Hometown Debates

Through its annual Hometown Debate Series, IOPL raises awareness of key issues by bringing newsmakers to communities across the state.

The 2020 Debate Series highlights North Carolina’s Council of State races. Often overshadowed, these offices play a critical role in the operations of state government and the formation of public policy.

By partnering with Spectrum News, the Debate Series airs statewide multiple times each weekend following the event. Spectrum News Political Reporter and Anchor Loretta Boniti will return as moderator of the series again this year.

The 2020 Hometown Debate Series
September 20: Lieutenant Governor (Concord)
September 27: State Superintendent (Wilmington)
October 4: Commissioner of Labor (Goldsboro)
October 11: State Treasurer (Sanford)

The 2020 Hometown Debate Series is made possible by our Series Sponsors:

        

Should NC increase the state’s role in financing local school construction? (Rocky Mount)
NC State Senator Rick Horner (District 11), NC State Senator Erica D. Smith (District 3)

Shared performance pay play more of a role in NC teacher compensation? (Newton)
NCAE President Mark Jewell (NC Association of Educators), NC State Representative Craig Horn (District 68)

Should the process be changed to fill judiciary vacancies? (Salisbury)
NC State Senator Paul Newton (District 36), NC State Senator Floyd McKissick (District 20)
Wayne Goodwin (Executive Director, NC Democratic Party, Brent Woodcox (Special Counsel, General Assembly)

 

Should voters be required to present a photo ID before voting? (Washington)
NC State Senator Erica Smith (District 3), NC Representative David Lewis (District 53), Donald Bryson (President/CEO, Civitas Institute), Kareem Crayton (Executive Director, Southern Coalition for Social Justice)

Should an eight-member Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement be established to administer ethics and elections law? (Clayton)
NC Representative David Lewis, NC Senator Dan Blue, Allison Riggs (Senior Attorney, Southern Coalition for Social Justice), and Dallas Woodhouse (Executive Director, NC Republican Party)

 

 

 

Should the income tax rate in North Carolina be reduced to a maximum allowable rate of 7%? (Gastonia)
NC Representative Kelly Alexander, NC Senator Dan Bishop, Chris McCoy (Americans for Prosperity), and Brian Kennedy (NC Budget and Tax Center)

 

 

 

Should North Carolina Expand Medicaid? (Lexington)
Former State Representative Nelson Dollar, Roy Lenardson (Foundation for Government Accountability) Wayne Goodwin (Executive Director, NC Democratic Party), Brendan Riley (NC Justice Center)

Healthcare Affordability and Access (Salisbury)
NC Rep. Carla Cunningham, former NC Rep. Bill Brawley, Jordan Roberts (John Locke Foundation)  Brendan Riley (NC Justice Center)

Issues in Rural Healthcare (Greenville)
NC Senator Jim Perry, NC Senator Don Davis, Tina Gordon (North Carolina Nurses Association) and Dr. Chelley Alexander (Brody School of Medicine)

 

 

 

Delivery of Medical Services (Henderson)
NC Representative Donna McDowell White, NC Representative Terry Garrison, Greg Griggs (NC Academy of Family Physicians), and Jordan Roberts (John Locke Foundation)