Democracy

From The News & Observer: NC lawmakers bully democracy with vetoes and inaction

By Eleanore Wood / October 19, 2017 / Comments Off on From The News & Observer: NC lawmakers bully democracy with vetoes and inaction

The NC GOP is playing politics at the expense of the people of North Carolina, most poignantly with the drinking water of Eastern NC.  The priorities of our current legislatures are clear: retain power at all costs.  It’s time they admit that years of slashing the budgets of watchdog agencies has lead to GenX and…

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From The News & Observer: Why this Republican is challenging NC GOP political maps

By Eleanore Wood / October 18, 2017 / Comments Off on From The News & Observer: Why this Republican is challenging NC GOP political maps

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that a portion of our state legislature was illegally elected via racial gerrymandering.  They have now redrawn those legislative maps, but, these new maps are more of the same. This week a three judge panel in Greensboro is hearing arguments about those new maps.  This Raleigh…

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From The News & Observer: Why N.C. voters should care about the Wisconsin redistricting case

By Eleanore Wood / October 16, 2017 / Comments Off on From The News & Observer: Why N.C. voters should care about the Wisconsin redistricting case

North Carolina isn’t alone in fighting gerrymandered districts that were drawn ensure Republican control of state governments.  The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case against partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin.  This case could change politics in the United States including North Carolina forever.  It is time that “one person one vote” is the priority in…

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Slate: An Even More Insidious Kind of Gerrymandering

By Eleanore Wood / October 12, 2017 / Comments Off on Slate: An Even More Insidious Kind of Gerrymandering

The GOP-led General Assembly continues their power grab. The illegitimate legislature already had their legislative districts ruled unconstitutional by a Supreme Court for racially gerrymandering. Then they passed very restrictive voter ID laws. And now what are they doing? The House passed bills in a special session that will take away a voter election for…

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Huffington Post: North Carolina GOP Moves Forward With Attempt To Take Control Of State Courts

By Eleanore Wood / October 11, 2017 / Comments Off on Huffington Post: North Carolina GOP Moves Forward With Attempt To Take Control Of State Courts

The General Assembly is ruthless in their three-pronged war on democracy. First, they racially gerrymandered legislative districts, then they passed stricter voting laws and now they’re trying to gerrymander judicial districts. The Republican-led House voted to cancel a voter election for judges and they voted to gerrymander judicial districts. Following this, Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed…

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From WNCN: Over 100 people march against voter suppression in Raleigh Wednesday

By Eleanore Wood / October 5, 2017 / Comments Off on From WNCN: Over 100 people march against voter suppression in Raleigh Wednesday

The current state legislature, which has been found to be illegally elected by the US Supreme Court, now wants to draw similarly racially biased maps for our judicial districts. This new judicial redistricting plan is a thinly veiled attempt for Republicans to gain more power.  It would eliminate judges in Durham and other counties with significant…

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From The News & Observer: Judges to NC lawmakers: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix us.’

By Eleanore Wood / October 3, 2017 / Comments Off on From The News & Observer: Judges to NC lawmakers: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix us.’

Outrageously the current state legislature, which has been found to be illegally elected by the US Supreme Court, now wants to draw similar maps for our judicial districts. This new judicial redistricting plan is a thinly veiled attempt for Republicans to gain more power. If the courts are just as gerrymandered as the legislature Republicans could…

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From WRAL: 12 N Carolina legislative districts remain illegal

By Eleanore Wood / September 19, 2017 / Comments Off on From WRAL: 12 N Carolina legislative districts remain illegal

It’s no surprise that the new legislative maps are more of the same.  The lawyers who brought the original suit against the previous maps are asking the courts for another redraw. They argue that 12 of the redrawn districts are still illegally silencing minority voices.  It’s still unclear when the courts will rule on the…

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From The News And Observer: Fair redistricting is fundamental to voting rights

By Eleanore Wood / September 18, 2017 / Comments Off on From The News And Observer: Fair redistricting is fundamental to voting rights

The new maps have been drawn and submitted to the court.  It’s clear, state lawmakers are using extreme partisan gerrymandering to silence the voices of minorities in North Carolina. We no longer live in a democracy where each person has a fair and equal vote.  When representatives choose their constituents, they no don’t have to…

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WRAL: ‘Sham’ maps slammed: Public blasts lawmakers over redistricting

By Eleanore Wood / August 23, 2017 / Comments Off on WRAL: ‘Sham’ maps slammed: Public blasts lawmakers over redistricting

The Republican-led General Assembly gave citizens very little notice, very few locations, and very little space to allow the public to comment on the new proposed maps.  Nevertheless, citizens turned out all over the state by the hundreds to voice their grave concerns about these new maps.  These maps are more of the same undemocratic…

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