VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN:
That’s the old joke. Sadly, 80 to 90 percent of registered Durham voters don’t vote early, often, or ever. Non-voters just coast along, wondering why their neighborhoods are being ruined by unwelcome development, why they are being priced out of their homes, why all the trees are being bulldozed, why construction blasting is cracking their foundations, why it’s so hard to find parking downtown – their wondering never ends. Let me answer their questions. It’s all happening because of YOU, non-voters. You are letting as few as ten percent of registered voters decide who will make the decisions that affect all our lives every day. You have the power change the power structure in Durham. All you have to do is change the majority on the city council. All you have to do is VOTE.
I envy all of you within the city limits because YOU can vote in this election. YOU have the power to change. Along with all my fellow county dwellers, I am affected by the decisions made in Durham, especially the never ending annexations and rezoning of rural and semi-rural county land, but I, we, have no choice as to who is authorizing Durham’s expansion. All we county bumpkins can do is beg our city cousins to get informed and VOTE for change.
If I could vote, I’d vote: BELL for Mayor, FREEMAN for Ward 1, BURRIS for Ward 2, COOK for Ward 3.
Those four (plus Baker) can be the new majority. They will listen to the public. No one, including me, will agree with every decision they make. However, I know from experience that Freeman and Cook will listen and are not in developers’ pockets. I’ve talked with Burris, reviewed her history and her campaign materials, and watched her in person. I am confident she will a good addition to the council. I am not as familiar with Anjane’e Bell. However, she promises to vote against gentrification and unrestrained development. The current mayor votes for even the most massive developments almost 100% of the time. In addition, the current mayor has expressed both impatience and disdain for public comment.
More of my reasoning and discussion of the issues can be found at my blog, SaveDurham.Com, especially the following three posts:
I get it that everyone is busy and maybe you don’t know when, where, and how you can vote. You can vote NOW, even on Sunday, until November 2nd plus on the actual election day, November 4th. Every precinct has a polling place. To find yours just go to vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLKup and enter your address. Or you can call the board of Elections at (919) 560-0700 and ask all your questions.
Save Durham 