2005

Guest Post by Ryan Tuck

For the first time in its history The Daily Tar Heel will host a municipal elections forum designed to attract more University community interest in municipal elections. The 329 student-aged voters who participated in 2003 are a constant reminder that the campus community has held a passing interest in local political affairs. We feel a responsibility to help change that.

With co-sponsors in student government, the College Republicans, Young Democrats, VoteCarolina, Black Student Movement, the Graduate and Professional Student Federation and the Interfraternity Council, we will host an informal community speak-out style forum THIS WEDNESDAY from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Greenlaw 101 - the one next to Lenoir Dining Hall. A map is available at: http://sils.unc.edu/about/visit.html.

Guest Post by Tom Jensen

The Carrboro Sierra Club Candidates Forum is tonight at 7 PM in the Board Room at Carrboro Town Hall. The forum will start with 75 minutes of questions for Aldermen candidates, and conclude with 45 minutes of the Mayoral candidates.

We will be taking questions from the audience, so if you have anything you want asked but can't be there feel free to post here and I will add it to the pool of possible questions.

This is the first opportunity to see the Carrboro candidates face off, so you should all either come or watch it live on the People's Channel!

Tom Jensen is a Senior at UNC on the Sierra Club Political Commitee. He is also the chair of Students for a Progressive Chapel Hill.

Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday September 10, 2005

Last Thursday night, the Orange County Democratic Women sponsored the first forum for Chapel Hill Town Council candidates. Despite scant publicity other than to OCDW members, the meeting room at the Southern Human Services Building was pretty full and a sharp audience provided plenty of good questions. I moderated the discussion.

Here is my impression of how well the candidates succeeded in furthering their campaigns
that night.

The big winner has to be Bill Thorpe. Many Chapel Hillians are unfamiliar with Thorpe's previous two terms on the Council.

He spoke forcefully and eloquently, tying his experience from two decades ago to today's concerns. Particularly effective was the reminder of his vote against approving the Dean Dome out of concern for its impact on a neighborhood that today is not much more than a memory. He assured voters that he would always look out for their interests.