Guilford County government puts out press releases all the time; however, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston almost never does. But, over the Labor Day Weekend, Alston did send one out – one regarding the Black vote in the state in the upcoming election.

“In an unprecedented action,” the release states, “several of the largest and most influential African-American political action committees (PACs) in North Carolina will jointly announce support for candidates in the upcoming 2024 elections, including the races for President of the United States, Governor of North Carolina, and other statewide offices. The announcement will take place at a news conference in Raleigh, NC Wednesday, September 4th at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Legislative building located at 16 W. Jones St.”

The PACs didn’t show their cards in the statement regarding which candidates they will support, but it’s a safe bet that the name Trump is nowhere on their list.

The news conference in the state’s capital will be hosted by Alston, a member of the George C. Simkins, Jr. Memorial PAC in Greensboro –  which is one of the convening groups putting on the collective high-profile endorsement event.

Alston said of the plans, “Although each of these PACs made independent judgments about which candidates would best serve the interests of our state and nation, we found that there was substantial agreement among us. The importance of the 2024 elections makes it imperative that we unite and get the word out across the state about our support for these candidates.”

The participating organizations include the Raleigh Wake Citizens Association, the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC of Guilford County, the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, and the Bladen Improvement Association.

 While the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg hasn’t made formal endorsements yet for this year’s General Election, the group has agreed to a “shared commitment in supporting candidates who prioritize and advocate for the best interests of African Americans across the state.”

 The collective PAC’s press release states that the candidates to be endorsed “represent a powerful coalition of progressive leadership, dedicated to advancing the interests of African-American and marginalized communities across the state.”

Several of the candidates to be endorsed are expected to attend the news conference and hang around to take questions from the media afterwards, as well as to share their visions for North Carolina’s future.

According to the PACs, the endorsements are based on the candidates’ “proven track records and their commitment to policies that will uplift all North Carolinians.”

Alston added “These candidates have received our endorsements because we believe they are the ones who will be most effective in working to improve the lives of African Americans throughout our state and the lives of all citizens in North Carolina, especially in our marginalized communities. By and large, they are not new to public office and have demonstrated records for us to evaluate and compare with other candidates.”

In the weeks following the September 3 endorsement event and press conference, the participating PACs plan to join forces and actively work toward getting the candidates elected through grassroots efforts such as voter registration drives, door-to-door campaigning, voter training sessions, and by providing transportation to the polls for voters who need it.

The PACs say they’ll work together to see that every eligible voter has an opportunity to participate in this election and have information on the best candidates to vote for, and that they’re committed to maximizing voter turnout in what they call a “pivotal” election.

The start of voting is just around the corner now: Early voting in North Carolina starts on October 17 and ends on November 2, with Election Day falling on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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