Full announcement from Children First:

(Asheville, NC) A new nonpartisan voter guide has been launched online and in print to offer an opportunity to raise important issues during the campaign season, to educate voters, and to build relationships between candidates, voters, and organizations that reinforce civic engagement. Survey questions focused on policy priorities, child poverty, and cuts to education funding – and were sent to all candidates who are registered to run for state and local Buncombe County elections. The voter guide also includes basic information on voting in North Carolina, the N.C. Voter Bill of Rights, and early voting locations.

“We’re thrilled that all but 5 candidates at the state and local level submitted responses to our survey,” stated Allison Jordan, Executive Director of Children First/ Communities In Schools. “This demonstrates that they’re willing to get on the record about tough issues such as child poverty that we don’t often hear candidates discussing in election-time sound-bites.”

Jenn Frye, Associate Director of Democracy North Carolina stated: “This voter guide is the product of community organizations coming together to engage candidates in a vibrant discussion about issues that matter in Buncombe County. Our hope is that it will be a great resource for voters, and we thank all the candidates that took time to respond to our survey questions.”

The following organizations cosponsored the 2012 Voter Guide: Asheville City Schools Foundation, Caring for Children, Christians for a United Community, Just Economics of WNC, League of Women Voters, MANNA FoodBank, Smart Start of Buncombe County, OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, WNC AIDS Project, and YWCA of Asheville.

The voter guide is available at http://www.votebuncombe.org, and print copies are available in various locations across Buncombe County, including the Children First/ CIS office at 50 S. French Broad Avenue, Suite 246.