Cynthia Ball, candidate for NC House District 49

Name: Cynthia Ball

Political party: Democrat

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 69

Campaign website: https://www.cynthiafornc.com/

Occupation: Legislator and mediator

Education: BA in psychology, UNC-Greensboro (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude); MBA, Virginia Commonwealth University; 30 hours of doctoral coursework in human resources and organizational development, N.C. State. Mediator certification training and continued education.

Have you run for elected office before? Elected to serve NC House District 49 since 2016 election. Reelected in 2018 and 2020.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Raleigh Civil Service Commission; Raleigh Kiwanis; adviser or board member of various organizations through the years.

What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?

Funding our public schools by increasing educator and staff pay; expanding Medicaid; ensuring well paying jobs and affordable housing options. I will continue to sponsor bills and try to find common ground with other members to address these issues.

At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?

Funding public schools; providing universal Pre-K; tax breaks and child care subsidies for working families; broadband extension; supporting post-graduate programs at community colleges to train workers for jobs; helping close the health care coverage gap.

Will you vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina?

Yes.

What has the legislature gotten right, and what has it gotten wrong, about public education in North Carolina?

I applaud efforts to increase teacher pay, though these efforts fall way short of funds needed. We should not have expanded voucher funding, continued lowering corporate taxes and ultimately eliminating them rather than giving more tax relief and child care subsidies to families and others. We have not expanded Medicaid, which would help those who are in the coverage gap and are not able to have health care that would keep the children and parents healthy.

Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?

There should be fewer restrictions on abortion after 20 weeks.

Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.

We should ensure that abortions are allowed to save the life of the mother and for those who are pregnant from rape or incest. We have limited access to women’s reproductive health care in our state, especially for low-wealth individuals. We should increase education, funding and services to guarantee reproductive health programs such as birth control and support for mothers, and take care of our young children and their families.

Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?

Yes.

What, if anything, should the legislature do to shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?

We should provide age-appropriate education and provide support services within our schools.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.