How to make sure your voice is heard this election
Every Vote Counts
No matter where you live in North Carolina, your vote counts this year. If you live in a dark blue district, your vote counts. Even if you live in a district that has been gerrymandered bright red, your vote counts. Let me remind you why.
We are electing a President this year. We are electing a Governor and Lieutenant Governor. We are electing an Attorney General and a State Supreme Court Justice. The winner of every one of these offices — and 7 more statewide offices — is determined by the total statewide vote. In 2008, Barack Obama carried North Carolina because the huge number of Democrats that voted in Durham County (or so we Durhamites say) balanced out the Republican votes in red counties. In 2020, Joe Biden lost North Carolina by only 1.3% of the votes: a total of 74,463. And 25% of eligible voters didn't vote.
We can't let that happen in 2024.
Too much is at stake this year.
The Harris-Walz Campaign rightly reminds us this election is about freedom: "the freedom to make our own health care decisions, the freedom for our children to go to school without worrying about being shot in the halls, the freedom for education to be a ticket to the middle class, not to crippling debt."
In North Carolina we understand that well: and it's not just about who we elect as President and Vice President although that's important. It's who we elect to all the key state offices. We've learned in the past 4 years what a split ticket at the Executive Level means — it's why we need to elect Josh Stein as Governor, Rachel Hunt as Lt. Governor, and Jeff Jackson as Attorney General. We don't need another MAGA Republican like Robinson, spewing hate and lies in our name.
Reclaim the Courts
2020 was the year we lost control of the State Supreme Court too. You remember: Cheri Beasley lost her seat as Chief Judge to Paul Newby by 401 votes: that's 4 votes per county! And we lost the other Supreme Court seats that were up for election as well, giving control to the Republicans. They promptly reversed the Democratic majority's ruling which had established Fair Congressional Districts that reflected the proportion of the vote that Democrats have in North Carolina. As a result of this change, this year we will go from 7 Democratic Representatives in Congress to three, making it more difficult for Democrats to reclaim control of Congress so we can actually pass legislation to protect our rights — like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and a law that would reaffirm Roe v Wade as the law of the land.
This election we need to begin the process of reclaiming the courts by electing Allison Riggs to the seat on the State Supreme Court that Governor Cooper appointed her to, and building a pipeline of experienced, fair justices by electing Ed Eldred, Carolyn Thompson and Martin Moore to the Court of Appeals. For 30 years the Republicans have worked through The Federalist Society to build a cadre of judges who don't believe that every citizen should have the right to vote, or that districts should be fair. To support democracy we must reclaim our justice system.
Vote the Whole Ballot
We can't forget the rest of the ballot either. Just a few more Democrats in the General Assembly and we will have the votes to support Governor Stein's vetoes of laws that undermine our freedoms — like the law that made abortion illegal after 12 weeks and 6 days, or the law which gives the money our public schools need to enable anyone, regardless of income, to use our tax money to send their kids to religious schools.
And don't ignore the local races and initiatives on your ballot. They have a huge impact on our daily lives. The Republicans intend to put three Constitutional Amendments on the ballot in November. One targets immigrants, playing on the lie that undocumented immigrants are voting illegally. Current US law requires that only US citizens vote. So vote against this duplicative amendment. And any other proposed by this legislature.
You can see your whole ballot by going to https://bluevoterguide.org and entering your address. They even tell you which organizations have endorsed the candidates you can vote for. Your County Democratic Party will even have a local blue ballot for you to take with you when you go to vote.
You can also see your sample ballot at the Voter Look Up on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/
Just click on your name once it shows up and you can see all your voter information, including all your jurisdictions, where you vote on election day, as well as your sample ballot.
Here are 2024 Election Dates and Deadlines you need to know:
Sept. 6, 2024: County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.
Oct. 11, 2024: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)
Oct. 17, 2024: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
Oct. 29, 2024: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.)
Nov. 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5, 2024: General Election Day.
Nov. 5, 2024: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.)
Pay attention to these dates to make sure your vote counts!
Check your registration at the Voter Look Up before October 11.
Make sure you have an approved photo ID to bring with you: you'll even need a copy of it for mail-in ballots.
If you need to change your address, vote early October 17-November 2. Early voting includes same day registration.
If you have been incarcerated for a felony, you can re-register to vote once you have completed probation or parole. See this You Can Vote document that details your rights if you have been locked up for a misdemeanor or felony.
If you have any difficulty that interferes with your ability to vote, you can request a provisional ballot. You should also look for someone outside the polling place with a yellow sign from Voter Protection. Democracy North Carolina operates the state’s nonpartisan voter hotline: 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683). If you encounter any difficulties when you're voting and you don't see someone wearing a voter protection shirt, call the number yourself. Be a voter! Help us win this one so we can keep moving forward!