You helped elect new, progressive voices and change the outcome of this election.  You joined 127,000 voters in Durham County voters who cast their votes on Tuesday, helping send Anita Earls to the Supreme Court with over 80 percent of the vote in Durham County--the highest percentage of any county in North Carolina. You chose to send experienced leaders to Raleigh and Washington to help protect our progressive values and, along with their Democratic colleagues, break the supermajority in the General Assembly.  PA PAC-endorsed candidates John Arrowood, Toby Hampson, and Allegra Collins will head to the Court of Appeals.

You reaffirmed our commitment to transforming our criminal justice system by electing Clarence Birkhead as Sheriff and Satana Deberry as District Attorney.  In the three contested judicial races here in Durham, you chose to send Josephine Kerr Davis to the Superior Court and Dave Hall and Clayton Jones to the District Court.  Other strong progressives who did not face opposition also won their seats. For Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, you elected PA PAC-endorsed David Harris and Natalie Murdock.

With your help, every People’s Alliance PAC-endorsed candidate won their race.

Complete election results are available here

Download a sample ballot here

At our endorsement meeting on September 5, more than 500 People’s Alliance members voted and endorsed Anita Earls for Supreme Court, and candidates for Court of Appeals, Superior Court and District Court, General Assembly, and Soil and Water District Supervisor.  Read why they have the progressive vision to move Durham forward.

Download a sample ballot here

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You can also sign up to volunteer at the polls or make a donation to the PAC to support progressive candidates.

I have known Clarence Birkhead for thirty years and worked with him for many of those, first when he was a detective with DUPD and later as chief of police.  He has always been accessible, fair and engaged.  I believe his experience and judgment, his training and education, and his ability to build an inclusive coalition will serve all of us in Durham as our sheriff.  There are many challenges ahead as Durham continues to grow and some of our residents feel marginalized and forgotten.  I believe Clarence Birkhead is the right person at the right time in Durham to bring our communities together and address the issues and injustices that have lingered for too long.  That’s why I voted for him and urge you to do so as well.

Chuck Catotti

I’m voting for Toby Hampson because he is far and away the best-qualified person in the race for Seat 2 on the NC Court of Appeals.

Toby has the right experience necessary to serve on the Court. He is professionally certified as an Appellate Specialist and clerked at the Court for Judges Eddie Greene, Bob Hunter, and our own Wanda Bryant.

Toby leads the Appellate Practice Group at his law firm where he handles all types of appeals before the Court. He is regularly recognized by his peers as one of the top appellate lawyers in North Carolina.

As I’ve also gotten to know Toby, I have been thoroughly impressed with his passion for the work of appellate courts, his commitment to the independence of our judiciary, and how much he cares about ensuring everyone that comes in contact with our judicial system is treated fairly and with respect.

The statewide judicial races are critical this year. It is vital we elect the right people with the right experience to our courts. Toby is one of those people, and that’s why he has my strongest endorsement and has earned my vote.

Please join me in electing Toby Hampson to the Court of Appeals.

Senator Mike Woodard

I’m proud to support my friend Judge John Arrowood for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. John Arrowood currently serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, having been appointed by Governor Cooper to fill a vacancy in April 2017. He is eminently qualified for a full term on the court.

I know that John has the experience and integrity for the job. His extensive legal record, which includes serving on the Court of Appeals from 2007 to 2008, paints a picture of someone who is deeply committed to administering justice equally and fairly to all.

John is originally from rural Yancey County. He lost both of his parents at the young age of 15 and moved to Caldwell County to live with his brother, sister-in-law, and six-year-old niece. John was educated in North Carolina public schools and went on to become the first in his family to obtain a 4-year degree. After graduating from the UNC Chapel Hill School of Law, he was a staff member on the Court of Appeals and worked in private practice for nearly three decades. Throughout this time, John was involved in numerous community, civic, and religious organizations. His priority has always been serving the people of North Carolina. John was a member of the board of the North Carolina Railroad, the North Carolina Banking Commission, the North Carolina Rules Review Commission, and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Judge John Arrowood is exactly who we need on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He is and has always been a fair and honorable judge, and his depth of experience would greatly benefit the Court and the people of North Carolina.

I have known Assistant District Attorney Clayton Jones since he first became a licensed attorney 15 years ago. Since that time I have watched him mature into a hardworking, humble, and caring attorney. It is clear to me that he strives for excellence with every case that he handles. During my time as a Superior Court Judge in Durham County, I have had many opportunities to observe Attorney Jones in court. He is always punctual and prepared. He has a strong reputation in the
Durham County legal community for being a fair and professional attorney.

I fully support Attorney Jones as Durham County’s next District Court Judge. Having been a judge for twenty years, I know what it takes for an attorney to become a good judge. An attorney must have knowledge of the law, patience, and mercy. Attorney Jones has all of these characteristics. He also is in the unique position to have worked as both an Assistant Public Defender and an Assistant
District Attorney in Durham County. I believe that his experience in both of these positions will ensure that he is fair to all people who appear before him. Having served in those positions has given him the opportunity to experience cases from both sides. I have seen him advocate zealously for defendants as a public defender and now for victims as an assistant district attorney. It is for these reasons that I am confident that Clayton Jones will be an excellent judge.

Sen. Floyd McKissick has been one of Durham's stalwart progressive political leaders for the last 25+ years. Serving first for eight years on the Durham city council and, since 2007, in the North Carolina Senate, Floyd has served Durham with distinction on progressive issues ranging from sustainable development to racial justice.  I am particularly proud of the national recognition that Floyd received as the primary sponsor of North Carolina's Racial Justice Act. He has also introduced legislation which has served as a national model for automatic expunctions, and he is the co-sponsor of legislation which recently passed the NC Senate that will recodify and update North Carolina's land use and zoning laws.  Much of Floyd's time in the North Carolina Senate has coincided with the Republican takeover of the General Assembly.  During this time, he has been an energetic, passionate, and unwavering voice for progressive values and Durham's interests.  And he has also held important leadership positions in the Senate, such as chairing the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus from 2010 to 2012.

Apart from all of his accomplishments, distinguished service and accolades, though, the reason I am most excited about supporting Floyd is that he has always been a personable, accessible, open, friendly and immensely knowledgeable public servant who does his homework and represents us well.  He has my wholehearted support, and I encourage you to vote for Floyd to represent District 20 in the NC Senate.

I write to urge you to vote for Allegra Collins for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. I know Allegra personally. Having worked on a number of challenging cases with her, I have firsthand knowledge of her exemplary skills as an appellate attorney. I also know she is extremely well regarded in the legal community as a practitioner in our appellate courts and a professor of legal writing and appellate practice. Allegra is an independent thinker and a hard worker who is well versed in the work of the Court.  

She clerked for the Honorable Linda Stephens on the Court of Appeals, was an Assistant Appellate Reporter at our North Carolina Supreme Court, and represents clients in both criminal and civil appeals in our Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. As an athlete who represented the U.S.A. in the Pan-American Games, she knows all about hard work, dedication, and excellence.  Allegra is exceptionally well qualified - both personally and professionally - to be a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She has earned my wholehearted endorsement.

To learn more, go to her website. Please spread the word about Allegra and join me in supporting Allegra's campaign.

Bob Orr

Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court - retired

Dave Hall has always stood up for the rights of poor people, folks victimized by the criminal justice system, and our formerly incarcerated neighbors. Dave possesses a deep knowledge of the law, but he also possesses a deep understanding that those who appear in our courts are real people with real lives. In 2014, Dave’s work with the FADE Coalition and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice helped bring about significant reforms in the policies and practices of the Durham Police Department — reforms that have made our city a better, safer and fairer community. I am confident that Dave will work as a district court judge to make Durham’s system of justice better, safer and fairer as well.

Dave Hall has the judgment, the temperament and the experience to excel as a district court judge here in Durham. I am happy to call Dave my friend, and I’m excited about the possibility that I will soon have the privilege of calling him “Your Honor.” I am proud to endorse Dave Hall’s candidacy for the Durham district court bench.

-- Charlie Reece