Politicians in North Carolina now choose their voters versus voters choosing their candidates. Our votes have less value. Democracy itself is undermined. Both parties have been guilty of gerrymandering districts to favor their hold on power.
Over the last decade, North Carolina has spent over $7 million in the courts defending redistricting laws that were found to be unconstitutional. These laws do not protect our individual votes. Rather, they protect politicians’ seats, reduce transparency and decrease the need for finding common ground between the parties.
We, as citizens, need to reclaim our rights as voters. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in July that the issue needs to be addressed in state legislatures or courts. Currently, there are six bills (supported by both Democrats and Republicans) in the North Carolina General Assembly proposing fair redistricting. Let your state senator and representative, plus Tim Moore, speaker of the House, and Phil Berger, president pro tem of the Senate, know you support fair redistricts (vote411.org provides contact info).
It’s time to take action to protect our vote.
— Karen Depew
Asheville
but then along come Governor Veto, who whimsically just vetoes everything that you have voted for!
Who’s this “you”?
In case you forgot, people voted for the governor.