs, to name a few.

In 2019, less than 17% of registered voters participated in the Raleigh municipal election. This year, we hope to engage more voters for a stronger turnout in November, especially on the flip
side of the ballot.

During the month of September, Raleigh citizens will be able to engage with the candidates running in their districts and ask them questions about issues that concern them and their
families. Folks can sign up to get updates on the forums and submit their questions online at https://bit.ly/2022RalForums.

"Throughout the 2022 Election, AARP has been working to make sure voters have important information about voting in North Carolina. We also want to make sure that candidates running for office address the issues that older voters care most about, like the high cost of medications, and our future health and economic security," said Pax Baptist, AARP Associate State Director for the Triangle Region Pax Baptist.

EVENT:

The 2022 Raleigh City Council Candidate Forum Series will host seven separate events:

● one for each set of district candidates in that district,

● an At-Large forum at Artspace in Downtown Raleigh on September 27,

● and a Mayoral forum at the Muslim Youth and Community Center on October 1st.

More details can be found at https://bit.ly/2022RalForums.

The forums will be in-person, will take place outside of normal business hours, and will have

limited on-site childcare.Those who are unable to attend can stream the forums in real time on WRAL.com