As courthouses begin to reopen across North Carolina, the state’s judicial branch office is preparing to request millions of dollars in funding to help keep them open. The Administrative Office of the Courts is finalizing a budget request that would include more personal protective equipment, temporary staff, emergency judges, and more technology. “We have critical...
It took five weeks to settle the final race, but when the N.C. Supreme Court’s session opens in a few weeks, there will be a new chief in Raleigh. Republican Associate Justice Paul Newby defeated incumbent Democratic Chief Justice Cheri Beasley by roughly 400 votes. Nearly 5.4 million ballots were cast. Beasley, who was elevated...
After failing to earn a statewide hand recount, and unable to get Democratic boards of elections to accept ballots already deemed unlawful, Chief Justice Cheri Beasley conceded the North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice race Saturday, Dec. 12. The Saturday morning concession, 39 days after the election, clears the way for Republican Justice Paul Newby...
Take a deep breath. It’s finally over. Mostly. North Carolina’s 2020 election was a mixed bag full of unexpected results. Most voters are confident in the outcomes, but others aren’t so sure, a new poll shows. Some things we know for certain. President Trump won 50% of the state’s vote, turning North Carolina red in...
This story was updated after initial publication. See editor’s note at the end. The ballots have been counted. Twice. Some will be counted again. Maybe all of them. Even after that, North Carolinians may not know who will be the chief justice of the state Supreme Court in 2021. Associate Justice Paul Newby, a Republican,...
Each week, staff at Carolina Journal looks back at the week in N.C. politics and chooses several interesting, relevant stories you may have missed. School COVID testing: North Carolina is launching a program to help public schools test symptomatic students and staff. The state will provide free tests to public schools who apply to join...
The early returns are in. So far, Chief Justice Cheri Beasley’s election protests have flopped. The Democratic incumbent is challenging the outcome of her race against Republican Justice Paul Newby. Newby led by 366 votes before Beasley filed formal protests to elections boards in 89 of the state’s 100 counties. She’s also asked for a...
Fewer than 400 votes. That’s how much N.C. Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby leads Chief Justice Cheri Beasley as county elections boards completed their canvasses earlier this week. The State Board of Elections website showed Newby, a Republican, leading the incumbent Democrat Beasley by 366 votes as of 11:48 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 17. With more...
One month ago, I wrote a story asking you to “pay attention” to judicial candidates on Election Day. And you did. Now, a record 5.5 million or so votes have been cast in North Carolina, and Republicans are days away from confirming a potential sweep of contests for seats on the N.C. Supreme Court and...
When it comes to the state’s highest court, 2020 is a high–stakes year for N.C. Republicans. Democrats now enjoy a six-to-one majority on the N.C. Supreme Court. Because North Carolina’s Supreme Court Justices serve “staggered” eight-year terms, three of the seven seats are up for election this year, including the chief justice’s seat. The best-case...
The 2016 presidential campaign turned me into a judiciary junkie. As Democrats force fed the American public an unhealthy diet of identity politics, voters like me quietly became champions of the judicial branch. While we didn’t know how Donald Trump would govern, we did know his judicial philosophy when he wisely released his list of...
