GOLDSBORO, N.C. — Wayne County residents will have an opportunity to hear from candidates seeking local, state, and federal offices during a political forum hosted by Grantham Grange on Tuesday, September 22.
The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Grantham Middle School, located at 3093 U.S. Highway 13 South in Goldsboro. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.
Grantham Grange is a local, nonpartisan nonprofit organization that has hosted a political forum every two years for more than 20 years. The event provides voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their interest in serving in public office and to ask questions ahead of the upcoming election.
Each candidate will be given four to five minutes to speak about their interest in running for office. The forum will also include time for questions from the public, along with opportunities for attendees to speak one-on-one with candidates during the event.
Candidates Confirmed to Attend
A number of candidates seeking state and local offices have confirmed their attendance, including Jessica Rivera and Buck Newton, candidates in the North Carolina Senate District 4 race.
Jimmy Dixon, the incumbent in the N.C. House District 4 race, and Zyaire Webb, a candidate in the N.C. House District 10 race, are also scheduled to attend.
In Wayne County races, Kevin Johnson and Beatrice Jones, candidates for the Wayne County Board of Commissioners at-large seat, have confirmed their participation.
Other local candidates expected to attend include Julie Whitfield, a candidate for Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court, and Larry Pierce, the Republican incumbent in the Wayne County sheriff’s race.
Candidates for the Wayne County Board of Education who have confirmed their attendance include Chris West, District 1; Bill Joyner, District 4; and Wade Leatham, District 6.
Additional Congressional and Judicial Candidates Expected
Other candidates planning to participate include Raymond Smith, a Democratic candidate seeking the Third Congressional District seat, and Anita Earls, the incumbent in the N.C. Supreme Court associate justice Seat 1 race.
Sonya Davis and Roy A. Dawson, candidates in the N.C. District Court District 9, Seat 1 race, are also expected to attend, along with Jeff Cannon, a candidate in the District Attorney District 9 race.
Jennifer Strickland, a former Republican candidate for the Wayne County Board of Commissioners at-large seat, will attend the forum to represent several other candidates.
Those candidates include John Bell, a Republican candidate for the N.C. House District 10 seat; Michael Byrne, a Republican candidate for the N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 1; George Bell, a Republican candidate for the N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 2; and Craig Collins, a Republican candidate for the N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 3.
Early Voting Begins October 15
The political forum comes ahead of the November 3 general election, with early voting in North Carolina scheduled to begin Thursday, October 15, 2026.
The forum will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the candidates and their reasons for seeking public office before casting their ballots.
In addition to the scheduled candidate remarks and public question-and-answer period, attendees will have an opportunity to speak individually with candidates during the event.
The political forum is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the Grantham Middle School auditorium.
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