A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the New Hanover County Election Department on February 5, 2025. The request, filed by SE North Carolina News, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage of local governmental affairs, sought detailed information about candidates running in the upcoming election.
The specifics of the request included a list of all candidates participating in the forthcoming election. This list was requested to contain each candidate's first, middle, and last names along with the office they are vying for and its jurisdiction. The party affiliation of each candidate was also requested.
In addition to these details, SE North Carolina News also asked for all contact information for each candidate. This includes their address, phone number, and email address.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we at SE North Carolina News believe that access to public records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we consider ourselves eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
This request is part of our ongoing commitment to keeping the public informed about local government affairs. We await a response from the New Hanover County Election Department regarding this matter.
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