Raleigh District A Election Pits Activism Against Expertise

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It’s the first day of early voting, and you can find all of the INDY’s election coverage here. Our questionnaires for candidates running in local races in Wake, Orange, and Durham counties, and for state house and senate seats in Triangle districts, are live and will continue to be updated. We’ll be reporting up to Election Day on November 5 and after and plan to bring you coverage on state constitutional amendments, candidate visits, and more. Send us your election thoughts, questions, and concerns and we’ll try to get you answers promptly. 

Good morning, readers.

Despite being in the midst of a reelection campaign, Raleigh City Council member Mary Black feels conflicted about whether to stay in politics. 

“I feel a duality of sometimes wanting to walk away from it all and be done with it,” she says.

Black, 30, grew up in Raleigh. She’s a community organizer, an environmental justice advocate, a social media expert, and a renter. When she first ran for office two years ago, she promised to bring an activist perspective to the council and uplift the concerns of Raleigh’s most vulnerable residents. 

But by her own admission, Black has struggled over the past two years to reconcile her progressive goals with the day-to-day realities of local governance. She’s faced uphill battles, criticism, and racist attacks that make her question how to move forward.

“My time on council has radicalized me,” Black tells the INDY. “It’s forever shattered my beliefs around the benefits of working within the system or the idea that politics alone will save us.”

Black is running for reelection against Mitchell Silver, an urban planning career professional who wrote Raleigh’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, and Whitney Hill, a conservative small business owner running on a crime and public safety platform.

Though District A leans older and more conservative, it’s still dominated by Democrats who will likely discount Hill at face value. That leaves them with a choice between Black, who proudly colors outside the lines, and Silver, who takes equal pride in working within the system to get things done. 

Read more about the candidates and their platforms here.

Early voting starts today! Have a good Thursday. 

—Chloe

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Durham

Our Duke journalism student partners at the 9th Street Journal are interviewing Council of State candidates while enjoying some frozen treats. Learn about your next state treasurer—Republican Brad Briner or Democrat Wesley Harris—and check out the rest of 9th Street’s very fun Pops & Policies series here.

Wake

The State Fair opens today.

Orange

ICYMI: Carrboro voters have a special town council election on their ballots. Meet the candidates.

North Carolina

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is suing CNN for $50 million in damages over the network’s reporting that he appears to have left racist and explicit comments on a porn forum.

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