Another big day for endorsements!

INDY Week says, “Damon Seils has served on Carrboro’s town council for eight years, and we are pleased to endorse him for mayor.” Read more of what INDY Week had to say about my campaign.

I’m pleased to receive the support of the Progressive Democrats of Orange County. This is PDOC’s first time endorsing in a Carrboro municipal election, and I couldn’t be prouder to be the first mayoral candidate to receive their endorsement.

I’m honored to have once again earned the endorsement of the Orange-Chatham Group of the North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club. Read their full statement below.

“For mayor, [the Orange-Chatham Group] is enthusiastically endorsing Damon Seils, who has been previously endorsed for each of his Town Council races and has made decisions on Council that advance climate action and responsible development and transportation. Seils understands the intersectionality of community sustainability, and that the transportation, development and greenspace decisions are all relevant to the equity that is a town priority. Seils is a leader in regional transportation planning, and well understands how having diverse transportation choices is necessary to address the largest source of greenhouse gases, will advance equitable access to destinations like jobs, and will support the compact development that minimizes impervious surfaces. He also walks the talk, taking transit regularly. In addition, his years of experience on Town Council and his regular engagement with residents make him well prepared for the leadership role of Mayor.”

I’m grateful to the NEXT Chapel Hill-Carrboro Action Fund for their endorsement of my mayoral campaign. They highlighted my years of experience representing Carrboro at the local and regional levels on transportation planning issues and my advocacy for a more inclusive North Carolina, among our many shared values. Read the complete endorsements for both Carrboro and Chapel Hill.

Big news to share! The LGBTQ Victory Fund—the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ people to public office—has endorsed my campaign for mayor of Carrboro.

From the press release:

“Damon Seils has been a leader in advancing equality in Carrboro and across North Carolina for many years,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund.

Damon is immensely qualified to serve as mayor, and LGBTQ Victory Fund is proud to endorse him.” LGBTQ people remain severely underrepresented in government nationwide—holding just 0.18 percent of elected positions despite representing at least 4.5 percent of the US population, according to Gallup. Seils has been a consistent champion for LGBTQ people during his time on the Carrboro Town Council and in his broader work in the community. Damon has served on the Duke LGBT Task Force, which works closely with students, employees, alumni/ae, and administrators to promote equality and inclusion for gender and sexual minority communities on campus and in the health system. He received the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award from Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity in 2006, and he received the Outstanding Staff Award from the Center for LGBT Life (now the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity) in 2008. He has been a consistent volunteer with the NC AIDS Action Network and received their Advocate of the Year Award in 2017.

Victory Fund will promote Seils’ endorsement among its hundreds of thousands of supporters nationwide. More information about Victory Fund can be found at victoryfund.org.

Sincerest thanks to the Equality NC Action Fun. This endorsement carries special meaning for me as one of North Carolina’s small number of LGBTQ elected officials. It affirms many years of work to advance equality in Carrboro and across the state, and it reminds us how much work remains. ?️‍⚧️?️‍?

Durham City Council Member Jillian Johnson is probably the most dedicated, most vital progressive elected official working in North Carolina local government today. Working with her has been a highlight of my time on the Carrboro Town Council, and I’m so appreciative of her support and inspiration.

From Jillian’s statement: “And finally, Damon Seils is more than ready to be Carrboro’s next mayor. In his 8 years of experience on Town Council, Damon has championed improving transit, affordable housing, and equitable engagement. He’s the right person to take up the gavel.”

Read the full statement.

I’m grateful to receive this kind endorsement from North Carolina trailblazer Nida Allam, and to be in such good company.