Disenfranchising District 2 voters?

If the law says that a candidate needs more than 50% to win, then there needs to be a special election.

If it allows for a candidate to withdraw then no, there doesn't need to be a special election.

Apparently Mr. Barber & Co. have jumped to conclusions before trying to understand what's really happened. Are they so bloodthirsty for racial tensions?

The fact is, Mrs. Truitt has simply requested that the Board of Elections ignore her prior request for a runoff. The matter to be decided now is whether or not to grant her most recent request.

There are only two possible outcomes. Either the state board will grant the request and Tedesco will be certified the winner, or the state board will deny the request and the runoff continues. There is no possibility of the outcome that would have happened if Mrs. Truitt "conceded" the race. She didn't "concede" - at least not officially, as submitted to the Wake Board of Elections.

If the board denies the request, then Mr. Barber still will not get what he wants. In a runoff, only Mr. Tedesco, Mrs. Truitt, or (by some miracle) a write-in candidate can win. Even Mrs. Truitt has declared the end of busing for diversity.

What is Mr. Barber hoping to gain except socio-economic tension?

June 8, 2008, 7:50 am
http://venitapeyton.com/2009/10/letter-to-naacps-barber.html
Good morning Pastor Barber:

I was 10 ft away from you last summer when you spoke to the Old North State Medical Society in Charlotte during their annual conference. Of course Thea had me working. I believe your daughter accompanied you.

I was in Wilson several months back when you and one lone assistant came to a rally for James Johnson. Because my Pastor, Lorenzo Peterson was on the program and because I then headed security at Freedom and Deliverance COGIC in Louisburg, you also had the protection of 15-20 black men in suits navigating the hallways, the exterior and grounds.

I too protested in the News and Observer the NC Republican Party Chair's plan to use Senator Obama's ad in their supposed 'effort' to chastise Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore. In fact, I told her she should resign.

And I recently got a note back from John Drescher (N&O) for the WRAL Headline Saturday program with you and other Duke colleagues, though I think it was 'way too short.

Now comes Venita Peyton with a simple question:

What will it take to erase the fear that people of color in Raleigh/Wake have in discussing politics?

Most of our pastors are scared to death or just not in tune. In large numbers they have closed church doors during the week while our children are mentally and physically dropping out.

I tried the Democratic Party for two years. I can't begin to tell you the cost. If you rewind the Hillary and Bill show during the past few months, you'll see what many of us have experienced all along from people who are disinterested in sharing power.

What will it take to get people elected who truly care about our well being?

The State of NC could close down Wake County or the whole state if they suspect a Pandemic flu epidemic, yet our people in large number don't have a clue. I sorta upset Wake Co. Emergency Mgmt staff because their disaster plan does not include an alert for the elderly, people with disabilities or neighborhoods who do and don't speak English or watch TV.

I am not running for Wake County Commissioner for the second time because my ego needs massaging. I'm running because my opponent, Harold Webb, is around 84 yrs old and does not utilize the vast community resources to help meet our needs. Neither has his sidekick, Rosa Gill, who now sits as Chair of the Wake Co. School Board. Most of us suspect that Harold wants to win just to step aside and allow the Democratic Party to put her in.

White, Asian and Indian children can drive BMWs, etc. to attend our magnet schools, graduate with 5.0 (yes 5.0) averages and go to the best colleges. One local black minister's son in North Raleigh was not admitted, and he just graduated from a Catholic School. Others of our youth, barely a mile away, are bused at least 25 miles each way and eventually drop out. Many can't participate in after school activities, which I believe is a large part of the college success application portfolio.

Are you willing to host or co-host a dialogue for local candidates only? Our Raleigh-Wake group can't efficiently handle this request because the local towns will likely not attend. I have only asked one local mayor and he enthusiastically says YES! He'll co-host if necessary.

Please advise.

Dr. Barber's response (as of October 23, 2009): None.

The old school board and the diversity plan. All a big show to make it look like we have one of the best school districts in the country. I don't think David Copperfield could do a better job. Dr. Barber is not seeing the wolf in sheeps clothing.

It's all about real estate value and money. Without making myself a target here, I think all the people of the county should look at the elected officials of the county and town governments. It is no surprise that many of them are into real estate or land developement.
He does not understand that sprinkling the "free and reduced lunch" children throughout the county does not better their education. It just hides the problems of underperforming students. Thats really what it's all about. Making the schools look good so that real estate values don't decline. There is a direct link to good schools and real estate value. The family farm is almost unheard of today. This generation of North Carolinians are cashing in on splitting up the farm into lots and building houses. It's all about the money. They really don't care about our children.

So, voters already had the right to say that they didn't want John Tedesco -- there was an election in October where they could exercise that right.

Voters do not have the right to have an up-down vote on any candidate. They have to choose between the candidates on the ballot. If anybody would be disenfranchised by the run-off election, it would be all the people who voted in the general election.