A short long time

As I write this (on Tuesday the 16th of July), there are 93 days from the start of early voting in Orange County, NC. That’s far too long to keep up a sprint, but it’s also less time than it takes to train for a marathon and less than a full semester at a university.

You’ll see a lot of messages from folks asking you for money or your time to help them Save Democracy in the next 93 days. This both is and is not that. It is in the sense that one of my goals is to get folks who might not otherwise have done so to vote the whole ballot, not just the federal race or the first few items. I think this helps save democracy because this sort of voter education gives more opportunities to connect voters to something they care about, which in turn makes them more likely to show up. If you're reading this on or about the 16th of July, you probably already have a list of reasons you'll be voting, and a strong understanding of how the City Council, the County Government, and the School Board all interact and have a big impact on your daily life, so… you don't need another Save Democracy message, and this is not that.

It is also not that kind of Save Democracy email in the sense that most of those messages will focus on the risks, the fears, and the hate that are fast-burning fuels to get people to act now. I’m not about that. We need something sustainable. We need something local. We need something to look forward to.

When I think about the future of Carrboro, I think about my kids playing in our parks or running on our greenways. I think about meeting friends for coffee or ice cream or pizza. I think about our Farmers’ Market. In short, I have joyful, happy thoughts. I am lucky to live here, and I want more folks to be able to focus on those joys instead of worrying about rent.

So! Here’s my ask: sign up for campaign updates if you're not sure what parts of Carrboro bring you the most joy that you'd want to share with others, and sign up to volunteer with the campaign if you do know.

Tonight I’m off to a precinct meeting where we are writing postcards to voters. It’s one of many ways you can sign up to volunteer with the County Democratic Party. Again, if you want to volunteer to help with my campaign specifically, you can fill out the form here.