The People’s Alliance PAC is working to schedule the 2019 endorsement meeting to consider candidates for Durham mayor, three at-large city council seats and the proposed affordable housing bond.  Scheduling conflicts at major venues in Durham and increased seating, insurance and parking needs have resulted in some delays in securing an appropriate and accessible venue. We apologize for this inconvenience.

We expect to hold this year’s endorsement meeting no earlier than August 20, and possibly later than that date.  You must be a People’s Alliance member to participate in the endorsement meeting.  

For existing PA members, and lapsed members who have not yet renewed their membership for the 2019 calendar year, you can renew online at any time before the endorsement meeting to speak on behalf of a candidate and vote for your preferred candidates.  Membership renewal will also be available the day of the meeting.

For people who are considering PA membership and would like to attend and vote at the endorsement meeting, you must join PA at least 60 days before the endorsement meeting--or June 20.  While the endorsement meeting may be held later than August 20 due to venue availability, it will not be held earlier than that date, so any new members that join on or before June 20 will be assured of the ability to vote at the endorsement meeting.

New members who join less than 60 days before the endorsement meeting are encouraged to attend and speak on behalf of candidates but can not vote to endorse a candidate for office.  

We expect to notify members of the date and venue in the coming weeks and appreciate your patience as we work to find a venue appropriate this meeting.

On April 30, Governor Cooper proposed Durham Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr. for a seat on the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Senator McKissick is one of three nominees for the commission included in an appointments bill now being considered in the North Carolina General Assembly. Bills confirming appointments exclusively in the Governor’s control customarily pass. When during the current legislative session the bill may pass is uncertain.  As with previous vacancies where the vacancy is not filled by an elected official or elected body, People's Alliance PAC will not make an endorsement.

At a membership meeting held on April 22 and attended by over 140 members of the People’s Alliance, the PA membership elected the following PA members to serve as PAC coordinators for the 2020 election cycle.

Nana Asante-Smith
Jeb Dennis
Tom Feltner
Tom Miller
Milo Pyne
Rochelle Sparko (2020 presidential election only)

Any current member of the People’s Alliance may stand for election to serve as a PAC coordinator, and additional PAC coordinators may be appointed to fill vacancies or to provide additional support to PA members during busy election cycles. For information on becoming a PAC coordinator, please contact the People’s Alliance PAC here.

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley to address People’s Alliance April 22

North Carolina Chief Justice Cheri Beasley will address members of the People’s Alliance and People’s Alliance PAC on Monday, April 22 at Motorco (723 Rigsbee Ave in Durham) at 6:30pm (doors open at 5:30).  Membership meetings of the People’s Alliance and People’s Alliance PAC will follow to consider changes to the PA bylaws and the rules governing PA PAC endorsement meetings (see below for details on the five proposed changes under consideration).  There will also be an election for PA PAC coordinators to serve two-year terms (through the 2020 election cycle).

RSVP for the meeting here.

About Chief Justice Cheri Beasley

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley began her 20-year judicial career as a District Court judge in Cumberland County, North Carolina in 1999.  After ten years of service, she was elected to serve as an Associate Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She was then appointed by Governor Perdue to fill the vacancy on the North Carolina Supreme Court created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson in 2012.  

In the Supreme Court’s 200-year history, Chief Justice Beasley is the eighth woman and only the second African-American woman to serve on the Court.  With her appointment by Governor Cooper in March 2019, Beasley became the first African-American woman to serve as Chief Justice of the state’s highest Court.

About the People’s Alliance and People’s Alliance PAC membership meetings

The People’s Alliance and the People’s Alliance PAC have reviewed the requirements for membership and voting in endorsement meetings and are proposing a series of changes that we believe will make the process fairer.  These changes are the result of over a year of conversations with people within and outside PA and were informed by the results of a survey completed by over 200 PA members. Read more about why we believe these changes are necessary and how they will affect the endorsement process here.