Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020! Have Your Voice Heard!
Voter Information
Voters will be able to vote in the 2020 election by absentee by-mail, in-person early voting, and Election Day voting. No special circumstance is needed to cast an absentee ballot. You can request one here.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is possible that additional changes will be made to the voting process. Check the NC State Board of Elections COVID-19 page for updates and more information.
Questions for Candidates
As you encounter candidates on the campaign trail and at candidate forums, consider asking their opinion on these important health policy topics.
HEALTH EQUITY
Facts
- Significantly more Black people are considered obese (41.3%) compared to white people (30%), while slightly more Latinx people are considered obese (31.2%) compared to white people.
- In 2016, 17.9 percent of North Carolinians smoked. However, 26.2% of American Indians smoked. And, although Black Americans smoke fewer cigarettes and start smoking cigarettes at an older age, they are more likely to die from smoke-related diseases than white Americans.
Suggested Questions
- What does health equity mean to you?
- What policies do you support to advance health equity?
- What is a workable solutions for achieving health equity in North Carolina?
ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD
Facts
- More than 2 million North Carolinians lack access to healthy, affordable food. This includes nearly 500,000 children under the age of 15.
- More than 1.1 million children participate in school meal programs every day in NC, and nearly 60% of them qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.
Suggested Questions
- What policies do you support to increase access to healthy food?
- Many states have passed policies that encourage schools to purchase local food for school meals. Do you support more of our schools buying food grown and produced in our state? If so, how would you like to see this done? If not, why not?
- What do you think is a workable solution to increase access to healthy food in underserved communities?
ACTIVE LIVING
Facts
- In 1969, 41% of students lived within a mile of school and 89% of them walked or biked to school. In 2009, 31% of students lived within a mile of school, and only 35% of them walked to school.
- Less than 35% of parents report that their children got 60 minutes of physical activity every day in the past week.
Suggested Questions
- What policies do you support to ensure that our children are getting enough physical activity?
- How would you support active modes of transportation, including bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure?
- What do you think is a workable solution to address the lack of safe spaces to be active in communities across North Carolina?
TOBACCO USE PREVENTION AND CESSATION
Facts
- More than 28% of high school students use tobacco products and more than 23% of NC high school students use e-cigarettes, an 894% increase since 2011.
- Nearly 70% of smokers want to stop smoking.
Suggested Questions
- What policies do you recommend to address the rising use of e-cigarettes among young people?
- What recommendations do you have to increase access to cessation services?
- What do you think is a workable solution to decrease the state’s high rates of tobacco use?