Source: Editorial Board
Nicole Sidman is an attorney and mother with a long history of community involvement, whether it was as PTA president at her son’s school, campaign manager for former Representative Christy Clark’s winning run in 2018, or as Director of Congregational Life at Temple Beth El in Charlotte.
Sidman is now running to represent the newly created House District 105, which makes up part of southeastern Mecklenburg County. Sidman was inspired to run after learning her opponent would be none other than party-switching Rep. Tricia Cotham.
Cotham switched parties to become a Republican in 2023, giving the NCGOP a supermajority in the legislature and becoming the deciding vote on a sweeping abortion ban that has had deadly results in North Carolina.
In stark contrast, Sidman is a strong defender of reproductive rights. “Frankly, we should all be tired of a small band of legislative leaders dictating our freedoms and taking them away for their own personal power,” Sidman told the Charlotte Observer earlier this year. Sidman has said she would work to overturn the state’s abortion ban, and always vote to protect reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy.
In addition to defending reproductive rights, Sidman is focused on strengthening our public schools and stopping gun violence, two additional areas where she draws a contrast with Cotham.
When it comes to public schools, Sidman wants to reduce class size, increase teacher pay, and fully fund our public schools, including by repealing Cotham’s legislation that cut $300 million from our public schools and sent the money to unaccountable private schools.
Sidman also supports common sense gun safety legislation such as background checks and has called out Cotham for missing a critical vote that enabled Republicans to eliminate background checks on handgun sales.
Early voting is underway now and ends at 3 p.m. on Nov. 2. The deadline to register online to vote has passed, however, during the early voting period, you can register in person when you go to vote. ID is now required for voting in North Carolina, and you can view a list of approved IDs here.
