Congratulations, North Carolina!

Legislative News by Nelda Holder –

There are 120 state representative seats in North Carolina, and 50 senate seats.

For what appears to be the first time in history, the 2018 primary balloting will see competition from both Democratic and Republican candidates in all 170 races. That would seem to be good news for our political system.

In Buncombe County, the following candidates are vying for selection in the May 8 primary.

US House of Representatives, District 10

• David Wilson Brown (D-McAdenville)
• Gina Collias (R-Kings Mountain)
• Patrick McHenry (R-Denver)
• Jeff Gregory (R-Shelby)
• Ira Roberts (R-Hickory)
• Seth Blankenship (R-Swannanoa)
• Albert Lee Wiley, Jr. (R-Atlantic Beach)
• There is no Libertarian candidate

US House of Representatives, District 11

• Phillip G. Price (D-Nebo)
• Scott Donaldson (D-Hendersonville)
• Steve Woodsmall (D-Pisgah Forest)
• Mark Meadows (R-Sapphire)
• Clifton B. Ingram, Jr. (L-Sylva)

NC State Senate, District 48

• Norm Bossert (D-Pisgah Forest)
• Chuck Edwards (R-Flat Rock)
• There is no Libertarian candidate

NC Senate, District 49

• Terry Van Duyn (D-Asheville)
• Mark Crawford (R-Black Mountain)
• William Meredith (L-Asheville)

NC House, District 114

• Susan C. Fisher (D-Asheville)
• Kris A. Lindstam (R-Asheville)
• There is no Libertarian candidate

NC House, District 115

• John Ager (D-Fairview)
• Nathan West (R-Black Mountain)
• Amy Evans (R-Black Mountain)
• There is no Libertarian candidate

NC House, District 116

• Brian Turner (D-Asheville)
• Marilyn A. Brown (R-Asheville)
• There is no Libertarian candidate

We will cover other local races in our April column.

The next step in that increase in participation has to come from registered voters, of which there are currently 6,865,275 statewide (191,848 in Buncombe County). In 2016, fewer than 8% of all the state’s voters cast their ballots, so there is a lot of room for improvement. Still, the upswing of candidacies seems a good omen for a highly active campaign and voter turnout. So consider this a challenge!

Registration is the first step, and is available in person or online. Anyone who will be 18 by the time of the next general election is eligible to register, provided they are a U.S. citizen and resident of the county in which they register (for at least 30 days). For complete information, go to the Buncombe County Election Services website (buncombecounty.org) or the State Board of Elections website (ncsbe.gov).

Voting rights for felons

In 10 states, citizens convicted of a felony may lose their voting rights permanently (Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, Wyoming). Not so, North Carolina, one of 20 states where convicted felons are prohibited from voting until they’ve completed all terms of their felony sentences. That includes probation or parole. By comparison, 14 states and DC restore these rights after prison terms are served, and in Maine and Vermont, felons may vote while still incarcerated.

In NC, it is a felony to attempt to register or vote while serving a felony sentence. The State Board of Elections found 441 cases of voting by “suspected active felons” in 2016 that have since been referred to district attorneys, closed, or remain under investigation.

In this state, once all conditions of a felony sentence have been completed (or a pardon has been granted), “rights of citizenship” are restored. But the individual must file a new voter registration in the county where she or he resides. The deadline to register is 25 days before the date of an election—so for the upcoming May 8 primary, registration must be completed by April 13.

Drilling controversy boils up from the coast

The one (count ’em: 1) public hearing for North Carolina concerning the Trump administration’s plan to allow exploration along the Atlantic coast for oil and gas was held on February 26—in the state capital of Raleigh, hours away from any of the coastal communities that would be directly affected. That didn’t stop several hundred coastal residents from traveling to the hearing by bus and car to voice their opinions.

Michael Regan, secretary of the NC Department of Environmental Quality, spoke in opposition to the plan to potentially allow offshore drilling, citing threats to existing tourism and fishing industries and the overall coastal environment. Supporters claim such industry would create more than 50,000 jobs, according to a February 27 report in Raleigh’s News & Observer, while opponents claim that number would be only around 1,000.

Noting that the president himself had exempted the state of Florida from such exploration because of the potential for “negative impact” on tourism, drilling opponents pointed to the potential economic impact: “one drop of oil on our shores” could cost billions in revenue and “would cost us our way of life,” according to Rep. Deb Butler, D-Wilmington.

And where is the Legislature?

Having completed its on-again, off-again “special session,” the NC General Assembly is out of session until May 16, when the actual 2018 session convenes.

A note to aspiring young politicians-to-be: Now’s the time to apply for the House Page Program. Applications must be accompanied by an essay (200 words or less) on why you wish to be in the House Page Program. The application process is outlined on the NCGA website (ncleg.net).

Nelda Holder is the author of The Thirteenth Juror – Ferguson: A Personal Look at the Grand Jury Transcripts.