Elections

Dan Coleman kicks off this fall's campaign with yesterday's announcement that he will run for the seat he was appointed to in 2005 2006. Dan highlighted his experience in local issues and said Carolina North would be a major focus for him in the next term.

Getting an early head start, Carrboro Alderman Dan Coleman announced Monday that he plans to run for election to retain his seat during November's election.

Although he has been an alderman for 18 months, Coleman was appointed to the seat by other members of the board to replace Mark Chilton, an alderman who won the mayoral race in 2005, thus leaving a vacancy on the board. Although Coleman is well known for his activities in local government and politics, this will be the first time he actually has run for an elected office.

I recently received the following question through our contact form. I thought this information would be of interest to a lot of readers, so I hope the writer doesn't mind if I answer it here.

I am wondering what the requirements are for running for local offices in NC. Specifically Hillsborough School board, Town council, and Mayor. I am looking to run for office but I don't know the age restrictions and am worried that I am too young. I am 19. I have looked everywhere for this information and can't seem to find it. Can you help me out? Thank you in advance.

I couldn't find the answer to the age question so I called my friend Mark Chilton, who was 21 years old when he was first elected to the Chapel Hill Town Council, and who is now elected as the Mayor of Carrboro. In addition to the requirement that you must live in, and be registered to vote in, the district that you wish to represent, the state also says that you must be 21 years old to hold office. Chilton pointed out that you do not need to be 21 to run, but you do have to come of age before being sworn in.

This fall, half of the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough governing bodies will be up for election, as well as all of their Mayors, and half of the Chapel-Hill Carrboro School Board. If you have ever thought about running for elected office or had people tell you you should think about it or want to help other good folks run, now is your chance. Check out the Community Action Network's 'Campaign and Elections Workshop' this Saturday.

When: Saturday, April 28, 2007 10:00 AM - 12 NOON

Where: Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Offices Covered: Carrboro Mayor and Board of Aldermen, Chapel Hill Mayor and Town Council, Orange County Commissioners, School Boards, Hillsborough Mayor and Town Board

Format: Panel of former elected officials and campaign volunteers (questions from the moderator and audience), followed by breakout sessions

Topics: Deciding to run, campaign staffing, scheduling, financing, publicity, election laws, use of technology, etc.

Cost: FREE

Fred Black gave a good description in a recent column: