North Carolina’s climate future is hanging in the balance.
The next stage of the battle to protect our future—and our children’s’ future—will be decided in North Carolina’s polling places.
North Carolina is on the frontline of the climate crisis. From increased flooding to intense hurricanes and extreme heat, North Carolinians know we are already suffering from warming global temperatures. But the state’s renewable energy economy and world-class research institutions can be the engine in our fight against climate change. Solar and offshore wind can create thousands of new jobs while decreasing utility bills for all North Carolinians.
At the polls this November, we’re fighting for the right of every North Carolinian to live safe from extreme weather events and have affordable access to clean air, water, and energy.
This year, we’ve proven the power that our movement can have when we have a pro-climate majority in Congress: The Inflation Reduction Act will provide almost $370 billion to states to invest in clean energy and ensure climate justice for communities across the country. But that’s just one drop in the large bucket of work left ahead of us to ensure climate justice and energy equity for all.
It’s vital that we keep up this momentum and ensure pro-climate voters turn out to the polls in North Carolina this year.
Everything you need to know about voting this year in North Carolina:
- THE WHEN: Important dates
- THE WHO: Meet the candidates
- THE HOW: Take action
- THE RESULTS: As of November 16, 2022
THE WHEN: Important dates
Don’t know if you’re registered to vote? Want to request a mail-in ballot? You’re in the right spot to have all your logistical questions answered!
Check out these key deadlines and resources to make sure you don’t miss the chance to vote in North Carolina by November 8.
|
Make sure to…
|
By this deadline
|
More info
|
|---|---|---|
Have more questions or having technical problems? Get in touch with the North Carolina State Board of Elections at 919-841-0700 or toll-free at 866-522-4723.
THE WHO: Meet the candidates
We need true climate champions to lead us to a clean energy future for North Carolina—and these candidates fit that bill.
CHERI BEASLEY
Running for U.S. Senate
Former North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice
Why we support Beasley
- She believes tackling the climate crisis is imperative to North Carolinians’ health, economy, and security, and understands that the consequences of inaction are already hurting the people of our state.
- North Carolina is the birthplace of the environmental justice movement, and she knows we must take action to address systemic, disproportionate impacts of climate change and pollution on underserved communities.
- She has pledged to work toward ensuring all North Carolinians can live in safe and healthy communities with clean air, clean water, and improved waste infrastructure.
- She also supports investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, expanding the state’s renewable energy industry, and ensuring workers across North Carolina receive the training they need for clean energy jobs.
JEFF JACKSON
Running for U.S. House of Representatives (NC-14)
State Senator for North Carolina since 2014 and current captain in the Army National Guard✢
Why we support Jackson
- As a state senator, he’s been an environmental champion, working to propose amendments to add additional coal ash sites to the state’s high-priority cleanup list.
- He introduced and cosponsored a number of bills focused on climate action, such as accelerating the transition to clean energy, promoting electric vehicles and energy efficiency, and protecting clean water from dangerous PFAS chemicals.
- If elected to the House, we know he will work to ensure a just transition to cleaner energy, aggressively reduce emissions, and form partnerships with North Carolinians across industries.
DON DAVIS
Running for U.S. House of Representatives (NC-01)
State senator for North Carolina since 2013 and former Air Force officer✹
Why we endorse Davis
- During his time in the North Carolina Senate, he has been a strong defender and supporter of climate action, working to develop and introduce flood resiliency and prevention legislation to help eastern shore communities recover from the damage that comes from extreme weather events.
- He understands climate action is vital to ensure North Carolina and our nation have safe, healthy places for people to live and raise children, where families can be free from the dangers of toxic pollution and have access to clean air and water. He has written about ways the climate crisis disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color, and how they are more likely to have air and water pollution that exceeds national standards.
- If elected, we know he will fight for all North Carolinian communities’ right to a cleaner, brighter future.
WILEY NICKEL
Running for U.S. House of Representatives (NC-13)
State senator for North Carolina since 2019
Why we endorse Nickel
- In his first term on the North Carolina State Senate, he served on the Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resource Committee, and he has been a consistently strong advocate for climate action in the state.
- He led on a number of environmental bills, including the first carbon tax bill in the state, with the goal of encouraging private businesses to reduce their carbon emissions.
- If elected, we know he will support investments in clean energy infrastructure and jobs, funding for sustainable transportation initiatives, and the creation of a long-term plan toward energy independence. He believes a strong economy and a clean environment go hand in hand.
Important note: This election cycle, the NRDC Action Fund focused on endorsements for key federal and gubernatorial races. We know there are other important races on the ballot, so we encourage you to seek out other trusted resources to help you learn about candidates in races we have not covered.
THE HOW: Take action!
Once you have a plan to vote, what’s next?
We need your help to spread the word about this year’s election and make sure every eligible voter you know in North Carolina has all the information they need to cast their ballot in support of a pro-climate majority.
Share this North Carolina voter guide on social media
Share to Facebook. >>
Share to Twitter. >>
Don’t have social media? Share this page directly with your North Carolinian friends and family!
Sign up to be a poll worker on Election Day!
A sign of a functioning democracy is high voter turnout, but unfortunately, polling places in some states are forced to close due to a lack of poll workers. Poll workers power our democracy—and North Carolina’s polling stations need your help this year more than ever.
Connect with our climate activist community on Slack!
On our All In for Climate Action Slack channel, you’ll find other people who care just as much about protecting our planet’s future as you do. From volunteer opportunities (both at home and in person) to campaign updates, this activist community is the best way you can stay active this midterm season.
Join our All In for Climate Action Slack channel! >>
Sign up to write letters to North Carolina voters
We’re partnering with Vote Forward to mobilize volunteers like you to write thousands of get-out-the-vote (GOTV) letters to voters in North Carolina. This is one of the most effective ways to make sure people turn up to vote—in fact, writing personal letters can increase turnout results by up to 3.4 percentage points!
Sign up to write letters on NRDC Action Fund’s Vote Forward hub. >>
Sign up for volunteer opportunities!
Whether you’re interested in canvassing door to door, texting voters from your couch, or anything in between, there are always new volunteer opportunities during election season.
Check out North Carolina Get Out the Vote events here! >>
Check your voter registration status
Every voter’s first step in an election year should be to double-check their voter registration status. With so many voting rights fights going on across the country these days, it’s vital for everyone to check—even if you think you’re registered already.
Use our Vote.org tool to check on your voter registration! >>
THE RESULTS: As of November 16, 2022
We know that when it comes to fighting climate change and securing a clean and healthy future for everyone, every election counts. This one was no different. Democrats fought hard to retain their majority in the Senate, while Republicans are poised to take narrow control of the House of Representatives.
But a split Congress means leaders from both parties have a responsibility to work together to build a livable future for all. Now it is important to continue to push for equitable climate action and insist that both parties work to deliver a clean energy future. The NRDC Action Fund has a long history of working with bipartisan legislatures to achieve real climate progress. There is tough work ahead—but for now let’s celebrate the new and returning climate champions.
Here are the new and returning climate champions at the helm in North Carolina:
- Don Davis has been elected as representative for District NC-01.
- Wiley Nickel has been elected as representative for District NC-13.
- Jeff Jackson has been elected as representative for District NC-14.
The following candidates were not elected this year:
- Former chief justice Cheri Beasley, who ran for senator.
Our journey does not end on Election Day. We will continue to defend the wins and learn from the losses over the last two years. And we hope you will continue to support this work.
Paid for by the NRDC Action Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
✢Senator Jeff Jackson is a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve and a current member of the Army National Guard. Use of Senator Jackson’s military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.
✹Senator Don Davis is a former member of the U.S. Air Force. Use of Senator Davis’s military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or the Department of Defense.
