Election Day Live Blog

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Thanks for listening to our live broadcast on WKNC!

10:00 p.m. - Ariella Monti from Foundation (yeah, we've moved)

Well folks, that's it for us. Reporters are back in from the field and we've got election stories to write. Thank you to our awesome broadcast team, our blog team and our field team for your amazing, kick-butt work. We're so thankful to you, our loyal readers, who logged and supported us throughout the day. We wouldn't be here without you. See you next year!

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9:57 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling

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9:56 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling

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9:55 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling

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9:54 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling

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9:52 p.m. - Allison Kent  from Zinda

“Not only did we win, we won big,” said Sig Hutchinson to a small crowd gathered at Zinda to await the results of the transportation bond. “The sixth bond win was the best,” he declared, after receiving confirmation that the bond had in fact passed by seventy percent.

The $75 million dollar bond will seek to improve transportation infrastructure by using three steps. “First we need to fix what we have first,” said Hutchinson. Next the bond will build new transportation infrastructure like sidewalks, bike lanes, streetscapes. Finally it will increase property tax by $33 a year per household. “Less than a fru fru drink a month” said Hutchinson of the increase.

“This one was the most fun, all the support of the people and volunteers,” Hutchinson of the campaign. When asked what he’ll do next, Sig replied, “The ending of one is the start of the next campaign.”

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9:36 p.m. - Charles Duncan

Charles Duncan Many thanks to Rose Hoban of NC Health News who played co-host this evening after Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services. Kelly Reid from Little Raleigh Raleigh also did an amazing job on the air. Please visit both their websites and support their cause. Always thankful to work with our partners at WKNC. We appreciate their work to make this night happen.

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9:26 p.m. - Dwight Otwell at Morning TimesDwight Otwell

 

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9:25 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling at Morning Times

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9:12 p.m. - James Borden Tir Na Nog

9:10 p.m. - Dwight Otwell at Morning Times

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9:05 p.m. - James Borden at Tir Na Nog

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9:04 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

With 28 of 29 precincts reporting and an almost 200 vote gap between Wayne Maiorano and Randy Stanger, challenger Maiorano takes District A.

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8:59 - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Our fearless leader Charles Duncan is live right now wrapping things up with our broadcast on WKNC. Thanks for listening, everyone. We appreciate your support. We'll be getting off the air soon, but we'll still be live blogging so don't go anywhere!

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8:57 p.m. - Laura Baverman- Daily Planet

 “Wake county won't look like bankrupt Detroit thanks to tonight's approved bond referendum,” said Friends of Wake co-chair, Phil Zachary. Zachary and a handful of others stood before the crowd of business and political leaders gathered at the Daily Planet tonight to celebrate the win and thank all of those who made it happen.

 “The win signifies more than new buildings and technology,” he said. “It signals to the rest of the nation that this region remains committed to keeping its high ranks for quality of life, education, and a vibrant business community and economic environment.”

 And to opponents of the referendum, Zachary asked that they remove all of the “no signs” for at least three more years.

 "For awhile there, I thought we could go backward. But I was wrong," he said. (...) "This was a yes to a great future for our families, businesses and schools."

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8:55 p.m. - James Borden at Tir Na Nog

 A jubilant crowd of more than 100 people, including former mayor Charles Meeker and city councilors Bonner Gaylord and Russ Stephenson has gathered at Tir Na Nog to watch the election results come in tonight.

 Following the announcement of the preliminary results - in which McFarlane was leading the race for mayor with 72% of the vote, she took the stage a few minutes ago, accompanied by the Wake & District Public Safety Pipe & Drums, a Scottish bagpipe band, to give her victory speech.

 In the speech McFarlane went to great lengths to describe what a wonderful city she has been elected to run for the second time.

 "Raleigh is the greatest city anywhere," she said.

 She also made sure to thank her predecessor Charles Meeker for his work in transforming the city's downtown over the past decade. "We drink from a well we did not dig," she said.

 McFarlane added that "We're in such a spectacular place, We have a new city manager, he is awesome, we're embracing technology - I've heard people say that we're the East Coast version of Silicon Valley, and the arts and culture renaissance here is off the hook."

 She also mentioned that progress has been made on the Dix Park property, citing two conversations she's had this week with the governor's office.

 Following her speech, re-elected councilors Stephenson and Bonner addressed the crowd.

 Bonner, who ran unopposed, noted that there had been 160 votes cast against him.

 "I will find you," he joked.

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8:53 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Russ Stephenson is live with us now on WKNC

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8:53 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

The races for Board of Education Districts 2 and 9 are still too close to call. With 17 of 20 precincts reporting, Monika Johnson-Hostler is leading opponent Matt Scruggs by just 129 votes for District 2. An equally slim margin separates Nancy Caggia and Bill Fletcher in District 9. Fletcher leads Caggia by only 188 votes with 26 of 28 precincts reporting.

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8:52 p.m - Dwight Otwell at Morning Times

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8:48 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

The Raleigh Public Record is calling Tom Benton as the winner of the hotly contested Board of Education District 1 race. We are also declaring Zora Felton as the clear winner for the Board of Education District 7.

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8:47 p.m. - Laura Baverman at the Daily Planet

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8:45 p.m. - Amy Mindick-Walling at Morning Times

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8:42 p.m. - Dwight Otwell at Morning Times

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8:40 p.m. - Alli Kent at Zinda

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8:38 p.m. - Dwight Otwell at Morning Times

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8:35 p.m. - Dwight Otwell at Morning Times

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8:33 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Mayor Nancy McFarlane was just on the phone with us! Did you guys get to hear?

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8:30 p.m. - Ariella Monti

We're all working hard here tonight. Please show us some support by donating to our cause. Your donation helps support local journalism and the awesome reporters and editors that help make it happen.

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8:26 p.m. - Laura Baverman at the Daily Planet

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8:24 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Incumbent John Odom takes District B with 15 of 18 precincts reporting with more than 59 percent of the vote.

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8:22 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

The races for Board of Education seats are very close.

 In the race for the Board of Education District 1 seat, Tom Benton is leading Don McIntyre by a little over one percent with 18 of 20 precincts reporting.

 Equally as close is the race for Board of Education District 2. Monika Johnson-Hostler is ahead of Matt Scruggs by a razor thin 1.72% with 17 of 20 precincts reporting.

 The District 7 Board of Education race is the only one with a seemingly clear winner. With 21 of 23 precincts reporting, Zora Felton is is leading 56.97% over Deborah Prickett (42.66%).

 With 26 of 28 precincts reporting, the race for the Board of Education District 9 is still neck to neck. Bill Fletcher is leading Nancy Caggia by just a little over one percent.

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8:20 p.m. - Amy Mindick - Walling at Morning Times

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8:16 p.m. - Dwight Otwell

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8:15 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

With 86 out of 107 precincts reporting:

Mayor: Nancy McFarlane

At Large: Mary-Ann Baldwin and Russ Stephenson

Distict C: Eugene Weeks

District D: Thomas Crowder

District E: Bonner Gaylord - unopposed

School board is too close to call

The Raleigh Transportation Bond and the Wake Schools Bond both approved.

Many put the District A race between and Wayne Maiorano and Randy Stagner as very, very close with Maiorano slightly in the lead. Three out of four board of ed districts are very close.

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8:09 p.m.  - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

Eugene Weeks is clearly leading the polls in the race for Council District C. With 12 of 18 precincts reporting, he leads by 80 percent over opponents Racquel Williams and Marcus Hill.

 With 19 of 20 precincts reporting, Thomas Crowder has definitively edged out challenger Jim Kemp Sherron in the race for Council District D with over eighty percent of the vote.

 Running uncontested, Bonner Gaylord has yet again secured his seat for Council District E.

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8:08 p.m. - Laura Baverman at the Daily Planet

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8:04 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

With 11 of 18 precincts reporting, the race for Council District B is showing John Odom clearly ahead of challengers Brian Fitzsimmons (33.75%) and Sam Smith (5.72%) with a little over 60 percent of the vote.

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8:02 p.m. - Laura Baverman from Daily Planet Cafe

 The atmosphere is decidedly reverent here at the Friends of Wake election party. gathered here are several dozen men and women, mostly local business executives, who've spent months campaigning for the largest Wake County school bond referendum ever, $810 million.

 They've funded tv and radio advertisements, signs and canvassing materials. They've served on a speakers bureau that gave presentations to local PTAs, Kiwanis and other community groups.

 And several folks I talked to, including  cochair Marian Robinson of the State Employees Credit Union, said they've run a campaign well worthy of passage.

 As for those against the bonds?

 "I'm sorry they feel that way. But overall the people of wake see this is something worthwhile, needed and something they are willing to spend money on," Robinson said.

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8:00 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

With early vote results coming in from 26 of 29 precincts, the race for City Council District A is neck to neck. Wayne Maiorano leads Randy Stagner with just over one percent of the vote.

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7:56 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Dwight and Amy are working on some sweet results maps for us right now. You'll only get that kind of awesome geekery from Raleigh Public Record.

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7:55 p.m. - Drew St. Claire at Morning Times

The results of early voting are in. Here’s the breakdown:

 With 54 of 107 precincts reporting, Nancy MacFarlane is leading with 72.88% of the vote. Contenders Robert Weltzin has 22.56% and Venita Peyton has 4.30%.

 With 54 of 107 precincts reporting, the two frontrunners for Council at Large are Mary Ann Baldwin (39.09%) and Russ Stephenson (35.09%). Jason Spriggs and Rob Williams are trailing with 12.78% and 12.67% respectively.

 The transportation bond is passing by 69.64% while the school bond is passing 57.85%.

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7:50 p.m. - Ariella Monti from Morning Times

The only board seat that isn't close right now is district 7. Zora Felton is up by 600 votes.

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7:47 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning times

Prelim school board results:

District 9 Bill Fletcher is in the lead by only 40 votes.

District 1 is separated by about 140 votes right now, with Tom Benton in the lead. District  2 separated by only about 80 votes with Monika Johnson-Hostler in the lead.

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7:45 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Results are coming in!

District A (Stagner and Maiorano) is very close with a difference of about hundred votes. Stagner in the lead.

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7:42 p.m. - Kara Bumgarner at Unitarian Universalist Church on Wade Avenue

 I just spoke with Diana Koenning, the new precinct chair. She created a Democratic party voting guide and sample ballot for her the citizens in her precinct. “The Wake Dems’ strategy to get people involved needs to be modernized and streamlined,” she said. “We created these sample ballots for this precinct. We canvassed neighborhoods and put them in mailboxes.” Koenning said that 467 people had voted in her precinct thus far- around a 20 percent turnout.

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7:40 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Transportation Planning Manager Eric Lamb is on the airwaves LIVE talking to Rose and Kelly about the Transportation Bond. Not to be confused with a Transit Referendum.

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7:38 p.m. - James Borden at Tir Na Nog

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7:35 p.m. - Ariella Monti from Morning Times

Polls are closed!

Hope you got out and voted today!

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7:20 p.m. - Ariella Monti

Thanks to Moonlight Pizza Company for their donation of Election Night pizza. These hungry reporters are extremely thankful.

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7:15 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Councilor Bonner Gaylord is talking with Kelly and Rose live right now. He ran unopposed for District E. Tune in!

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7:12 p.m. - Kara Bumgarner  from Brooks Avenue Church of Christ

I also spoke with Craig Ralph, a resident of University Park. “What happens in Washington D.C I can’t change,” he said. “I’m not going to get Senator Burr to change the speed limit in my neighborhood, but Mary-Ann Baldwin will.” Ralph went on to say that local elections were “much more valuable.”

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7:10 p.m. - Laura baverman from Washington Middle School

I met four very nice poll workers at the school but no voters. They said it's been slow all day. They also asked me to leave. Apparently there's a no media policy in the polling places this year. Regardless, if you're supposed to head here to vote, go now. It'll be quick.

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7:07 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Unchallenged City Councilor Bonner Gaylord is hanging out and waiting to go on air.

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7:06 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Our Editor in Chief Charles Duncan is chatting with Rose and Kelly live on WKNC.

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7:00 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

We're about to broadcast live on WKNC! Listen here!

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7:00 p.m. - Dwight Otwell

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6:45 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

Rose Hoban from N.C. Health News has been reporting all day, but will be one of our awesome hosts. 15 minutes to air!

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6:23 p.m. - Ariella Monti at Morning Times

We've taken over! The blog team gets rolling.

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5:40 p.m. - Ariella Monti

You can help us raise money just by sharing this live blog! See that red bar above? Use that to share this page and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation will give us $1. We can raise up to $2,500 to support local journalism and the reporters that bring it to you. Thank you!

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5:30 p.m. - Ariella Monti

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5:29 p.m. - Reader Submitted - Donna Bailey

Regular Record reader (try saying that three times fast) Donna Bailey shows support for her candidates. She posted this photo on her Facebook page. Thanks for letting us use it, Donna.

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5:18 p.m. - Ariella Monti

We've moved over to the Morning Times where we are downing some coffee and getting ready to set up for our live broadcast over WKNC. Listen live starting at 7 p.m.

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4:22 p.m. - Ariella Monti

Our managing editor Jennifer Wig has finished printing out the scripts for tonight. It's going to be awesome!

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3:42 p.m. - Ariella Monti

It's the calm before the storm. Things are quieting down for us as we make some last minute preparations for our live broadcast over WKNC. We'll be setting up at Morning Times in a little while and we'll go on air at 7 p.m.

You can also catch us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

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3:18 p.m. - Ariella Monti

Like what we're doing? Show us some love and support by clicking here to make a donation. Your donation helps pay for the awesome reporting you're seeing here today and every day. Thanks so much!

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2:45 p.m. - James Borden at Leesville Elementary School

Mike Potter with the Wake County Democratic Party and Shirley Usry with Zora Felton's campaign for school board district 7 were on hand at Leesville Elementary School handing out voter information guides. Potter says he got his start in politics in the 1960s as a "sandwich-board boy" supporting a school bond initiative. There is $810 million school bond on the ballot this year in Wake County that is part $939.9 million plan to build 16 new schools and renovate six others.

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2:36 p.m. - James Borden at Stough Elementary School

Pat Wiles was one of more than 500 voters who had turned out by 1:30 PM to vote at Stough Elementary. Wiles said she tries to get out and vote in every election, but she may have, "missed a few."

Barbara Ann Hughes, the precinct chair for the Democratic party was on hand distributing voter information guides, and said she hoped that they would see a total turnout of at least 800 voters by the end of the day.

2:00 p.m. - Ariella Monti

Only five hours until we broadcast live over the air on WKNC from our pop-up newsroom at Morning Times. Swing by to watch the results come in, enjoy good company and talk local politics.

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1:20 p.m. - Jessica Kennedy at Chavis Community Center

"We work just as hard on an off-year election as we do for a presidential or governor election," said Doris Burke, who was standing outside the Chavis Community Center distributing voter guides made by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association. "We still cannot get people to understand how important the local elections are."

Burke has been interested in politics since the 1960s. "I got involved because I wanted to see conditions improve for all people, not just one race," she said. Despite her frustration with turnout, she plans to stay at the polling place all day.

1:06 p.m. - Jessica Kennedy at Tarboro Road Community Center

Anthony said the political forum organized by the school a few weeks ago helped her decide who to vote for. "Voting for the first time showed me how much more I want to do," she said. The university's student government association worked with Common Cause to host a student march to the polls. Anthony and Gaskins participated in the march and said they plan to vote in future elections.

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12:46 p.m. - James Borden - Raleigh Fire Station No. 11

Claudenia Wingate (left) and her neighbor Margaret Sessons said they have been voting together in every local election for nearly 20 years. "It's my civic duty," said Wingate. More than 190 people had voted at Raleigh Fire Station No. 11 on Glenridge Road when reporter James Borden left to visit another polling location.

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12:36 p.m. - Reader Submitted - Tyler Dukes

Former Raleigh Public Record contributor Tyler Dukes was voter number 220 at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church. He posted this photo on his Instagram and Twitter feeds and graciously let us use it for our live blog. Thanks, Tyler!

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12:25 p.m. - Ariella Monti

We're getting some word that Stough Elementary on Edwards Mill Road is getting some steady traffic. We're trying to get a reporter out there to see what's going on.

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12:10 p.m. - Jessica Kennedy at Douglas Elementary School

Mary and Bennie Mcminis said it's hard to know who to vote for in local elections if you don't keep up with local politics. But they came out to vote this morning because of the transportation and education bonds. Without the bonds or the mayoral contest, Bennie McMinis said they would have stayed home.

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12:09 p.m. - Jessica Kennedy at Douglas Elementary School

Charlotte Sandri (left), a Republican, and Linda Scher (right), a Democrat, were campaigning for their respective parties at Douglas Elementary School this morning. "We're bi-partisan here," Sandri said as they emerged from the same car after taking a break from the cold, windy weather.

Raleigh residents for several decades, they've both stood outside polls on Election Day before. "We'd be a good model for Washington," Scher said.

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11:53 a.m.  - Ariella Monti

Reporter Jessica Kennedy is heading out to some polling places near New Bern Avenue. If you see her, please say hello!

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11:36 a.m. - Reader Submitted -  Patrick O'Neil

I voted at Hudson Memorial Church on Six Forks Road at 6:40 a.m. There were no last minute vote grabbers working the polls. The folks inside were friendly and moved quickly. Red signs were posted on the check-in tables stating that voter ID laws do not go into effect until 2016. Overall the process looked good but turnout was very light.

11:17 a.m. - Reader Submitted - Kathryn Wall

We have our first reader submitted update from the polls! If you'd like to send us some feedback about what's going on at your polling place, please email Ariella Monti at ariellacmonti@gmail.com.

"I was voter #89 at 9 a.m. at St. Luke's in precinct 02-03 (North Raleigh). We only have the school bond to vote for and the workers seemed pretty bored. Thanks for your coverage!"

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10:55 a.m. - Jessica Kennedy

Esther Presnell, 82, has lived and voted in Raleigh for 44 years, and she worked at polling places here for 30 years. She said she votes in every election large or small. The first presidential election she voted in was the Kennedy-Nixon contest in 1960. "I'm interested in what goes on in the world," Presnell said about her involvement in the political process.

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10:44 a.m. - Karen Tam

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9:24 a.m. - Jessica Kennedy

Jay Dawkins, a 26-year-old NC State alum and civil engineer in Raleigh, remembered growing up around politics as he left the polling place at Cameron Village Library this morning. "He always said 'all politics is local,'" Dawkins said about his grandfather, who was mayor of Fayetteville.

Dawkins was particularly supportive of the transportation bond in today's election. "I very much believe Raleigh has a more walkable, bikeable future ahead of it. We've got to make the right investments to bring that into reality."

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9:20 a.m. - Charles Duncan

Do you have questions about the election? Photos, comments or stories to tell? Email me directly at editor-at-raleighpublicrecord-dot-org.

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9:18 a.m. - Charles Duncan

One of the big issues to come up in this year's City Council elections has been over the firing of City Manager Russell Allen. Almost all challengers pointed to that vote to not renew Allen's contract as a motivation for running for a council seat this year.

The Record sat down recently with Vaughn Upshaw from the School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill to learn what the law says about the role of the city manager and council members. Click here to read what she had to say.

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9:13 a.m. - Jessica Kennedy

Sara Loeppert's interest in politics goes back to her grandmother, whom she described as a yellow dog Democrat who was involved when women got the right to vote. But her concern for education was the reason she was standing outside St. John's Baptist Church starting at 7 a.m. with a homemade sign supporting the education bond.

"So much has been slashed from education," Loeppert said. "These are tomorrow's leaders. It's good for everybody... It's a good investment."

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9:08 a.m. - Jessica Kennedy

Kirsten Justice, a Raleigh resident, said she jumped out of bed in excitement this morning to give voters brochures about Mary Ann Baldwin. Justice spent two hours standing outside the Brooks Avenue Church of Christ polling place before heading to work earlier this morning.

“It’s pretty empowering when you compare our situation as Americans to the situation globally,” she said.

Justice said most voters already have their minds made up, but she’s glad to be there anyway. “I like to be a presence, a smiling face.”

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8:39 a.m. - Jennifer Wig

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6:40 a.m. - Charles Duncan

Record staff will be running around all day covering the election, but we want your help too. If you see any problems, take any good photos or want to share how your Election Day experience was, please get in touch with us at editor-at-raleighpublicrecord-dot-org.

This evening don’t forget that we will have our regular nonpartisan election night party downtown at the Morning Times. We will move our pop-up newsroom down to the coffee shop and broadcast live over the air on WKNC starting at 7 p.m.

Don’t spend election night alone. We’ll have projectors set up to watch the results come in, you can hang out with us while we do our work, enjoy good company and talk local politics.

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6:32 a.m. - Charles Duncan

Good morning Raleigh,

It’s Election Day! Polls are open across Raleigh and WakeCounty to elect the mayor, the entire Raleigh City Council and four seats on the WakeCounty school board. Also up for a vote are two bonds, one for Wake schools construction and the other for transportation funding in Raleigh.

Still don’t know who you’re going to vote for? Check out our online voter guide for candidate profiles and explanations of the bonds.

Remember, the transportation bond is not about public transit like busses and trains but for roads, greenways and those sorts of projects.

Click here to find your polling place and see your sample ballot.