Political candidates and public figures will share their thoughts on ethical state policies at a dinner on Friday.

The event, hosted by Democracy North Carolina, will begin at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn-Getaway on Winstead Avenue. Speakers will discucs campaign fundraising, its impact on how candidates handle issues both during an election and after they take office, and alternatives to address the problem.

Bob Hall, executive director and research director for Democracy North Carolina, said special interests can be a problem for candidates who don't have any other means of raising enough campaign funds, so they turn to wealthy interest groups. Without those contributions, Hall said, many potential candidates are weeded out.

"It's really the limited options that candidates have that puts them in an awkward position when they get elected," he said. "Those same donors want to come back and ask for a favor just as they had done when they were running."

The Rev. William J. Barber, president of the N.C. NAACP State Conference of Branches, will give the keynote address. Three N.C. Court of Appeals candidates – Robin Hudson, Linda Stephens and Donna Stroud – will also speak, and former U.S. Rep. Tim Valentine will give closing remarks.

Democracy North Carolina is a nonpartisan group that focuses on issues concerning voting rights and elections reform.