Fighting the power

RALEIGH - Candidates for all elected positions are doing some last-minute stumping to lock in key voters, and for three black candidates, this means minorities across the state.

The candidates are on a statewide "The Race is On" tour, which seeks to inform and appeal to black voters, and stopped Wednesday at St. Augustine's College.

James Wynn, a former judge for the N.C. Supreme Court who is currently on the Court of Appeals, was one of the keynote speakers.

"What we're doing with this tour is seeking to inform mainly African-American voters of the three African-Americans on the state ballots," said Wynn, who is running for the N.C. Supreme Court.

"The state supreme court has no African-Americans," he said.

"I'm running because I've more judicial experience than all seven candidates combined."

Wynn expressed his desire to see at least one black judge on the court.

"It is good, in my opinion, to have representative diversity," Wynn said. "Particularly since African-Americans make up 22 percent of the population."

Letting black voters know of their strength in numbers and then mobilizing them was a main theme of the evening.

"Bring a little enthusiasm here," Wynn said as he urged students to clap and cheer more. He then explained to the students his idea of diversity. "This is your future."

In Wynn's eyes there are two types of diversity: facial and viewpoint diversity.

The first entails having candidates who represent different races, while the other involves addressing different perspectives.

The event featured other political players in the state, including Ralph Campbell, who in 1992 was the first black person to be elected to a statewide office in North Carolina.

Campbell also stressed the need for diversity within the state political system.

"We need to ensure that we have diversity in all levels of state government so that we can maintain our families and have a productive lifestyle," said Campbell, who currently is running for re-election as state auditor.

Wanda Bryant, an N.C. Appeals court judge up for re-election, charged all young people - not just minorities - to vote.

"This race is about you as young students," Bryant said. "You who will be stepping up on our shoulders and going as far or farther than we have."

Leaders stressed that students should be informed about all elections, not just the high-profile presidential and senate races.

"Your vote this year is all the way from the White House to the court house," Campbell said.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., enthusiastically encouraged blacks to vote, especially those who never have before.

"If people who do not vote regularly vote, we will all wake up to a glorious new beginning."

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.