April 29, 2026/Content Package
May Day, Education Funding, Early Voting On Campus
Here’s what were covering this week!👇
Teachers will not be ignored: The fight is not over for Education Funding
The recent Leandro school funding decision that has left our children in a tough spot. The North Carolina Supreme Court, led by GOP Chief Justice Paul Newby and Phil Berger Jr., dismissed the case that was so crucial for our education system. This ruling not only blocked funding that our schools desperately needed but also ignored the constitutional rights of our children.
Here’s the truth: we’ve gathered more than 1,000 signatures from people like you who believe in the importance of funding for our schools and supporting our teachers. This is a clear message that our community, regardless of party affiliation, is united in advocating for quality education for all.
Now, teachers, students, families and schools are continuing their fight to have their voices heard. Schools from Cumberland, Halifax, Hoke, Robeson, and Vance counties are calling on the four GOP Supreme Court justices who ruled against the funding to do the right thing and reconsider their decision. Our kids deserve the sound basic education guaranteed by our state constitution.
So, what can we do now? Join the North Carolina Association of Educators for a rally on Friday, May 1 at 10 A.M in downtown Raleigh, and sign our petition to keep the numbers growing.
And in the fall, vote to re-elect Justice Anita Earls to the NC Supreme Court! We’re grateful for her passionate dissent in the Leandro school funding case and her steadfast adherence to the constitution.
Remember, every vote counts, and every voice matters. Let’s stand up for our schools and fight for the future of our children!
Early Voting on College Campuses
We are working to establish on-campus early voting (EV) sites at NC colleges. For this to happen, campus administrators must first approve the site. Then, the County Board of Elections must include it in their final early voting plan.
By signing (and sharing) a petition for the college in your community, you are helping demonstrate strong demand from students, faculty, and staff for accessible voting options. The more signatures we gather, the stronger our case becomes when advocating for approval.
Find the campus in your community here and add your name to call for an on-campus early voting site at the college in your community and help make voting more accessible for our campus community.
Please only sign a petition for the college in your community. You can find a graphic in the folder to share or print out to spread the word!
Military Appreciation Month
As we kick off Military Appreciation Month, we just want to say thank you to all of the service members who served across our state. North Carolina is home to the 8th largest number of military Veterans in the United States, with approximately 619,000 Veterans who make up around 8% of North Carolina’s population.
The Democratic Party understands that we must protect those who fight for our freedom, and the call for action has never been more urgent or clear. The current political climate led by the Trump administration has put our military members’ lives at risk and disregarded their most basic needs. The need for Democratic Unity against Republican policies is critical, especially when considering the affordability issues facing them every day.
These issues are not just political; they touch the lives of real people every day. It is time to advocate for change and ensure that those who serve the nation are treated with respect and dignity.
Pack the Gallery
The NCGA is back in session this week and we’re packing the gallery to show our elected representatives that their constituents are engaged, informed, and ready to hold them accountable. Lawmakers are pushing SB 214, a bill that would allow local governments to take land and property from neighboring communities without their consent. We’re showing up to remind them: the government should work for the people, not take from them. Let’s fill every seat in the gallery and remind our elected officials who they serve! Sign up here.
Failure To Appear
New reporting from NC Newsline is exposing DC insider Michael Whatley’s decades-long criminal history. Whatley has had two separate orders issued for his arrest after driving dangerously and repeatedly failing to appear in court. He even failed to appear as recently as 2023. Whatley’s rap sheet includes a dozen more charges for speeding, dangerous driving, and more across North Carolina and Virginia.
“DC insider Michael Whatley clearly believes the rule of law doesn’t apply to him,” said Mallory Payne, senior communications advisor for the North Carolina Democratic Party. “With a decades-long criminal history of dangerous driving, repeatedly failing to appear in court, and having multiple orders issued for his arrest, Whatley flouted the law and put North Carolina families at risk with his reckless behavior.”
May Day
On May Day, we choose workers over billionaires because justice should never depend on your wealth or status. Yet under Chief Justice Paul Newby, North Carolina’s courts have too often sided with corporate power over everyday people. When the scales of justice tip toward the wealthy, working families pay the price. It’s time to demand a system where everyone is held accountable and no one is above the law. We must elect Democratic judges this November.
That’s a wrap for this week’s messaging!
Now it’s your turn! Download the graphics below, copy our captions, and get the message out! Whether you’re lighting up the group chat or sharing it on your timeline, your voice is what actually moves the needle!
See y’all on the internet!
—NCDP Digital
Post on Friday May 1st
Sample Caption:
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Sample Caption:
Paul Newby has let our courts become a corporate playground. The fight to take back our Supreme Court starts at the ballot box this November. See the plan at fairjudgesnc.com
Alternative Graphic In Google Drive
Sample Caption:
Join the 1,200+ North Carolinians who are demanding the failed Republican leadership in Raleigh fund our public schools! It’s time to pay our teachers what they’re worth and give our kids the classrooms they deserve!
Add your name here: ncdp.org/petition
Sample Caption:
Our teachers and students deserve fully funded classrooms, not political games from corrupt Republican judges. Justice Anita Earls knows that. We have to protect her seat this November so we can finally take back our courts in 2028. ✨
Sample Caption:
Fairness can be more complicated than we think, which is why we need judges who are consistent in their judgment and value equal justice under the law.
Vote for Justice Anita Earls this November.
Sample Caption:
Our service members and their families are the heart of this state, and we’re fighting to make sure they have the benefits they have earned. Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸
Stories To Boost:
WRAL News: Minimum wage, housing affordability, data center crackdown among NC Democrats’ 2026 priorities
Sample Social Post:
There is only one party focused on fixing things people actually care about. Hint: It’s not the Republican party.
Upcoming:
NCAE May Day | May 1st 10am
May 1st is our moment. Thousands of educators, retirees, and community members are coming together in Raleigh to show the General Assembly that North Carolina puts kids over corporations.
We need all hands on deck to make this day a success. Whether you want to help with logistics, support attendees, make calls to recruit more people, or just show up and get put where you are needed most, there is a role for you.
Get the toolkit here!
Party Officer Workshops (In Person/Multiple Locations)
Join NCDP for an engaging all-day, in-person workshop for new and returning Officers: Chairs, Vice Chairs, Secretaries, Treasurers, and any other key leaders. We’ll cover fundraising and budgeting, communication best practices, and collaboration across our Democratic networks (Regional Organizing Directors from the Coordinated Campaign will be there to meet you). Attend whichever session works best for you. We recommend attending as a leadership team — there are several hands-on exercises that are best done together.
APRIL 29th – Randolph County
MAY 2ND – Transylvania County
Party Officer Workshops (In Person/Multiple Locations)
Learn and practice VoteBuilder skills in these In-person sessions, with hands-on help from NCDP staff. Whether you are an experienced VoteBuilder user or you’re just starting out, join us for this workshop to:
- Leverage VoteBuilder to inform your strategy (create list, use counts and crosstabs, targets and scores)
- Build and run direct voter contact programs (set up canvasses and phonebanks, cut turf, print to miniVAN)
- Track your results
- Adjust your program to match campaign phase (ID, persuade, GOTV, chase and cure)
Bring your laptop, your power cord and your questions! All sessions are on Fridays from 1-4pm.
MAY 1st – Transylvania County
Candidate Support Office Hours | Tuesdays 12-1pm
Join the NCDP Team on Zoom our weekly Office Hours!
Office Hours is not formal training and there isn’t an agenda, but it’s a chance to ask questions, get campaign advice, and connect with departments and resources.
How to knock doors and use miniVAN | Multiple Days
Learn why one-on-one conversations with voters are so important, review door knocking best practices, and see how to use our canvassing tool, miniVAN!
Become an Anytime Canvasser for Anita Earls: Field Team Justice | Multiple Days
Field Team Justice is NCDP’s network of grassroots volunteers dedicated to electing Justice Anita Earls and our Court of Appeals candidates next year.
We’re launching our Anytime/Anywhere Canvassing program—an easy, flexible way to help voters learn about our judicial candidates. We’re putting powerful tools in your hands so you can grow this movement right from your own neighborhood.
Party Organizing Hybrid Phone Bank at NCDP HQ | Wednesdays 6-8 PM
Building power starts with engaging our neighbors. Join the Wake County Young Democrats, NCDP Regional Organizer Daniel Franch, and friendly neighbors on Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm at NCDP Headquarters in Raleigh or on Zoom to call friendly Democrats to talk about making a plan to vote in the 2026 midterm elections and invite them to upcoming events. No experience necessary. You’ll get all the training you need when we meet. If you join us in-person, we have pizza, snacks, and refreshing beverages. Join us to create a closer community and a bluer North Carolina!