Durham primary election results

The primary this year didn't seem very well publicized and I didn't know it was this Tuesday until last week. My Dad also voted but my Mom said she didn't have know enough about the candidates to vote this time, and she probably didn't have much time either. My younger brother could vote, but unfortunately he hasn't registered here or where he goes to college. Overall voter turnout was very low. I researched the candidates mainly by reading the questionaires printed in the Herald-Sun. I considered Cora Cole-McFadden (Ward 1), Howard Clement (Ward 2), and Steve Matherly (Ward 3) the most progressive candidates. Cole-McFadden called herself a liberal in the newspaper questionaire and I think she and Clement supported work done by Jobs with Justice and other progressive groups. Counting against Clement are accusations of conflict of interest in a decision involving a relative and his approval of the forced annexation of an area near RTP by the city. I will need to research these more before the November 8th vote. Steve Matherly is involved in progressive politics and is even on some of the same activist listserves as I am on. He ran against candidates I would not vote for. John Best (in Ward 3), along with Jason Maynard, John Holmes, and Victoria Peterson represent conservatism. Whatever class interests they represent are not working class. Best also hasn't had good meeting attendance I have heard. The other candidates I hadn't heard of, so I didn't know what they stood for.

For mayor I voted for Bill Bell, despite his part in creating our current school board disputes. I forgot to look for Jackie Wagstaff's website before voting.