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North Carolina

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Senator Lisa Grafstein Biography

Lisa earned her bachelor's degree in English from Northwestern University, and her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Lisa lives in Wake County with her adult son. 

Lisa is currently a lawyer for Disability Rights North Carolina. She previously ran her firm, the Law Office of Lisa Grafstein, PLLC. She also served as campaign manager for Suzanne Reynolds, Linda Stephens, and Robin Hudson for their North Carolina Supreme Court races.

Lisa Grafstein currently serves as a state senator in District 13. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. 

Candidate website

Believes a just economy requires living wages, safe working conditions, and fair tax policies. Criticizes state policies for harming workers and failing to fund critical public goods like healthcare and education.

Believes a just economy requires living wages, safe working conditions, and fair tax policies.

Believes wages have not kept up with the cost of living and opposes state anti-union laws that undermine workers' ability to organize for better conditions and wages.

Opposes state anti-union laws that undermine workers' ability to organize for better conditions and wages.

Believes businesses benefiting from North Carolina’s workforce and quality of life should pay their fair share in taxes. Supports strong workforce and fair policies as beneficial for business.

Belives businesses benefiting from North Carolina’s workforce and quality of life should pay their fair share in taxes. 

Believes income has not kept pace with rising home prices and rents, and supports raising wages to improve housing affordability.

Believes housing affordability is impacted by investment firms buying properties, pricing out first-time home buyers. Supports policies to discourage using housing stock as an investment vehicle.

Supports policies that prevent housing from being used solely for investment.

Plans to restore the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund to expand accessibility to affordable housing for low-income families.

- Believes a just economy requires living wages, safe working conditions, and fair tax policies.
- Opposes state anti-union laws that undermine workers' ability to organize for better conditions and wages.
- Supports policies that prevent housing from being used solely for investment.
- Plans to restore the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund to expand accessibility to affordable housing for low-income families.

Economy

Supports bold and immediate action on the climate crisis, including investing in renewable energy, incentivizing solar adoption, and developing clean energy public transit.

Believes environmental justice is crucial for addressing the climate crisis and highlights the disproportionate exposure to pollutants in communities of color.

Believes environmental justice is crucial for addressing the climate crisis. 

- Supports bold and immediate action on the climate crisis, including investing in renewable energy, incentivizing solar adoption, and developing clean energy public transit.
- Believes environmental justice is crucial for addressing the climate crisis. 

Energy & the Environment

Believes in protecting "the right to abortion and reproductive freedom." Supports healthcare policies including medical marijuana, insurance, public health, and COVID-19 measures.

Supports abortion rights and reproductive freedom. 

Believes in making community-based services more accessible for people with disabilities by increasing funding.

Supports increasing funding for community-based services to support people with disabilities. 

- Supports abortion rights and reproductive freedom. 
- Supports increasing funding for community-based services to support people with disabilities. 
- Supports expanding Medicaid.

Healthcare

Believes the electoral system must be "equitably funded" to ensure strong processes and adequate staffing at all levels and locations.

Believes all voters should have ample opportunities to vote, both in person and by absentee ballot.

Believes protecting voting rights is essential for improving access to healthcare, housing, and living wages.

Supports implementing a non-partisan redistricting commission to prevent gerrymandering.

- Believes the electoral system must be "equitably funded" to ensure strong processes and adequate staffing at all levels and locations.
- Believes all voters should have ample opportunities to vote, both in person and by absentee ballot.
- Believes protecting voting rights is essential for improving access to healthcare, housing, and living wages.
- Supports implementing a non-partisan redistricting commission to prevent gerrymandering.

Voting & Elections

As of June 14, 2024, Lisa Grafstein’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Believes North Carolina fails to provide children with a "sound, basic education" as mandated by the state Supreme Court in the Leandro case.

Believes teachers are overworked and underappreciated. Supports treating and paying teachers as professionals to better meet students' needs.

 Supports providing teachers with fair compensation.

Believes in valuing communities, investing in children, and dismantling divisive policies in education. Supports a different, achievable approach to education reform.

Believes in valuing communities, investing in children, and dismantling divisive policies in education. 

- Believes North Carolina fails to provide children with a "sound, basic education" as mandated by the state Supreme Court in the Leandro case.
-  Supports providing teachers with fair compensation.
- Believes in valuing communities, investing in children, and dismantling divisive policies in education. 

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Lisa Grafstein

Lisa earned her bachelor's degree in English from Northwestern University. She also earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Lisa lives in Wake County with her adult son. 

Lisa Grafstein currently serves as State Senator in State Senate District 13. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. 

- Believes North Carolina fails to provide children with a "sound, basic education" as mandated by the state Supreme Court in the Leandro case.
-  Supports providing teachers fair compensation.
- Believes in valuing communities, investing in children, and dismantling divisive policies in education. 

As of July 8, 2024, Lisa Grafstein’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Lisa Grafstein has been a civil rights lawyer since 1995 and is currently working with Disability Rights North Carolina. She previously ran her own firm, Law Office of Lisa Grafstein, PLLC, from 1995 to 2011. Additionally, she has experience managing political campaigns, having served as campaign manager for Suzanne Reynolds, Linda Stephens, and Robin Hudson for their respective North Carolina Supreme Court races.

Believes overturning Roe v. Wade signals a retreat from equal rights and emphasizes the need to address disparities in abortion access due to geography and poverty.

The candidate's website says, "This was a wholly avoidable tragedy. After years of relentless efforts by Governor Cooper and Democrats in the General Assembly, Medicaid Expansion will go into effect on December 1, 2023."

Believes North Carolina has excellent healthcare facilities but criticizes the lack of Medicaid expansion, resulting in 600,000 people without affordable healthcare and loss of federal funding.

Believes healthcare and public education suffer when underfunded and prioritizes people over profit.

Believes in fighting for the right to control one's own body. As President of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, worked with advocates to advance women's rights in North Carolina.

Believes improving healthcare includes addressing unmet needs in behavioral healthcare for mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders.

Believes lack of access to behavioral healthcare excludes people from the social and economic mainstream, causing an "incalculable" human toll.

Believes extreme gerrymandering and voting restrictions erode citizens' power in critical issues. Supports three core values to drive the election system.

Believes political divisions worsen when elected officials choose their voters instead of voters selecting their representatives.

Believes "we can do better" in fixing the education system and supports implementing the Leandro plan to improve K-12 school policies.

Ballotpedia, Scott Lassiter

Scott was born and raised in Apex. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science, a master's degree in school administration, and a doctorate degree in educational leadership from North Carolina State University. He is engaged to his fiance, Hannah. 

Scott currently works as an assistant principal at Wake County Public Schools. He has previously worked as a teacher and administrator at middle schools in North Raleigh and Knightdale. Scott also served as a parks, recreation, and cultural resources advisory commissioner.

Scott Lassiter currently serves as a member of the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District. He was elected to this position in 2020 and is serving his first term. He previously served as a member of the Apex Town Council. He was elected to that position in 2011 and served for 1 term.  

Believes Wake County's economic issues are unique and emphasizes the need for job accessibility for residents. Supports partnerships between educational institutions and employers to equip students with necessary job skills.

Wants to ensure there are job opportunities for young adults. 

Believes the government should not create jobs or choose business winners and losers, but foster an environment rewarding innovation and accessible success.

Wants government to encourage an environment where innovation is rewarded and success is available to all, not "create jobs or choose winners and losers in business."

Believes property tax increases due to rising property values are a "sleight of hand trick" by officials. Supports ensuring municipal and county taxing authorities are truthful with citizens.

Wants to ensure local taxing authorities are truthful with residents.

- Wants to ensure there are job opportunities for young adults. 
- Wants government to encourage an environment where innovation is rewarded and success is available to all, not "create jobs or choose winners and losers in business."
- Wants to ensure local taxing authorities are truthful with residents.

Supports developing collaborative relationships among various stakeholders to promote soil and water resource conservation.

Supports developing relationships among various community members to help fund and promote soil and water resource conservation.

- Supports developing relationships among various community members to help fund and promote soil and water resource conservation.

Supports abortion access and believes reproductive health decisions should be private matters between individuals and their doctors.

Supports limited access to abortion, supporting current North Carolina law that allows first-trimester abortions and that allows later procedures with a doctor's approval or in exceptional cases. Says, "As a deeply personal issue, reproductive health decisions should stay between a couple or in a doctor's office."

- Supports limited access to abortion, supporting current North Carolina law that allows first-trimester abortions and that allows later procedures with a doctor's approval or in exceptional cases. Says, "As a deeply personal issue, reproductive health decisions should stay between a couple or in a doctor's office."

Wants all government officials to uphold transparency and promises all of the employees in his office will be responsive and professional.

- Wants all government officials to uphold transparency and promises all of the employees in his office will be responsive and professional.

Supports investing in public safety professionals' compensation, training, and equipment, emphasizing their essential role in community infrastructure.

Plans to prioritize law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians (EMT) salaries, training, and equipment.  

- Plans to prioritize law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians (EMT) salaries, training, and equipment.  

Believes students should meet basic competency standards before promotion and opposes over-identification of minority students as special education eligible. Supports funding schools to provide a free and appropriate education for all children.

Opposes allowing students who are not "passing basic competency standards..." to progress to the subsequent grade level. 

Believes schools must be safe for learning and working, with parental involvement crucial for student success. Supports giving traditional public schools charter-like flexibility and compensating effective educators to attract and retain talent.

Supports ensuring schools are safe for students and staff. 

Wants to form strong relations with business leaders, universities, schools and municipalities to help address problems in the district.

Wants to work with community members, universities, trade programs, non-traditional schools, and businesses to ensure students are well supported and have sufficient knowledge and skills to succeed after graduation.

Supports providing public school teachers and support staff salaries that are at least equal to those at private schools.

Plans to ensure the school curriculum contains research-based, unbiased, and appropriate course material.

- Opposes allowing students who are not "passing basic competency standards..." to progress to the subsequent grade level. 
- Supports ensuring schools are safe for students and staff. 
- Wants to form strong relations with business leaders, universities, schools and municipalities to help address problems in the district.
- Wants to work with community members, universities, trade programs, non-traditional schools, and businesses to ensure students are well supported and have sufficient knowledge and skills to succeed after graduation.
- Supports providing public school teachers and support staff salaries that are at least equal to those at private schools.
- Plans to ensure the school curriculum contains research-based, unbiased, and appropriate course material.

As of June 14, 2024, Scott Lassiter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Scott Lassiter

- Supports limited access to abortion, supporting current North Carolina law to allow first-trimester abortions and to allow later procedures with a doctor's approval or in exceptional cases. Says, "As a deeply personal issue, reproductive health decisions should stay between a couple or in a doctor's office."

Scott Lassiter was born and raised in Apex, North Carolina, where he attended Apex Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. He is engaged to Hannah from Brunswick County, NC. Scott completed his higher education at N.C. State, where he earned a bachelor's degree, an educational specialist license, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Details about his church attendance or other family members are not provided.

Scott Lassiter is a public school administrator in the Wake County Public School System, currently serving as an assistant principal. He has previously worked as a teacher and administrator at comprehensive middle schools in North Raleigh and Knightdale, and was involved in opening an innovative alternative middle school in 2018. Scott also served as an Apex Town Councilman, where he chaired the budget and planning committees, and was a parks, recreation, and cultural resources advisory commissioner. He holds a N.C. superintendent's license, principal license, and a professional teaching license.

Scott Lassiter served as an Apex Town Councilman for 4 years from 2011-2015, during which time he chaired the budget and planning committees and acted as the liaison to the parks department. He was also a parks, recreation, and cultural resources advisory commissioner from 2006-2011. Currently, he holds the position of Wake County Soil and Water Supervisor.

Believes in the importance of effective land and water management practices. Supports unique government entities created by NC General Statute for this purpose.

Believes in the importance of improving water and soil quality through various initiatives.

Believes the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Board has a challenging role due to its lack of regulatory authority, making advocacy essential.

Ballot Pedia

Susan is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She received a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University and is a member of the Libertarian Party National Committee.

Susan currently works as a clinical research coordinator at the Duke University School of Medicine. She has previously worked as a processing technician and a laboratory manager.

Susan Hogarth previously ran for State Senator in State Senate District 17 in 2016  but did not win.

As of June 14, 2024, Susan Hogarth did not have a website or any information online.

Susan Hogarth

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

North Carolina State Senator, District 13

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