Jan. 20, 2010

2010 Spectrum of Democracy Award Recipients Announced

RALEIGH - The N.C. Center for Voter Education is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2010 Spectrum of Democracy Awards, who will be honored at a dinner event on Feb. 25 in downtown Raleigh.

The Spectrum of Democracy Awards recognize significant contributions to North Carolina’s democratic system by citizens, public servants and the media.

This year’s honorees are:

In the “citizen” category, Kevin Hight, a teacher at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville;

In the “public servant” category, state Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County;

In the “media” category, UNC-TV, statewide public television.

“From helping our youth gain an understanding of the political process and serving citizens in the halls of government, to providing thoughtful, in-depth coverage of politics and elections, each of these winners has done much to improve the quality of our state’s democracy,” said Damon Circosta, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education.  “We are grateful for their vital efforts, especially as we enter such an important election year.”

The awards will be presented during a dinner celebration at the Cardinal Club in downtown Raleigh on Thursday, Feb. 25.  The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.  D.G. Martin, host of "North Carolina Bookwatch" on UNC-TV, will be a special guest speaker at the event.

Tickets are now on sale for $50, with a special discount price of $35 available for students and members of the military.

More information on the event and purchasing tickets is available at www.ncvotered.com/spectrum or by calling the N.C. Center for Voter Education, toll-free, at 1-877-258-6837.

The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a Raleigh-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, dedicated to helping citizens more fully participate in their democracy.