North Carolina

North Carolina general election: Who are the candidates for NC statewide races?

Published

3 weeks ago

October 29, 2024

North Carolina general election: Who are the candidates for NC statewide races?

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — High-profile statewide races are on the ballot in 2024, including governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Gov. Roy Cooper has served two terms and is not eligible for reelection.

Below is a brief look at the major candidates for statewide races.

Governor

Attorney General Josh Stein – Democrat

Stein, a Democrat, has consistently led in polling and looks to follow Cooper’s path from attorney general to governor of the Tar Heel State.

If elected, Stein, 58, would be the first Jewish governor of North Carolina.

Stein, a lawyer by trade, was elected as a state senator in 2008 representing Wake County’s District 16. and served in the general assembly until assuming the attorney general role in 2017.

He grew up in Chapel Hill and Charlotte and is a graduate of Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government. His top listed priorities are making economic prosperity accessible for all residents, improving education and building a strong workforce.

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson – Republican

Robinson made history as the state’s first Black lieutenant governor in 2021 and if elected, would be its first Black governor.

The Greensboro native burst onto the political scene in 2018 when he gave an impassioned speech at a city council meeting that went viral and served as a springboard to his historic run to the lieutenant governorship. Robinson often emphasizes his blue-collar roots and working-class background to connect with voters and constituents.

Robinson, 56, grew up poor as the ninth of 10 children and as an adult worked in the furniture manufacturing business.

His top listed priorities include supporting law enforcement, cutting taxes and growing the economy, and improving education as well as veterans care.

Lieutenant Governor

State Sen. Rachel Hunt – Democrat

Hunt is a first-term state senator who represents the 42nd district She assumed office in January 2023. Previously, she served two terms in the state House of Representatives, winning the seat in 2018 and 2020.

Hunt has strong North Carolina political bloodlines — her father is Ji, Hunt, the longest-serving governor in North Carolina history, with terms from 1977-1985 and again from 1993-2001.

Hunt, a lawyer, says she’s running “to get us back on track, fight for our basic freedoms, create safer communities, and make our education system the best it can be,” according to her campaign site. Her priorities include investing in public schools, expanding access to health care, and helping local businesses succeed.

Hal Weatherman – Republican

Weatherman is a longtime Republican political strategist. He received his undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University and holds a master’s degree from Wheaton College.

Weatherman was the chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick.

He describes himself as a “principled limited government conservative. Weatherman supports school choice, trade work and entrepreneurship, and school safety, including armed guards in schools.

Weatherman also says he’ll push for a North Carolina Hall of Fame to honor and celebrate notable lives from across many fields and professions.

Attorney General

State Sen. Jeff Jackson – Democrat
State Sen. Jeff Jackson ran for U.S. Senate but dropped out in the primary as North Carolina Democrats positioned Cherie Beasley for the nomination. Beasley went on to lose to current U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC. Jackson then picked up his current seat in the general assembly

Jackson, who represents the 14th congressional district is also a major in the Army National Guard and served in Afghanistan.

The Chapel Hill native is a former prosecutor who says he wants to be a “non-partisan, independent voice for the people of North Carolina.”

Some of Jackson’s priorities include tackling the fentanyl epidemic, protecting residents against scammers and protecting seniors and veterans from fraud.

US Rep. Dan Bishop – Republican

Bishop represents North Carolina’s 8th congressional district.

He styles himself as a “conservative who tells the truth,” and is known on the House floor for his blunt and straightforward discussion of issues.

He says he’s running for attorney general because he believes Democrats, including Cooper and Stein, have “abused” the office and turned it into a “stepping stone for higher office and a platform to spread liberal propaganda.”

A former commercial lawyer, some of Bishop’s priorities include crime, including cracking down on illegal immigration. He isn’t afraid to call out fellow Republicans on the issues.

State Supreme Court

Allison Riggs – Democrat
Riggs is an incumbent on the state’s highest court. She’s a former Court of Appeals judge and was a civil rights and voting rights lawyer.

Riggs was appointed to the NC Supreme Court in 2023.

She grew up in West Virginia and went to college, graduate school and law school at the University of Florida. She worked for 14 years as a lawyer at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice in Durham.

Riggs says that “as a justice, my guiding principles are integrity, transparency, consistency and empathy.”

Jefferson Griffin – Republican
Griffin serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He began his legal career working in the Wake County District Attorney’s Office.

Giffiin, a Nash County native, was captain of his high school football team at Northern Nash. He graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University School of Law.

On the bench, Griffin describes himself as an “originalist and a textualist” who believes the “words of the Constitution mean what they say.”

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Mo Green – Democrat
Green is the former superintendent of Guilford County Schools, one of the largest districts in the state.

A longtime figure in the education field across the state, Green began professional life as a lawyer in private practice. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree, both from Duke University.

Green supports investing fully in public education, higher pay for educators, and enhancing community support.

Michele Morrow – Republican

Morrow is a nurse and a homeschooler who sent shockwaves throughout the state education field when she upset incumbent state Superintendent Catherine Truitt in the GOP primary.

Morrow, who got her nursing degree at UNC-Chapel Hill began homeschooling her children when the system “didn’t meet the needs of her children.”

In speaking with other parents, Morrow has developed school safety and discipline as top priorities as well as raising educational standards.

ALSO SEE: What you need to know for early voting in NC

Where to Vote

You can find early voting site locations and hours in your county here, as well as here.

Any voter who qualifies for assistance can ask for help at their polling place. For more information on help for voters with disabilities, click here. Curbside voting is also available for those eligible.

Voters who received an absentee ballot may deliver their ballot to their county board of elections office or to an election official at an early voting site during voting hours.

When are the polls open?

Monday through Friday – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sundays – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Important Voter Tips

Make sure to bring your photo ID. North Carolina voters will be required to show their ID when checking in to vote.

Make sure you’re registered. You can check here to see if you are.

Same-day registration is available during early voting, while this is not available for most voters on Election Day.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5: General Election Day.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).

Keep in mind voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for the military and those overseas.

Click here for the latest stories on NC politics.

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North Carolina

North Carolina business owner crafts a new path after Helene

Published

7 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

North Carolina business owner crafts a new path after Helene

YANCEY CO, N.C. — A small business owner in Yancey County is trying to bounce back during her busiest season after losing her shop and inventory during Helene.

What You Need To Know

Christy Edwards lost her shop and inventory during Helene

The owner of Christy’s Crafts is trying to bounce back, preparing for three upcoming holiday markets

The Vintage Market of Asheville Metro takes place from Nov. 22-24 and part of the proceeds benefit the River Arts District in Asheville

Edwards is hosting two Christmas craft shows in Burnsville

Christy Edwards is the owner of Christy’s Crafts and had a shop for 17 years across the Cane River in the Pensacola community. It held all her inventory and great memories.

“I talked to my customers on the front porch a lot. Waved at a lot of friends and neighbors, and I’m going to miss it terribly,” Edwards said.

The retired art teacher recalls the day of the storm, seeing the floodwaters surround the building before wiping it out in the blink of an eye.

“I turned and I looked, and my shop was gone. I didn’t see it because we had water in the basement,” Edwards said.

The shop, which was on her property, was on lower ground than her house.

“The river came across over here. That little creek was flowing out all of this gravel so it was like a churning mess,” Edwards said.

Now, only a meter box stands where the building used to be.

“It’s like losing a piece of my heart. This is what I did every day of my life, come here and meet people and create,” Edwards said.

She said she lost $100,000 altogether and the location where she hosted her Christmas Open House.

“This was helping me pay for my daughter’s college. This was helping me just to live. Things are so much more expensive now,” Edwards said.

Mid-November she was working around the clock to make up for lost inventory as she prepared for three holiday markets, including Vintage Market Days of Asheville Metro.

The event, which will take place Nov. 22-24 is expected to bring 130 vendors to the WNC Agricultural Center. Organizers say half of them are from the region and part of the proceeds will benefit the River Arts District in Asheville.

Edwards is also moving forward with hosting two Christmas craft shows with local vendors at the Burnsville Town Center. The Holly Jolly Market will be on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Then, on Dec. 7, she will host the Christmas Ornament Craft Show.

“It’s very important to have this and to keep things going, being normal again,” Edwards said.

She’s not sure if she’ll rebuild her shop again because she worries she could lose it again.

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North Carolina

Eric Church Sings 'Darkest Hour' for North Carolina Flood Victims at CMA Awards

Published

15 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Eric Church Sings 'Darkest Hour' for North Carolina Flood Victims at CMA Awards

Eric Church paid tribute to his home state of North Carolina and those affected by the flooding of Hurricane Helene with a performance of “Darkest Hour” at the 2024 CMA Awards.

Dressed in a black velvet blazer and accompanied by a choir (including longtime vocal foil Joanna Cotten), a horn section, and strings, Church delivered a grand version of the song, which he rush-released last month to help raise funds for disaster relief. “I’ll do everything in my power/To take even a minute off your darkest hour,” he sang in a falsetto on the CMAs stage.

Like the live version he played at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the recorded version of “Darkest Hour,” which he released as the “Helene Edit,” features strings, a choir, and production by Jay Joyce. The song evokes the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Band, and the symphonic compositions of Queen or, more recently, the Verve. It’s rock opera from the Seventies, crossed with Church’s rough-hewn mountain country, all built on the skeleton of his talked-about Stagecoach headlining set.

On Tuesday night, Church played an intimate full-band concert at his Nashville bar Chief’s, which streamed live on SiriusXM. While the set featured his own hits like “How ‘Bout You,” “Homeboy,” and “Springsteen,” it was mostly an homage to Church’s influences: He sang covers by Bob Seger, the Band, Hank Williams Jr., and more, culminating with a reading of Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road.”

Church has pledged to sign over all royalties of “Darkest Hour,” in perpetuity, to the state of North Carolina, to further aid in rebuilding.

“‘Darkest Hour’ is a song dedicated to the unsung heroes, the people who show up when the world’s falling apart,” he said in a statement. “This is for the folks who show up in the hardest times, offering a hand when it’s most needed, and standing tall when others can’t. Even in your darkest hour, they come running. When the night’s at its blackest, this is for those who are holding the light, guiding the lost and pulling us through.”

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North Carolina

North Carolina Supreme Court GOP Candidate Challenges 60K Ballots

Published

22 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

North Carolina Supreme Court GOP Candidate Challenges 60K Ballots

The North Carolina Supreme Court building. (Credit: North Carolina Judicial Branch)

As the recount in North Carolina’s state Supreme Court race gets underway, Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin is challenging the validity of tens of thousands of ballots statewide.

One of two Democrats on the seven-member high court, Associate Justice Allison Riggs, is locked into a tight race with appeals court judge Griffin (R). Griffin was leading on Election Day, but Riggs is ahead by roughly 625 votes.

On Tuesday, Griffin requested a recount. He also filed challenges to over 60,000 ballots, according to a release from the North Carolina Republican Party. The release said Griffin’s protests focus on “specific irregularities and discrepancies in the handling and counting of ballots, raising concerns about adherence to established election laws.”

“As North Carolinians, we cherish our democratic process. Protecting election integrity is not just an option—it’s our duty,” Griffin said. “These protests are about one fundamental principle: ensuring every legal vote is counted.”

A review of the challenges filed with the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) found that Griffin targeted ballots cast by people with prior felony convictions, ballots cast by people whose voter registration may be incomplete and absentee ballots cast by voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), a federal 1986 law that grants some U.S. citizens living overseas the right to vote. Before the election, the Republican National Committee tried but failed to block certain overseas ballots from being counted.

On X, Riggs said Tuesday that Griffin was “taking a tired page from the playbook of previous failed candidates.”

“He’s filed more than 300 protests to challenge 60,000 ballots across NC, in an attempt to disenfranchise voters,” she said. “My goal has always been to ensure that every voter’s voice is heard.”

On Monday, Griffin sued NCSBE over requests he made to the board for voting-related data. Griffin wanted the board to send him lists of “conflict voters” (voters suspected of casting a ballot in person and via absentee). He also asked for lists on how many voters have felony convictions. A board spokesman said the complaint was “unnecessary.”

Recounts began Nov. 20 and will be completed by Nov. 27, according to a Nov. 15 memo Executive Director Karen Brison Bell sent to county elections boards. Recounts are open to the public, the memo stated, and “any person may attend the recount,” including the candidates and the media. A NCSBE meeting was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Read more about the challenges here.

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