Republicans fought back an anticipated “blue wave.” They kept control of the state Senate by a 28-22 margin, losing one seat of their majority. “For the sixth consecutive election, voters made a clear choice in support of the Republican platform of low taxes, expanded school choice, and large investments in education and teacher pay. The...
North Carolina’s deadline for accepting mail-in absentee ballots in this year’s election finally may be settled at the venue state conservative leaders wanted: the U.S. Supreme Court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a convoluted opinion the justices must reverse, state legislative leaders and dissenting appeals court judges say. A 12-3 majority of...
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the State Board of Elections’ attempt to rewrite N.C. elections law. The board had tried to use a state-level lawsuit settlement to change absentee ballot rules. U.S. District Court Judge James Dever issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday, Oct. 3, blocking a proposal to remove witness signature requirements...
Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins signed off on a deal letting the State Board of Elections rewrite several parts of a state election law dealing with absentee ballots in the current election cycle. Collins ruled from the bench on Friday, Oct. 2. He’s expected to issue a written order soon. Leaders of the General Assembly,...
Illegally moving the goalposts. Intentionally violating North Carolinians’ civil rights. They’re the upshot of federal lawsuits filed separately on Saturday, Sept. 26, by Republican leaders in the N.C. General Assembly and the Republican National Committee/Donald Trump campaign against the N.C. State Board of Elections. A memo from the State Board of Elections changed absentee ballot...
This story will be updated regularly. Fewer than six weeks from the 2020 general election, two of the five members of the State Board of Elections walked off the job. Republicans are disgusted. They say they were misled by information from the board. Its staff. State Attorney General Josh Stein. Together, the Democratic majority handled...
School districts can allow elementary grade students to return to the classroom next month, Gov. Roy Cooper announced during a Sept. 17 news conference, but middle and high school students won’t have the same opportunity. The announcement — allowing local school districts to provide in-person instruction full-time to younger students — comes a day after...
For Tara Deane’s two youngest children, virtual learning has been a nightmare. Deane’s four children attend school in Wake County. Her two youngest are adopted from China and have severe disabilities. They struggle with basics like learning, speaking, and socializing. The teletherapy services provided by the school district aren’t working, Deane said. Her children are...
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. Here’s this week’s review: School choice survey: A new survey of N.C. parents of K-12 students suggests the state’s response to COVID-19 has increased interest in school choice. In a survey...
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper ordered Confederate monuments on the grounds of the State Capitol removed “to protect public safety.” But he won’t say who allowed a mob of protesters to take over the Capitol grounds earlier, toppling statues from two of those monuments. In a statement issued Saturday, June 20, Cooper said he was “concerned...
While the University of North Carolina System has a new president, the N.C. Community College System is left seeking applicants for its top job. The UNC Board of Governors on Friday, June 19, unanimously elected NCCCS President Peter Hans to lead its 17-campus system. Hans, who took the community college job in 2018, is a...
