- In rural Scotland County, voters say candidates must show up to gain their support
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org When Scotland High opened in the late 1960s as an integrated school, Marie Willis’s cousins, who are Black, got into fights with white students. Her cousins were expelled, while the white kids faced few consequences. Then, North Carolina civil rights attorneys Julius Chambers and Adam Stein stepped in and got the expulsions reversed. It’s a story that has stuck with Willis. … Read moreRead more - Two Robeson County commissioners are accused of bribing voters in primary election
By Ben Rappaport and Paul Woolverton This story was co-published by The Assembly, CityView and the Border Belt Independent. Update: Superior Court Judge Hoyt Tessener issued a temporary pause April 23 on the election results between Lacy Cummings and Judy Sampson. A hearing is scheduled for April 29 in Raleigh. Two Robeson County commissioners are accused of bribing at least 21 voters in the March … Read moreRead more - Protested election in Bladen County is a reminder of past troubles
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org An election dispute following the March primary highlights ongoing criticism of the electoral process in Bladen County, which made national headlines six years ago amid ballot-harvesting accusations. The Rev. Keith Graham lost the Democratic primary for the Bladen County Board of Commissioners’ District 1 seat by 31 votes on March 5. He filed an election protest, calling for a new election … Read moreRead more - Columbus County elections board likely violated state law. Here’s what to know
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org The Columbus County Board of Elections likely violated state law by revising its plan for statewide runoff elections without properly notifying the public. Here’s what to know about the board’s actions, along with some context about the board’s history and the upcoming runoffs. Why are there runoff elections? In North Carolina, a second-place candidate can call for a runoff election if … Read moreRead more - ‘Vote in hope of change’: education, community concerns top voter issues here
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Before heading to the polls, Theresa Guyton gets on a group call with every member of her family. They sort through each office on the ballot — from president, to state auditor and everything in between. Each person is assigned a different race to research prior to Election Day, then they confer and decide who earns their vote. This primary was … Read moreRead more
