STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 10-08-20
PARENTS CONCERNED WITH NHCPSS PLAN BE REOPENING
[WILMINGTON] Parents across the state are concerned that their local public school systems will soon be reopening their classrooms for in-person instruction, and New Hanover County parents are no different. Protesters demonstrated at Tuesday’s school board meeting as the system prepares to begin Plan B, which would allow students to attend school wearing masks and practicing social distancing on different days of the week. There would be no cap on the number of students per classroom.
All students would get online instruction on Wednesdays.
DURHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES REPARATIONS RESOLUTION
[DURHAM] On Monday, the Durham City council approved a “resolution calling on federal officials to increase racial equity,” four programs designed, if implemented, to increase financial equity and reduce the wealth gap. One of those programs would provide reparations “for descendants of enslaved people,” a $15 federal minimum wage, guaranteed federally funded living wage jobs, and a universal basic income. The resolution, which was sent to several of North Carolina’s congressional representatives, was developed by the Durham City Council’s Racial Equity Task Force.
U.S. ARMY RESERVES PROBING CAL CUNNINGHAM’S EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR
[RALEIGH] With just over three weeks to go before the critical 2020 general election, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham is in more hot water over his alleged extramarital affair with a California woman earlier this year. The U.S. Army Reserve, in which Cunningham serves, is now investigating the situation, particularly a series of sex texts between the two that have now been published. Cunningham has apologized, asked that his family’s privacy be respected, but insisted that he is not dropping out of the race to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis.
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SHOULD BLACKS BE
CONCERNED ABOUT
VOTER INTIMIDATION?”
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Last week during the fiery presidential debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump, when asked if he would concede if he lost the Nov. 3rd election, said only if it was fair.
Then he called on his followers to go to the polls to watch to make sure that the balloting was fair.
Given that minutes earlier, Trump had also called on the violent white supremacist group the Proud Boys to “Stand back and stand by,” many interpreted his combined message of Trump poll watchers and violent white supremacists to “Stand back and stand by” to be a clear signal that intimidation was on it’s way to the polls in key battleground states like North Carolina.
Early last month during a rally in Winston-Salem, Trump called on his rabid crowd to, “Watch those ballots. I don't like it. You know, you have a Democrat governor, you have all these Democrats watching that stuff. I don't like it. Be poll watchers when you go there. Watch all the thieving and stealing and robbing they do. Because this is important. We win North Carolina, we win."
Like other states, North Carolina legally allows poll watching, and has a law that properly indicates exactly how each political party is to coordinate the practice.
But most political observers fear what Trump is calling for is vigilante poll watching by his supporters, and baiting them to disrupt and intimidate at voting places, like what a group of Trump supporters did on Sept. 20th when they held a rally waving flags and chanting near a line of voters in Fairfax, Va.
Can that, or something like it, happen in North Carolina?
Indeed, years before Trump became president, there were stories of Republican operatives challenging Black voters standing on line to vote, forcing them to leave the line to prove to the polling chief judge that they were properly registered to vote in that district.
Such challenges usually proved to be toothless, but they did hold up long lines, and intimidate other Black voters who did not want to be challenged publicly to leave the line before they cast they ballots.
And, of course, there were the infamous “Ballot Security” post cards sent to Black Democrats across the state by the NC Republican Party during the 1990 Senate election between Republican Senator Jesse Helms and then Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt.
Those cards threatened Black Democratic voters that if they voted outside of their registered precincts, that they could be prosecuted.
State officials have already had to deal with Trump telling North Carolina voters at the start of mail-in voting on Sept. 4th that they should vote twice, which is illegal in the state and would not only get your votes through out, but put you in jail.
And with early voting starting next week on Oct. 15th for two weeks, officials are bracing theirselves for all kinds of intimidation tactics at the polls.
Fortunately, there are nonprofit organizations prepared to legally deal with any incidents that may occur.
At the polls, if you feel that you are being intimidated, notify an election official there immediately, says the NC Board of Elections. The chief judge at that polling place is empowered to call law enforcement to have anyone found to be intimidating voters arrested on the spot.
You can also report an incident where you think your voting rights have been violated to The Advancement Project, a Washington, DC-based civil rights group of attorneys at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
You can also call The American Center for Law and Justice at 1-800-274-8683.
If you can, try to document the voting rights violation or incident of voter intimidation on your smartphone for evidence.
With all of the controversy surrounding this election, official warn to prepare for anything,
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GET READY TO EARLY
VOTE OCT.15TH
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Friday, Oct. 9th - tomorrow - is the last day that you can formally register to vote in the state of North Carolina in order to be eligible to vote during the Nov. 3rd general election.
You can register to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, a current resident of North Carolina for at least 25 days before the Nov. 3rd general election, and either are, or will be 18 years of age by Nov. 3rd.
You can, if you have your driver’s license through the NC Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV), submit a voter registration application online. Just go to https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online/Pages/voter-registration-application.aspx.
The NAACP urges you to “…double check your voter registration, be sure that your voter information is accurate, and make a plan to safely cast your vote! If you’ve recently moved, changed your name, or turned 18, this is crucial – it only takes two minutes and your vote can change the course of history.
But wait a minute - you’re simply not able to register to vote either today or tomorrow, yet you want to join the rest of your community in casting your all-important ballot for Nov. 3rd.
So what can you do?
From Oct. 15th to Oct. 31st, you can do One Stop Early Voting - Same Day Registration is scheduled at various designated locations across the county, starting at 8 a.m.. and ending at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays in the interim (check your local county early voting site schedule).
To sane day register to early vote, you do need to bring a proof of residency document, like a bill, driver’s license, of government notice that has your name and address on it. That is ONLY if you are NOT registered to vote already. If you are, you just walk in, identify yourself, and then vote.
YOU DO NOT NEED A VOTER PHOTO IDENTIFICATION TO EITHER CAST AN EARLY BALLOT, OR VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, NOV. 3RD.
This of you are still mail in your absentee ballot, you have until Oct. 27th to do so. Make sure that before you return your mail-in ballot, you have properly signed it where required, and that it is also properly signed by one witness (could be spouse or relative) with their address.
Several recent absentee mail-in ballots have been not counted because of those mistakes. There are currently two legal cases surrounding issues involving spoiled mail-in ballots.
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OUR ENDORSEMENTS 2020 (PART 2)
Every two years (general election and midterms) The Wilmington Journal has proudly shared with you, our readers and community, our opinions of, and endorsements for some of those who wish to serve us in public office. This crucial election year is no different, except that we’re doing it a little earlier this year because voting for the Nov. 3rd general election has actually already started, thanks to mail-in absentee ballots.
It is because of the COVID-19 pandemic that mail-in ballots are so prominent now, and at last check, over 1 million have been requested statewide.
Remember, if you want a mail-in absentee ballot to vote by, you must be a registered NC voter, and go online to https://votebymail.ncsbe.gov/app/home to request a ballot be sent to you. When you receive it, make your candidate choices, sign it, and have a witness to your signature sign it too.
Then either send it back, or drop it off at your New Hanover County Board of Elections office (230 Government Center Drive, Suite 38, Wilmington - 910-798-7300) by 5 p.m on Nov. 3rd, Election Day. By mail, it must be postmarked by Nov. 3rd, and arrive by Nov. 4th before 5 p.m..
After you’ve returned your ballot, you can track it online via Ballottrax at https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/.
For those who don’t mail-in vote, One Stop Early in-person voting begins Oct. 15 through Oct. 31st.
Remember, whether you choose to vote by mail, by early vote, or on Election Day, you can only vote ONCE! Go to https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/ to track your ballot once you send it back. It is against the law to vote twice in the same election in North Carolina.
Recently, we gave you our endorsements for president of the United States, governor, lt. governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress and NC Council of State officials.
This week, we continue with part two of our endorsements.
All of them are Democrats, and are listed as they appear on the ballot.
Cheri Beasley
NC Supreme Court Chief Justice (Seat 1)
Lucy Inman
NC Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 2)
Mark Davis
NC Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 4)
Tricia Shields
NC Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 4)
Lora Christine Cubbage
NC Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 5)
Gray Styers
NC Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 6)
Reuben F. Young
NC Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 7)
Chris Brooks
NC Court of Appeals Judge (Seat 13)
Harper Peterson
NC State Senate (District 9)
Deb Butler
NC House of Representatives (District 18)
J.H. Corpening II
NC District Court Judge (District 5, Seat 5)
Richard Russell Davis
NC District Court Judge (District 5, Seat 6)
Jeffrey Evan Noecker
NC District Court Judge (District 5, Seat 7)
Robin Wicks Robinson
NC District Court Judge (District 5, Seat 9)
Jonathan Barfield, Jr.
Leslie Cohen
Kyle Horton
Board of Commissioners (vote for all three Democrats)
Stephanie Walker
Hugh McManus
Chris Meek
Board of Education (vote for all three Democrats)
Clayton Hamerski
Register of Deeds
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