News Update from Livable Raleigh
Two major unexpected developments – the impact of the Omicron variant as well as the delay of primary elections from March to May – have led Livable Raleigh to make the difficult decision to suspend our effort to recall Mayor Baldwin.
The health and safety of the community and of our volunteers is our highest priority and the recent spike in Covid cases makes it virtually impossible to continue to collect petition signatures in a safe manner, especially during the cold winter months. If the archaic local recall rules allowed us to gather signatures online, this would be a different story, but the requirement to witness signatures in person is just not feasible during yet another spike in Covid cases.
In addition, with the primaries moving from March to May, we believe it does not make sense to hold a recall vote in May, just six months ahead of the November election, and we do not want to burden taxpayers with the expense of an additional election if we were to request one earlier than the May primary.
We truly appreciate the thousands of Raleigh residents who have rallied to the cause and we extend our deepest gratitude to the countless volunteers who devoted much time and energy to the Recall effort.
Livable Raleigh is proud of the role we have played in bringing to light the many negative impacts of the decisions made by this Mayor and her council majority. These elected officials have pursued a “pay to play” strategy that in two short years has made Raleigh “unlivable” for many residents due to increasing rents, increasing taxes, and no meaningful progress in addressing the overwhelming issue of affordable housing or dealing with climate change.
We will continue our outreach efforts to inform and engage the community so that we can definitively reject Mayor Baldwin in November 2022. So hang on to your Recall signs, buttons, and car clings until the campaign gets underway. And be on the lookout for invitations to our 2022 series of Community Conversations on Critical Issues.
Livable Raleigh is confident that if we can help turn out a larger number of informed voters we will reclaim our City and help it grow better, and not just bigger.
Please contact us if you have questions or want to arrange to turn in the petitions you’ve collected so far.