The runoff
Democrat Charles Francis announced on Oct. 15 that he would call for a runoff election against incumbent Independent Mayor Nancy McFarlane, after she received 48.45 percent of the votes, less than two percent below the threshold needed for a runoff election.
McFarlane garnered approximately 6,000 more votes than Francis in the Oct. 10 election, and 18,000 more than Republican challenger Paul Fitts.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday. Polls will open beginning at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. Anyone who is in line at the time that polls close will be allowed to vote.
Most NC State students registered on campus will have Pullen Community Center, located at 408 Ashe Ave., as their polling place. To check your voting site, go to the State Board of Elections website.
The candidates
To view your sample ballot, use the North Carolina Voter Search tool on the State Board of Elections website. McFarlane and Francis will be the only candidates listed on the ballot, as the mayoral election is the only race being held on Tuesday.
The policy positions listed below are from the candidates’ websites, interviews conducted by news outlets, including Technician, and Dialogue with Technician podcasts available on iTunes, Overcast and technicianonline.com. This voter guide is modified from the original edition that Technician ran on Oct. 6.
The candidates are listed in the order that they appear on the ballot.
Candidate background- Francis was born and raised in Raleigh and graduated from Princeton University as well as Duke School of Law. He currently serves as the owner of the Francis Law Firm, a private practice of trial lawyers. Francis is a trustee for the YMCA, Rex Hospital and the Research Triangle Park Foundation, and was a founding director of North State Bank.
On the issues:
Most pressing issue in Raleigh- Access to affordable housing
Issue getting most overlooked- Raleigh’s budgetary decisions and usage of money
Affordable housing- Will pursue construction of tax-credit housing across Raleigh. Wants to utilize city programs to promote homeownership for working families, and use city-owned land for housing developments that span across income ranges.
Transportation- Invest in public transportation beyond bond packages. Study ways to get residents to their locations faster and inform citizens about transit opportunities to increase availability.
Police-community relations- In favor of an oversight board to review police matters. State law does not provide for full investigatory and disciplinary boards at this time.
NC State outreach- Says affordable housing and transit issues are major hurdles for college students and wants to create better opportunities for NC State students to be able to get around Raleigh, especially to full-time and part-time jobs, with ease.
Endorsements:
North Carolina Democratic Party, Wake County Democratic Party, Raleigh Firefighters United, Republican Mayoral Candidate Paul Fitts
In one sentence, why should someone vote for you?
“You should support Charles Francis for mayor so that more people can win, and because Raleigh can do so much better.”
Candidate background- McFarlane was born in Washington, DC and was raised in Arlington, Virginia. She attended the Virginia Commonwealth School of Pharmacy and the Medical College of Virginia, and in 2002, she opened a specialty pharmacy in Raleigh. McFarlane was elected twice to the Raleigh City Council in 2007 and 2009, before being elected mayor in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
On the issues:
Most pressing issue in Raleigh- Problems associated with growth, including traffic congestion, strain on resources and rise in land values
Issue getting most overlooked- Escalating opioid crisis in Raleigh and nationwide
Affordable housing- Worked with city council to create a $6 million yearly revenue stream dedicated to accessible housing. Focusing on sustainable development, and tripling affordable housing production over the next three years.
Transportation- Touts expansion of bus routes and increased public transit on weekends during her time as mayor. Wants to focus on walkable and bike-friendly communities, improved traffic calming designs and more public transportation options.
Police-community relations- Wishes to continue community conversations with Police Chief Deck-Brown, touts progress made thus far
NC State outreach- Says that NC State is a “key factor” for her campaign. Wants to create a city where college students stay after they finish their degree, expand entrepreneurship community and expand opportunities for partnering with the university.
Endorsements:
Fmr. Governor Jim Hunt, NC Attorney General Josh Stein, Fmr. NCDOT Secretary Gene Conti, Fmr. NC Sec. State and Attorney General Rufus Edmisten, Fmr. State Treasurer Janet Cowell, Technician, News & Observer, WRAL, Indy Week, 314 Action, Equality NC, Sierra Club, Muslim American Public Affairs Council, NC AFL-CIO
In one sentence, why should someone vote for you?
“Past performance is the best indicator of future success.”
