Welcome & Ballot Basics

Amanda Benbow Lunn 0:09

Hello friends, welcome back to the NC Deep Dive. I'm your host, Amanda Benbow Lunn, and this episode features one of our candidate conversations for the 2026 general election. And my best accounting, it looks like we have another 18 contested races with 46 candidates in Southern Lake, specifically in Holly Springs and Fuquay Varina. There are a few other races that have only one candidate running. We will not be covering those in this segment. Of course, the races on your particular ballot will vary based on your address and the specific district your residents calls within. You can always find your jurisdictions and eventually your sample ballot by searching NC Voter Search made available by the NC State Board of Elections. Once you get to the page, you'll fill out your information, it will populate with all of those who share your name or information that you provided. You'll scroll until you find you, click on it, verify that it is indeed your name and address, and then scroll down to see the appropriate sections you're looking for, like the jurisdiction or the sample ballot. Since there are so many races, your ballot will likely have both a front and a back. So make sure you flip it over so that you can vote for all of the races you're eligible to vote for. Keep in mind if your time is short, you can search each episode's transcript at www.ncdeepdive.com, or you can look at the various chapter titles for each of the topics to find the ones that most interest you. For this episode, we are delving into the Wake County Board of Commissioners for the at-large race. If there are four candidates running in this particular race, you will have the opportunity to vote for two of them. The candidates running in this race are Gary Dale Hartong affiliated with the Republican Party, Mona Singh, affiliated with the Democratic Party, Christine Kushner, affiliated with the Democratic Party, and Kyle Stogoski, affiliated with the Republican Party. Without further ado, my friends, let's dive in.

Gary Hartong: Intro, Why, & Experience

Amanda Benbow Lunn 2:13

On this episode, I am honored to be speaking with Gary Dale Hartong, who's running for the Wake County Board of Commissioners, the at-large seat. Gary, if you want to take a few minutes, introduce yourself, and you can go into why you're running for this office and what experiences have prepared you to serve in this role.

Gary Hartong 2:31

Sure, I'd love to. And thank you for having me, Amanda. Certainly a pleasure to join you this evening. I haven't had a deep experience with politics, to be honest with you. I'm turning 50 years old this year, and being a bicentennial baby, I've always had a deep respect and a deep love for the U.S. and for North Carolina. And I'm at a point in my career and a point in my life that I thought there was an opportunity I could start giving back a little bit more than what I have in the past. And so this was an opportunity being a new seat for the Wake County Board of Commissioners. This is an opportunity that really interested me and gave me a momentum to put my hat in the ring when the filing was back in December of 25. I live in the North Raleigh Wake Forest area. I'm actually in the county itself, part of unincorporated Wake County. Happily married, have four daughters that all, well, most of them have lived in uh Wake County, still have two here. One in Wilmington now as of a couple weeks ago, and uh one that's finishing up out in Colorado at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Given that background and given what I do on a daily basis, I thought this would be that this particular position would be a good fit for me. By trade, I'm a professional engineer. I've been a professional engineer for 25 plus years. And what I do on an everyday basis is I work with counties and I work with municipalities all across the state of North Carolina. And I help them with infrastructure planning and infrastructure design, helping them identify the needs of their communities, and then helping them schedule the necessary improvements to undertake those needs. And that is one of the underlying things that uh really drove me uh to pursue this particular position with the Wake County Board of Commissioners. And we'll we'll talk a little bit about that in a minute. Currently service president of the Wooten Company, about a 110-person consulting engineering firm. We do civil work, we do mechanical, electrical plumbing, surveying really uh across the board. And so that's given me some good background, a really solid perspective over the last 30, 32 years that I've been here in Wake County of what it takes to plan ahead and prepare for the future. Leadership-wise, I've been actively involved in two engineering organizations. One is ACEC of North Carolina, the other one is ACEC National. The North Carolina is just a member of the larger unit. And so I've had the opportunity to serve in the executive leadership uh role for both of those, uh, basically five years on the first organization and three years on the second. So working with other industry leaders, uh working with regulatory folks, working with other elected officials to make sure that we're making the necessary plans to uh prepare for our future. Locally, I did have an opportunity to serve on the Wake Forest Parks and Rec Cultural Resources Advisory Board and had an opportunity to serve as chair and vice chair there for two years. And prior to that, I was part of the Greenway Advisories Board. So that overall past, I'll say 10, 15 years of leadership experience is really what I think has put me in a good position to pursue this opportunity.

Biggest Challenge for Wake County

Amanda Benbow Lunn 5:22

Excellent. What do you believe is the most important issue or challenge facing the people you would represent?

Gary Hartong 5:28

I think we've got a lot of challenges at the moment. You know, North Carolina and the triangle in particular is a very fast-growing community. If anybody you know you're following the news, you're following the economic development reports, you know that we are growing by 67 people per day. And that is uh put us as one of the top-growing metropolitan uh regions in the in the United States. I think one issue, one particular issue facing a lot of folks right now is affordability. Given the fact that we are such a high growth area, homes have increased in value, which has resulted in higher property taxes given those valuations. You've got rental costs that are high because of the supply of homes as not meeting the demand for those right now. And so you've got you've got high rental costs. Inflationary pressure, of course, we've been dealing with that for several years as adds to it. And then the other thing I don't think that too many people think of is the talent war that we have here in the triangle. With everybody wanting to be here, we're we're fortunate that we have a low uh unemployment rate. And that's because there's a very high demand for the good talent with universities here, with our community colleges here, with the secondary and post-secondary education that the triangle has. You know, all of those things together when you have a very attractive area of high quality of life where people want to live, I think is what's driving part of that affordability issue.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 6:48

If

Priorities & Hopes for Accomplishment

Amanda Benbow Lunn 6:49

elected, what would you prioritize and what specifically would you hope to accomplish during your term?

Gary Hartong 6:54

That's a great question. And I appreciate you asking that. But what I have been telling folks for the last 10 months is for me, this is an infrastructure first campaign. I mean, and it naturally, it naturally uh is what I do on an everyday basis. But I think it's important that Wake County and its 12 municipalities work really closely with our federal agencies, with our state agencies, such as NC DOT. We need to get ahead, uh, or at least catch up, I should say, and then get ahead of the growth that we're experiencing. We're we're seeing our roads being more congested, we're seeing higher demand on our water and sewer systems. Great example is Falls Lake over the summer. On top of the drought conditions, there was a lot of demand for that particular water supply here in northern Wake County. And it's that type of incident that should cause us to pause and think and say, hey, this is not going to be the only time that this is happening in Wake County or even in the Triangle region. So we should be thinking 20, 30, 40 years down the line on what is our next water supply source. Those infrastructure projects don't happen overnight. They take years of planning, they take years of environmental review, they take years of engineering design and construction. So, you know, a large project such as building a new water source for the triangle could easily take 15, 20 years. Those are the types of issues that I think Wake County can take a lead role in. While it doesn't own much infrastructure itself, Wake County can take a lead role in making sure that the municipalities and the county and the uh affected state and federal agencies are are having the conversation and moving that ball forward.

What Should Be Preserved

Amanda Benbow Lunn 8:24

Okay. What do you believe Wake County is doing well that should be preserved?

Gary Hartong 8:28

What is Wake County doing well that should be preserved? You know, Wake County is is interesting. It is, in my opinion, it's unlike, I'm not picking on Charlotte, but it's unlike Charlotte in a lot of ways. The 12 municipalities that make up the triangle region that make up Wake County itself, they all have a different look and feel to them. They form the mesh, they form the fabric of Wake County, but they're all a little bit different and they all offer something a little bit different. I think that's something that people really enjoy about Wake County is the fact that we're able to have great industry and we're able to have large commercial businesses, but at the same time, we've got local businesses that make up our main streets that, you know, are able to hire the people that live close to them and really form those smaller communities that when combined, you know, make up Wake County. So I think it's unique. I haven't seen it elsewhere before. Uh, and it's something that since when I moved to Wake County in 1994, I think has done a really good job of preserving that character and that feel.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:24

Awesome.

What Would You Change

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:25

What county policy or practice would you change if elected?

Gary Hartong 9:29

I think one thing that Wake County needs to take a hard look at is, you know, given our growth and given the amount of new revenue that's moving into the county each day and each year, I think we need to take a hard look at our budget. Our budget has increased, uh, the county budget. I'm not speaking for any of the municipalities, but our county budget has increased uh close to 56% over the last five years. Our growth has been a little bit slower, 2-3%, inflationary pressure, 2% to 3%. So we've got this gap there that I think we're pushing the upper threshold. I think the residents of Wake County are really starting to feel some of the pressure from the increased property taxes. And so I think it's prudent as commissioners, stewards of the taxpayer dollars to take a hard look at the budget and make sure that it's it's efficient, make sure that we're getting the best return on investment, that we are able to serve all of our residents in an equitable fashion.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 10:18

Okay.

Infrastructure & Keeping Up with Growth

Amanda Benbow Lunn 10:19

Wake County's continued growth is putting pressure on roads, schools, public safety, housing, utilities, and other county services. How should the county ensure that infrastructure and services keep pace with that growth?

Gary Hartong 10:32

Yeah, that is that's a great question. That's really what uh we've been talking about tonight. Historically, you know, I can talk about the schools for a second. Uh what we've seen on the Wake County Public Schools is a redirection of funds. Uh, and I'll I'll come full circle here in a second. But the school system, 204, 206 facilities that Wake County owns, given the size of that, those needs are growing every day. We've got schools in different parts of their life cycles. They are um they are all aging at a at a different pace. They are uh requiring different needs. And some of those needs have gotten away from the county, and that has forced um a bond referendum, actually a pretty large bond referendum that we're gonna see on the ballot in November. Uh for uh for Wick County Public Schools, it'll be about 680 million. If you throw in the 152 million uh that the county has also put towards those improvements, we're looking at about 832 million uh dollars in improvements. So it is, in my opinion, a a more different approach would be instead of a large bond referendum where you're paying the interest on all that um on that on those proceeds for the next 20 years, you could really approach that as a pay as you go approach, meaning that we take a hard look at the overall budget and we direct a certain proportion or a certain percentage of those funds to a particular, uh, let's say it's HVAC improvements for Wake County. You pay as you go and you prioritize immediate needs first, and the money comes in, you pay that. And what that does is allowing the money to go directly towards the improvements versus having to pay that additional interest over the same lifetime of the uh the bond referendum.

Public Education: Balancing Needs, Funding, & School Options

Amanda Benbow Lunn 12:06

Okay. Wake County provides significant local funding for public education. While the elected school board is responsible for operating the school system, what do you believe the county's financial responsibility to Wake County public schools should be, particularly as the county continues to grow?

Gary Hartong 12:22

I think Wake County is tasked with construction and renovations of the facilities. That is truly now in recent years, the county has supplemented the operational expenses of the Wake County public school system. And what that has done is that has pooled those resources, those limited resources, those that are now going to operational expenses. It has really caused some deferred maintenance on the facilities themselves. So I think it's important that Wake County first and foremost, you know, stick to the charge of maintaining the schools. And if the schools are optimally maintained and everything's up to everything's up to snuff, everything's up to speed, I think then there's the discussion is appropriate about supplementing the operational and administrative costs of the Wake County public school system.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 13:06

Do you think that the schools are getting enough money from the state to have towards those operational costs?

Gary Hartong 13:13

Well, I think the state legislature has made a significant stride these past uh, you know, it took them two years to get a budget approved, and they did push through an 8% on average increase for the uh Wake County Public School teachers. Whether that is enough, I think is debated on both sides. You know, the Wake County Public School System also receives federal funds in addition to state funds. So it ultimately becomes it becomes a balancing act, and it's it's tough with limited resources.

Housing Affordability & Homelessness

Amanda Benbow Lunn 13:40

Okay. What should Wake County's role be in addressing housing affordability and homelessness?

Gary Hartong 13:45

The county has really taken a lead role in that recently. And uh, you know, through the the continuum of care, I think the county has a strategic plan. That plan, of course, any strategic plan comes with a cost. I think for the homelessness piece of it, I think it would be prudent, and I think that the county should work as closely as it can with its nonprofit organizations, with its charitable organizations, with available resources that don't necessarily result in any duplication of efforts, but to make sure that those nonprofits uh can help provide some of those services. Wake County can't do it alone. And so working closely with those, uh forming those partnerships and working closely uh with those agencies and those organizations, I think is a really, a really good step and a really should be the first step in in my opinion. The affordable housing, a little bit different conversation. I think, again, I think that working with your partners, your nonprofit partners to the extent practical is a preferred choice. Now, where we're at, given the gap between the supply and the demand, has really driven up some home prices here in the triangle. And that has affected lower wage workers, that has affected some public safety workers. What we don't want to do is displace them from there, you know, from being close to where they need to work. I mean, if they're first responders, we need them close, right? So I think uh to have an effective service, you you want to keep them close. You don't want to push them into a surrounding county. So I th I think there is a role that Wake County can play from a policy standpoint. Again, I think the overall funding is it's going to be a combination of uh it is currently, and I think it's gaining some momentum, a combination of some funds from Wake County, from the private developers that are able to get tax incentives. And so it's an identified need. I think it is a need that is stabilizing, perhaps growing. But in my opinion, the quickest way to address the affordable housing is to make sure that we can get the number of homes increased in the area, get that supply up. And at the same time, we need to probably look at some zoning issues and see if there's opportunities to work in more multifamily establishments or multifamily developments that can allow a greater number of people to obviously live in a lower amount of real estate space. So it's a couple moving pieces there, but in my opinion, it's definitely a partnership between the private side and the public side.

Approach to the Responsibilities and Decision-Making Authority of this Office

Amanda Benbow Lunn 16:09

Okay. How would you approach the responsibilities and decision-making authority of this particular office?

Gary Hartong 16:15

Well, I think one of the things to keep in mind is when you run for a commissioner position, you cannot certainly uh defer responsibility. You have to uh be willing to have those open and honest conversations. And I think that's important for any commissioner that is serving in this role. The public now more than ever, with given the amount of information, the avenues for information. I think the public wants some transparency. They want some open, honest conversations. The commissioners don't have to agree on everything, you know? We're allowed to butt heads a little bit. It's fine. When ultimately, I think what the commissioners are looking for is the best solution at the end of the day. What is the best solution for Wake County? So I think first and foremost, that is approaching that responsibility. Now, from decision making, I think it's important for the public to understand what the role of the commission is. You know, the commission sets policy, but then the commission also works closely with in the council manager form of government that we have to work with our staff and make sure that the staff carries out that policy. So I think the public at times has a tendency to think that the commissioners not only enact policy, but they're also the ones that are are to carry it out. And that's not necessarily the case. So it is, yeah, it is, I consider it a high responsibility. I you know would certainly treat this position with the utmost respect that it deserves. And it's a tough position. You get a lot of folks that may not agree with you, but you've got to be willing to have those conversations and make the decisions that you think are best for the Wake County residents.

Balancing Taxes, Obligations, Investments, & Fiscal Responsibility

Amanda Benbow Lunn 17:41

Wake County faces pressure to fund growing demands for services and infrastructure while also keeping the property tax burden reasonable for residents. What is your philosophy on taxation at the county level? And how would you determine whether Wake County's property tax rate is appropriate and whether we can afford the reduction or expense?

Gary Hartong 17:59

I think that is appropriate's a tough word, a tough definition. Let's face it, there are growing costs, we have a tight labor market, there are increased costs of goods. I don't think anybody denies that. I think the commission should focus wisely and treat our resources, treat infrastructure like they would anything else as a business. Uh, we've got a finite amount of revenue, and that determines what we can do on the expense side. Uh it comes down to strategic planning. When we're faced with those situations, again, you're evaluating what the county can do and what the county should do. In my opinion, the county should serve in a limited role. It should not have to participate in uh in every program. I think there is a reasonable level of taxation. And you know, there's a portion of people that think, you know, that we should get rid of all taxation and go to a zero property tax and push everything to sales. I don't think that's the way that North Carolina and the Triangle operate. They've traditionally not operated in in that fashion. So I do think there will be a reasonable level of property taxes and other services or other uh charges for services. You know, the property taxes make up about 75%. But or let's review what we're spending our money on and make sure that we maintain those at a reasonable level.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 19:15

Okay. Do you have any ideas of different ways to generate revenue andor specific services you would cut?

Gary Hartong 19:22

I don't have any specific services that I would push for cutting right now. I think that we should examine what we have and see if adjustments to those budgets are warranted. But I'm not going to come out and and say that we should cut anything off the top of, you know, just put it on the chopping block per se. I think everything deserves a fair shake and adjustment where necessary. In terms of where we can grow the resources or the revenues necessary, I think perhaps the county could look more towards its non-property tax revenues. There are fee schedules that the county has for certain services and perhaps adjust those. Uh, I would also be remiss not to mention that uh Wake County does sit on a pretty good fund balance, general fund balance, which I think if I'm not mistaken, it's about 30% right now of the required minimum or 30% of the uh of the uh budget. The um minimum's about 15. So we're sitting on on twice of that. I I don't think we should be as hesitant to use it if as long as we maintain that 15% minimum. If we do have some up and down spikes, I think that's exactly what it's for, is to go ahead and even out those bumps in the road by tapping that fund balance. That is essentially what it's there for.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 20:33

So

Thoughts on Property Tax Amendment

Amanda Benbow Lunn 20:34

do you have any thoughts on the property tax amendment? Does that make you worried as a commissioner? F or listeners, the property tax amendment is the North Carolina General Assembly um being able to put a cap on property taxes?

Gary Hartong 20:49

Yeah, that amendment has received a lot of pushback from the municipal, from what I've seen from the municipal and the county organizations. I think that there are different counties and different financial positions across the state. You know, there are more rural counties generally, the lesser dense population rely more heavily on that uh property tax adjustment to provide for their services. The more populated counties, Wake, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, they're not as susceptible to that potential cap that we're talking about, just given the amount of revenue and the number of people that that support the property taxes right now. So I think there is some real concern out there. But I think, you know, honestly, the public will decide, and then the legislature will determine what that specific language looks like, and the counties and municipalities will make their necessary adjustments.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 21:41

Okay.

Deciding What Takes Precedence

Amanda Benbow Lunn 21:42

When priorities compete or resources are limited, how would you decide what takes precedence?

Gary Hartong 21:47

Those programs that have the highest return on investment, that have the highest ROI, and that serve all citizens equally are those that should be given the strongest consideration. There's always more than one answer to a problem and I think that if you can look at the the programs with an unbiased lens and see how that the that program and what it costs and what that return on investment is and truly and and you can truly gauge that I think that's really how you've got a rank and allocate your resources similar to what we do in the engineering world you know sometimes there's a lot of options to get to the same end result but some options cost more than others and so you've really got to critically evaluate those and and make sure that you're you're making the best decision with the information you have.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 22:34

When if ever would you support increasing the property tax rate and conversely when would you support lowering it even if that meant reducing or delaying county services or investments?

Gary Hartong 22:45

Well I think if you find yourself in a position where your revenues are greatly if your property tax revenues are greatly exceeding what your program needs are and I say program I mean the budget needs there may be an opportunity to do an adjustment there. One of the things that we saw a couple years ago with given the growth and given the revaluations um there was an opportunity for the uh Wake County Commission to adjust that property tax rate and they did that and that was primarily given the the revaluation now the uh the problem I won't say the problem I'll say that one issue to consider is um what happens if those revaluations um decrease on the next go around and so in that particular case you know you may have even less uh funds to work with so you know if there's an opportunity to lower them absolutely I would support that uh increasing them is a different story as you can probably uh tell from my previous responses uh again I'm I'm never gonna say we will never increase property taxes I I think that would be short-sighted of me I think what we need to look at is what are our 20 year 30 year long-term needs what do we need to invest in now what do we need to invest in later and really you know go through that with a fine tooth comb and make sure that Wake County is providing a good level of service an excellent level of service let me say more than good an excellent level of service but to exceed that and to increase property taxes without a really strong a really good valid reason that would cause me some concern.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 24:14

Okay.

Working with Municipalities

Amanda Benbow Lunn 24:15

How should the county work with municipalities as they make decisions affecting countywide growth in infrastructure?

Gary Hartong 24:21

Closely I know that's my short answer. That's my short answer. That's a tough question. You know we've got 12 great municipalities some of them are regionalized as you know in terms of infrastructure with Raleigh serving a number of the smaller communities to the north and east of uh of the county and uh you've got Cary and the Western Wake partnership over in the in the western and southwestern part of the county so we're seeing that uh we're seeing the the need and the push for regionalization and overall I think in the grand scheme of things if Wake County is going to continue to grow at the pace that it is Wake County Commission needs to lead that discussion. We need to um make sure that our municipalities are uh having the conversations between each other and with the county so that we are building a strong infrastructure network throughout the county and and you know infrastructure doesn't necessarily stop at the uh the county line either it extends northward it extends into Orange County it can extend into Nash County it can extend in uh to Lee and Harnett counties um so and there may be opportunities uh for Wake County to work and I know those conversations are ongoing in in certain instances but when infrastructure systems can connect and provide a level of redundancy and provide a a a stronger level of service I think we need to really explore those opportunities hard.

Accountability: What & How

Amanda Benbow Lunn 25:42

What should voters hold you accountable for if you're elected and how?

Gary Hartong 25:47

Um well the how is the how is easy if I don't do a good job they're gonna get rid of me uh what they should hold me accountable for first and foremost is being a good steward of the taxpayer dollar. I think we really need to, you know, when we're considering uh a multi-billion dollar budget a $2.3 billion budget we need to keep in mind that all of those dollars come from some family's budget in Wake County. So being a good steward first and foremost is what I think they should hold me accountable for. Secondly is given my you know my my experience and my engineering background um I I think they should hold me accountable to think logically to when we have an issue to consider more than one option. As I mentioned earlier, you know multiple options are considering multiple options should be the case for every major decision. Because every you know every alternative has its pros and cons. There's always direct impacts there's indirect impacts from every decision that you make. And so I would expect them to hold me accountable to make sure that I'm evaluating multiple options. And then making decisions to produce produce real results uh for all residents. I think it's uh I think it's imperative that when we decide on an option it again that it is the best for uh the Wake County uh residents uh the public good is at hand and uh lastly I think they should hold me accountable for remaining a Wolfpack fan and a Carolina Hurricanes fan I can't can't can't give up my uh my uh Stanley Cup champions and my alma mater so they better hold me accountable for that.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 27:19

As

Last Thoughts

Amanda Benbow Lunn 27:20

we wrap up is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like voters to know or anything from our conversation that you'd like to expand upon or clarify?

Gary Hartong 27:28

You know not necessarily I would encourage the voters that are listening to really research your candidates. There's a lot of candidates for this particular election and I think the the residents and the voters should select those candidates at a lot with their vision for Wake County and uh what their um what their expectations are for the next you know 10 10 20 years. What's their long-term vision for Wake County and how does that candidate meet that particular vision for them. And then lastly I would just encourage everybody to finish the ballot.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 27:57

Something so simple yet doesn't happen.

Gary Hartong 27:59

Something so simple but you know yeah I think I think the voters I have a tendency to get hesitant when they don't know any of the names and they're like well the easiest way to address this is just not vote for any of them. So that goes back to my first point of research your candidates and uh please finish the ballot.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 28:14

And just for listeners again, you will be able to vote for two people in this particular commissioner's race.

Gary Hartong 28:20

Yeah that's correct. So I should have mentioned that earlier there are four candidates on the ballot and the top two candidates who receive the most votes regardless of political affiliation will assume a two-year seat and a four-year seat as at-large members on the commission.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 28:34

Perfect

Where to Learn More

Amanda Benbow Lunn 28:35

and for voters who want to learn more about you your platform your campaign endorsements and priorities where can they go to find that information?

Gary Hartong 28:42

Sure the primary uh spot I would send them to would be Garyforwake.org that is my campaign website. Is that the number 4 or spelled out for great question. That is FOR for Garyforwake.org and then I also have a Facebook and Instagram page that uh they can access.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 29:02

All right perfect well thank you so much Gary for joining me today. Thank you for trusting me to do this for you and I appreciate you taking the time to participate to talk to voters directly. I wish you the best of luck with your campaign.

Gary Hartong 29:14

Yeah thank you I appreciate your time this evening Amanda

Closing Reflections & Voting Info

Gary Hartong 29:17

democracy is built on participation.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 29:20

Politics can sometimes feel distant or abstract but the decisions made by our elected officials at the county, state and federal levels have a profound effect on the communities we call home and the way we live our lives from the roads we drive on and the schools our children attend to public safety, parks and recreation, housing, healthcare, taxes, the economy, and the many other services and amenities that make up our communities, government plays a role in shaping both our everyday experience and our future that makes taking the time to understand the choices on your ballot and the people asking for your vote an important part of being an engaged member of your community. Early voting for the 2026 midterm election begins October 15th and runs through October 31st. In Southern Wake County there will be early voting locations at the Hunt Center in Holy Springs, the Hilltop Needmore Town Park Clubhouse in Fuquay Varina, Beech Bluff County Park, and Southern Wake Tech Campus close by Election Day is November 3rd, a general reminder that you will need a valid photo ID to vote, the regular voter registration deadline is October 9th, although you may still register when you vote during the early voting period. Please note that you cannot register to vote on Election Day itself and that that day you will absolutely have to vote at your designated precinct location to have access to your full ballot. And because there are so many races and ballot measures this year, your ballot will likely be double-sided. It can be helpful to start on the back so that you don't accidentally overlook anything. You'll vote for the races that apply to your jurisdiction along with statewide amendments and for Southern Wake County voters local Wake County bond referenda. Voting is one of the ways we take part in the communities we share. You don't have to agree with your neighbors or even with the candidates you've heard here to recognize that our communities are shaped by the people who show up, ask questions, learn about the choices before them, and cast their ballots. So please take the time to get informed, make your voice heard, and encourage the people around you to do the same. Your vote matters your voice matters and you absolutely matter, my friend. And with that this episode of the NC Deep Dive has come to an end. Please feel free to check out this episode show notes at ncdeepdive.com for further information and relevant links for this candidate along with general election information. As always if you have any topics or thoughts you'd like to share you can find us on social media or email us at ncdeepdive at gmail.com. If you found value in this episode, I'd love for you to subscribe, rate and share it so that others may more easily be informed. Please make sure to stay tuned for all the relevant candidate amendment and referenda episodes for the 2026 midterm election by visiting ncdeepdive com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, audible or wherever you currently listen to your podcast. Until next time my friends, Namaste: the Love and Light in me sees and honors the love and light in you