The Seattle King County NAACP will hold a special meeting next Mon., Nov. 21 at Shiloh Baptist Church located at 715 – 23rd Ave. S. in Seattle to determine if Rev. Carl Livingston’s name will be added to the ballot for the upcoming NAACP election. The meeting, which will begin at 6:00 p.m., is open to all members of the Seattle King County NAACP.
Livingston publicly announced his candidacy to run for president of the branch in September. However, according leaders within the NAACP, Livingston’s name will not appear on the upcoming ballot due to a technicality that, according to Livingston and NAACP officials familiar with the issue, was not adhered to during the branch’s most recent election in 2014.
Accordingly, a declaration has been made by the requisite number of signatures to call a special meeting to determine whether or not Livingston’s name will be included on the ballot for the upcoming election. In order to vote at this special meeting, you must be a member in good standing with the NAACP, and members are encouraged to bring their current NAACP membership card with them to the meeting.
Livingston, who brings both a legal background and a stellar resume as a community activist to the position, says that he is running because there is a need to restore the legacy of the NAACP, its influence, and the relationship the organization has with the its community.
Livingston’s platform for the election stems from his belief that the NAACP needs a change in leadership and direction. He feels that the current leadership has not done enough in building a progressive coalition with the community that it is supposed to serve. His goals for the organization include: restoring the legacy of the NAACP and its relationship with the community, increasing membership, engaging the membership in the priorities and decision-making process, the handling of all complaints more effectively, obtaining economic growth through contracts and jobs, and securing better funding for the facilitation of the organization.
“It’s not to say that the current leadership is terrible, I’m not trying to say that,” said Livingston in a Sept. 21 interview with The Seattle Medium. “I’m trying to unify this community. But, if the current leadership is not good enough for such a storied and important organization to our community, new leadership is necessary.”
The NAACP election will take place on Mon., Nov. 28 at Shiloh Baptist Church.
