Get Involved

• Boards and Commissions

  Raleigh citizens have the opportunity to volunteer their services to the City without pay on various boards, commissions and committees. Some of these are established in the City Charter; others are set up by the Mayor or City Council to perform special, limited functions. ( How To Request To...

• Citizens Advisory Councils

  Every Raleigh resident who is 18 or older is a voting member of a Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), an organization that serves as a link between members of the community and City government. Raleigh has 18 CACs. Each CAC represents a different geographic...

• Community Services

  The Community Services Department offers programs to engage people of every age and background in their neighborhoods and the wider Raleigh community. The Department provides resources for neighborhood-based organizations, grants to neighborhood groups and nonprofit agencies, opportunities for...

• Parks and Recreation

  The purpose of the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department is to actively encourage, provide, promote and protect quality leisure, recreation and cultural opportunities, facilities and environments that are essential for the enhancement of the lives of our citizens.

• Police Volunteer Program

  The Raleigh Police Department, in conjunction with Raleigh Community Services, is seeking volunteers that are interested in assisting our full time staff in service to the citizens of Raleigh.  Volunteers would assist with a broad spectrum of assignments. Volunteer assignments...

• Raleigh TV Network

  Raleigh Television Network (RTN) Raleigh has a new information source - the Raleigh Television Network (RTN).  This new, all-digital television network is designed to serve the people of Raleigh.  If you want to be thoroughly informed about your City and County governments, enjoy...

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Vote!

“Voting is a civic sacrament.”

"Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed."

“A man without a vote is man without protection.”

"I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country. "

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves-and the only way they could do this is by not voting."

"During his 1956 presidential campaign, a woman called out to Adlai E. Stevenson "Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person!" Stevenson called back "That's not enough, madam, we need a majority!""

“To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”

Register to Vote

Find Your Precinct

Vote Early

Absentee Voting

Frequently Asked Questions

Find Your City Council District: To locate your council district, visit the City of Raleigh maps page and enter your street address in the search box. If you live in Raleigh, you'll find your City Council under "Location and Service Information".

Raleigh Television Network (RTN)

Raleigh has a new information source - the Raleigh Television Network (RTN).  This new, all-digital television network is designed to serve the people of Raleigh.  If you want to be thoroughly informed about your City and County governments, enjoy community events, and inform your neighbors about your nonprofit group or concerns then RTN has all that you need.  RTN provides this vast amount of information and diverse programming via four channels: RTN10 - Community, RTN11 - Government, RTN18 - Education and  RTN22 - Information.

RTNSV is now available!
RTN is proud to offer this streaming video service, featuring a live online feed of RTN 11 and select on-demand programming, such as City Council meetings. Click here to launch RTNSV.

Putting Your News on City View
RTN offers City View Calendar, a community bulletin board for local organizations to promote activities and events that are happening in Raleigh and Wake County.  City View also provides the latest news and information about City services, municipal meetings and events that are important to you.

To publicize an event, please mail, fax or email information to:
Raleigh Television Network
P. O. Box 590
Raleigh, NC 27602
(Fax) 919-831-6877
community.television@raleighnc.gov

For more information on the Capital City’s new and dedicated information source, visit our offices and studio at 310 W. Martin St. or give us a call at 919-996-6278.

Police Volunteer Program

The Raleigh Police Department, in conjunction with Raleigh Community Services, is seeking volunteers that are interested in assisting our full time staff in service to the citizens of Raleigh.  Volunteers would assist with a broad spectrum of assignments.

Volunteer assignments may include:

• security patrols in parks
• telephone crime reporting
• data entry
• neighborhood watch planning
• crime prevention programs
• special event assistance
• ...much more! 

Each volunteer will receive approximately 38 hours of training by the Raleigh Police Academy concerning issues pertinent to their duties.  They will be required to volunteer a minimum of fifteen hours per month.

For more information, please e-mail rpdvolunteer@raleighnc.gov or call the number below.

For More Information Contact:
Bruce Embry
Volunteer Coordinator
Police Department
110 S. McDowell Street
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-996-1118

Parks and Recreation

Neighborwoods

The NeighborWoods program fosters a partnership between the City of Raleigh and its’ citizens toward planting and caring for street trees in residential neighborhoods. Through the program, the City gives free trees to residents in exchange for planting and caring for the trees.

How Raleigh NeighborWoods Works

Planting and Watering Young Trees

Raleigh NeighborWoods Tree Planting Program

Selecting Your NeighborWoods Tree

Part Time Positions

Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department hires approximately 1500 part time employees each year to serve in a variety of positions.  These positions include jobs such as camp counselors, recreation program instructors, athletic scorekeepers, athletic officials, front desk staff, recreation program assistants, lifeguards, swim instructors, swim coaches, cashiers, pool managers, art instructors, adventure recreation instructors, concession workers, athletic field managers, amusement ride operators, tennis instructors and other recreation program related positions.

Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department’s part time staff is an essential and vital component in the delivery of recreation programs and services to the citizens of Raleigh.  Each applicant is interviewed and a background check is performed to ensure that the highest quality of service will be provided by the applicant in their duties.  Positions are recruited for on an ongoing basis throughout the year.  Selected applicants may be subject to additional training as required by the City for the position that the applicant is applying.

To request an employment application, call 919-831-6640 or download an application in .PDF format (requires to print) or MS Word format (requires Microsoft Word to complete or print). Completed applications with specific job title should be returned to the Recreation Division Office at 2401 Wade Avenue.

Internship Positions

Internship opportunities are also available in Parks, Recreation, Therapeutic Recreation, Marketing and Business.  Internships are available spring, summer and fall.  Raleigh Parks and Recreation offers diverse programming and unique facilities.  Download an application HERE. 

For More Information on employment, contact:

Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department
PO Box 590
Raleigh, NC  27602
919-996-3285 – Administration
919-831-6640 – Recreation Division
919-996-4115 – Parks Division

Community Services

The Community Services Department offers programs to engage people of every age and background in their neighborhoods and the wider Raleigh community. The Department provides resources for neighborhood-based organizations, grants to neighborhood groups and nonprofit agencies, opportunities for volunteers and summer jobs for young people. It also provides staff support for Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) and other advisory bodies to the City Council.

Neighborhood Services

The Neighborhood Services Division focuses on empowering neighborhood-based and community organizations.

Programs and services include:

Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs)  

Citizens Leadership Academy

Community Specialists

Hispanic-Latino Initiatives

Landlord Training Program

Neighborhood College 

Raleigh Neighborhood Exchange

Raleigh Neighborhood Registry  

Volunteer and Human Services

The Volunteer and Human Services Division provides volunteers the opportunity to work in City offices and nonprofit organizations. The Division also administers grants to nonprofit agencies.

Programs include:

City of Raleigh Volunteer Program

Foster Grandparent Program

Human Services Grants  

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

Youth Services

The Youth Services Division helps young people develop their job skills and prepare for further education and employment.

Programs include:

Summer Youth Employment Program

Life Skills Development

Lunch with a Lawyer      

Citizens Advisory Councils

Citizens Advisory Councils

Every Raleigh resident who is 18 or older is a voting member of a Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), an organization that serves as a link between members of the community and City government.

Raleigh has 18 CACs. Each CAC represents a different geographic region of the city, and each decides its own activities and priorities. All CAC meetings are open to everyone; however, you can vote only at meetings of the CAC where you reside. You can attend as an individual or you can represent your neighborhood-based organization at your CAC meetings.

CACs are nonpartisan. They also are independent of the City Council. In fact, CACs are the only advisory boards to the City Council that are not appointed by the Council. Instead, residents of each CAC region elect the chairperson and other officers of their CAC.

CACs and City government

Raleigh's CACs are a connecting point between municipal government and residents. They provide a way for the City to share information about government activities and to receive feedback from the community. Through CACs, residents and neighborhood groups participate in decisions directly affecting them.

For instance, CACs have a voice in planning and development issues. Most proposals for rezoning property go before a local CAC for review. Often, a person seeking rezoning will appear before the CAC to discuss the proposal. The CAC votes on the proposed rezoning, and the City Council takes the CACs vote into consideration when it is weighing whether to approve the rezoning request.

CACs have a say in other matters, too, such as parks and recreation facilities, streets and sidewalks. CACs also stay in contact with the Police Department about activities in their communities.

CAC meetings

Each CAC holds regular meetings, and everyone is welcome to attend. To find out when and where your CAC meets, call the Community Services Department at (919) 996-6100.

The meetings provide a forum to share information about neighborhood improvement plans and other neighborhood affairs. At the meetings, CAC members discuss community issues and take votes. The opinions of CAC members and results of votes are presented to the City Council and other City officials

City Council members sometimes attend CAC meetings to talk about issues before the Council. City staffers often appear at CAC meetings to discuss how the City can assist with services such as sidewalk repairs or new signs. Police representatives usually attend to discuss crime trends and offer crime-prevention tips.

All neighborhood-based organizations, such as neighborhood and homeowners' associations, are encouraged to send representatives to CAC meetings and share information about the CAC proceedings with their members. It is important that every neighborhood have representation at CAC meetings, because broader input leads to better decision-making

Newsletters

The CACs produce newsletters to keep residents informed about community activities as well as meeting agendas. The newsletters are free to everyone who signs up to receive them by U.S. mail or e-mail.

To receive your CACs newsletters, call the Community Services Department at (919) 996-6100 or send e-mail to Patricia Cheek at patricia.cheek@raleighnc.gov.

Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council

The chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the 18 CACs make up the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council (RCAC). The RCAC meets each month to allow CAC leaders to share information. The RCAC also considers and takes positions on issues before the City Council.

Meetings of the RCAC are open to all. To find the meeting schedule, call the Community Services Department at (919) 996-6100.

Neighborhood Recognition Awards

The RCAC sponsors annual Neighborhood Recognition Awards to honor those who work to make their communities better places. Individuals, neighborhood groups, schools, nonprofit organizations and others are eligible for the awards.

History

Raleigh created its CACs in 1973 and 1974. The CACs were established to help educate residents about City government and to provide them better representation and input in City decisions. The first CAC officers were installed in February 1974. The mayor at the time, Clarence Lightner, spoke at the installation and challenged the CACs to work for solutions to community problems.

Mayor Lightner also noted that Raleigh was blessed with active, interested residents. "Raleigh has involved itself in various citizen participation efforts in recent history," Mayor Lightner said. "In addition, all City departments, from Recreation to Planning, have worked with civic and neighborhood organizations on a wide range of projects. The CAC program has added a new dimension to this citizen participation effort."

Find Your CAC

CAC Map

Individual CAC Maps

Meeting Schedule And Contacts For Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs)

Neighborhood Recognition Awards

Boards, Commissions and Committees

It has been an honor to serve the people of Raleigh on the Raleigh City Council. These past four years have flown by, and I am excited to be seeking re-election to the City Council.  I look forward to working hard and continuing to earn the trust and support of the citizens of Raleigh so I can keep providing solid proven leadership.

I have fought to keep our City moving forward by supporting the creation of Dorethea Dix Park.  I have been a strong advocate for transportation—including adding Charging Stations throughout the District to increase and promote electric and hybrid vehicle ownership—and promote a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly community.

Please join me at our campaign kick-off event. Let's work together to ensure that Raleigh remains a great place to live, raise a family, and operate a business.

Thank you for your support!

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