Editorial Content — Carolina Political Review

Carolina's Premier Undergraduate Political Affairs Journal

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Another Round of Lawsuits leaves NC Absentee Ballot Curing Law in Limbo

Another Round of Lawsuits leaves NC Absentee Ballot Curing Law in Limbo

“Currently, voters will be notified of any mistakes that would invalidate their ballots and be given the opportunity to ‘cure’ those errors, either by signing an affidavit, in cases where the voter’s signature is missing, or, in most other cases, by returning a new ballot… While both sides expressed a belief that they were vindicated by Judge Osteen’s ruling, the court battle is not yet over. The case was appealed, and the State Board of Elections has been unable to implement any changes due to a stay, leaving thousands of deficient ballots yet again in limbo. As court battles drag on, there is growing anxiety that time is running out for deficient ballots to be cured.”

LocalDavid WoodliefOctober 17, 20202020 ElectionComment

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Visits Raleigh to Promote School Choice

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Visits Raleigh to Promote School Choice

“Secretary DeVos’ visit likely did not solve the issue of school choice vs. public school funding in North Carolina, though it did provide a glimpse of how President Trump’s education policy would affect NC schools. The round table discussion was yet another proxy campaign event for the president in a state that he desperately needs to win in November. Yet after the election, NC schools will still face the challenge of returning to school during the pandemic, and for public school students this could mean returning with less funding.”

LocalAdam TatumOctober 13, 2020NCPOLComment

NC Legislature’s Partisan Infighting Emblematic of Larger Problems in US Politics

NC Legislature’s Partisan Infighting Emblematic of Larger Problems in US Politics

“As Democrats and Republicans become more starkly divided, political preferences are increasingly less motivated by fact and instead determined by individual party allegiances. Information that is contrary to an individual’s belief is written off as fake news and no longer given any reasonable merit. The recent contentious developments in the North Carolina legislature are examples of a much larger problem of intense polarization that grows in the United States every year.”

LocalGrace KinleyOctober 11, 2020PartisanshipComment

Will Barriers to Student Voting at UNC-Chapel Hill Impact Election Results?

Will Barriers to Student Voting at UNC-Chapel Hill Impact Election Results?

“The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique challenge to student voters, most of whom left UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus when instruction went fully remote in August. Students who moved home after having previously used their dorm addresses for voter registration have to change their registered voting location.”

LocalAurora CharlowOctober 8, 2020UNC, NCPOLComment

Key Takeaways from Second Debate ahead of North Carolina US Senate Race

Key Takeaways from Second Debate ahead of North Carolina US Senate Race

This race remains one of the most closely watched and important elections in the country, as it could ultimately determine which party obtains a majority in the Senate. Things have become even more dramatic after recent scandals have come to light and negatively affected both candidates following the debate.

LocalBenjamin Picciano October 7, 2020Cal Cunningham, Thom Tillis, NCPOL, EleComment

How the 2020 Presidential Candidates are trying to win NC's swing state electoral votes

How the 2020 Presidential Candidates are trying to win NC's swing state electoral votes

“Even though the United States is extremely polarized, there is a “silent majority” that is not as involved as politics and loyal to one particular party. This group of people is instrumental in ensuring one candidate’s win over another. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump seem to be targeting this part of the population, who may prove instrumental to winning the 15 electoral votes from North Carolina.”

LocalEsha ParikhOctober 4, 20202020 Election, trump, Biden Comment

School Choice in North Carolina: A Complicated Battle for the Preservation of Liberty

School Choice in North Carolina: A Complicated Battle for the Preservation of Liberty

“This topic is one of the most pressing issues facing the two candidates for North Carolina Superintendent, Democrat Jen Mangum and Republican Catherine Truitt. Mangum is championing the prioritization “of funding… [for] traditional public schools to ensure that they remain the best alternative,” as she seeks to uphold the traditional standing of public schools as a trustworthy institution of the state. However, Truitt, over her career, has “come to believe that charter schools can and should exist wherever there is a desire to create one.” Furthermore, Truitt supports closing down underperforming public schools, but her same qualifiers extend to charter schools as well. Ultimately, this election for the NC superintendent’s seat will determine the future of the NC educational system, and quite possibly the future of North Carolina as a whole.”

LocalNicholas LongOctober 4, 2020School Choice, NCPOLComment

North Carolina Added to National Ten-Year Moratorium on Offshore Drilling

North Carolina Added to National Ten-Year Moratorium on Offshore Drilling

“On Monday September 21, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced that President Trump would include North Carolina in a Presidential Memorandum banning offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean for ten years. This action follows a letter sent to the President from NC Governor Roy Cooper urging for the state’s inclusion along with South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. In the letter, Cooper stated that offshore drilling could lead to the loss of coastal tourism and jobs. Fishing, tourism, and natural resources in North Carolina’s coastal communities generate $3 billion annually and support 30,000 jobs.”

LocalAdam TatumOctober 1, 2020Offshore Drilling, Environmental PoliticsComment

North Carolina courts adjudicate lawsuits over mail-in vote restrictions

North Carolina courts adjudicate lawsuits over mail-in vote restrictions

“As voters who are new to mail-in voting fill out their ballots believing their vote will be counted, legal battles have arisen asking the courts to soften restrictive regulations such as deadlines, witness requirements, and signature matching, that exacerbate the difficulty of mail-in voting. During a time when in-person voting is not a possibility for every citizen, North Carolina's mail-in ballot regulations pose unnecessary hurdles for all voters which may amount to de-facto disenfranchisement - Black voters in particular.”

LocalMichaela AusbrooksSeptember 26, 20202020 ElectionComment

NC Republicans Accuse NC Democrats of Pledging to Defund the Police

NC Republicans Accuse NC Democrats of Pledging to Defund the Police

“Republican Speaker of the House Tim Moore accused House Democrats of taking $100,000 from a group called Future Now in exchange for pledging to defund law enforcement across North Carolina. Representative Robert Reives called Moore’s accusations a blatant lie and an attempt to defeat Joe Biden in the presidential election by charging Democrats with radical policies.”

LocalGrace KinleySeptember 24, 2020Police Reform, NCGA, NCPOLComment

North Carolina Senate Race: Debate #1 Breakdown

North Carolina Senate Race: Debate #1 Breakdown

“North Carolina’s Republican incumbent Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham faced off last Monday in the first of three televised debates. The debate, which took place exactly 50 days before election day, gave voters the opportunity to closely examine the contrast between the two candidates and to hear their views on several contentious issues that have swept the nation in recent months.”

LocalBenjamin Picciano September 21, 2020Senate, 2020 ElectionComment

North Carolina bar owners feel left behind by Cooper’s opening guidelines

North Carolina bar owners feel left behind by Cooper’s opening guidelines

“Some owners are convinced the government has forgotten them due to the lack of information. In order to express their concerns, many have protested outside the Governor’s mansion proclaiming ‘save our bars.’”

LocalSeth MooreSeptember 17, 2020Bars, Friday BeersComment

Why North Carolina’s Parole Voting Laws are Racist - and Might Soon be Overturned

Why North Carolina’s Parole Voting Laws are Racist - and Might Soon be Overturned

“If Black felons themselves are a product of a wildly prejudiced criminal justice system, their subsequent disenfranchisement cannot be considered as anything more than another link in a long chain of systemic injustices.”

LocalWilliam CozensSeptember 3, 2020Editor's PickComment

Will Cooper’s COVID response help him survive November?

Will Cooper’s COVID response help him survive November?

“Cooper’s inconsistency has brought criticism from his opponent Dan Forest (R). Forest has capitalized on Cooper’s indecisiveness and has led the campaign to open the state. Forest has publicly criticized Cooper and sued him because he believes Cooper has exceeded his power and is being too slow.”

LocalSeth MooreSeptember 1, 2020Roy Cooper, Gubernatorial Election, North CarolinaComment

How USPS changes will affect North Carolinians in the upcoming election

How USPS changes will affect North Carolinians in the upcoming election

“North Carolina has a sordid past with fair elections and citizens have already expressed concern about the validity of their vote by mail. In mid-August, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein joined a multi-state lawsuit against the USPS and postmaster general Louis DeJoy for the recent cuts to the USPS program.”

LocalKatharine KurzAugust 28, 2020USPS, Postal ServiceComment

Charlotte Mayor Grapples With City’s History of Inequality

Charlotte Mayor Grapples With City’s History of Inequality

“Mayor Lyles’ speech serves as an important acknowledgement of how generational and current racism negatively impact Charlotte’s Black community. As protests over police brutality begin to slow down and people begin to lose interest, her actions could keep the momentum going in the right direction. However, simply noticing the faults in policies and communities will not fix the problem.”

LocalBrennan MaynardAugust 26, 2020LocalComment

Is UNC on track to create a second ‘cluster problem?’

Is UNC on track to create a second ‘cluster problem?’

“UNC faced an ethical dilemma in deciding when to open campus and they put the interest of the university over that of public health. It is no surprise that they are continuing this trend by sending potentially infected students home to their friends and family who are at much greater risk for serious health problems than the students themselves.”

Local, Editor's PicksGrace KinleyAugust 24, 2020Editor's PickComment

How Coronavirus is Changing UNC

How Coronavirus is Changing UNC

Due to the distancing mandate, many Carolina students have been suddenly uprooted and left scrambling to find alternative arrangements. As the UNC System banned on-campus gatherings of 10 or more people, in accordance with Governor Roy Cooper’s Stay at Home ordinance, all students living on-campus have been evicted from dorms and are encouraged to remain off-campus.

LocalIsabel WilliamsMarch 31, 2020Comment

Another Failed Solution to Silent Sam: Judge Overturns Settlement with SCV

Another Failed Solution to Silent Sam: Judge Overturns Settlement with SCV

Silent Sam, a statue of an armed Confederate soldier that once stood on UNC’s campus, has sparked anything but silence since August 2018, when students tore it down during a protest. Since then, the university has been indecisive on the next steps it should take regarding the statue’s remains, if it should continue to exist, and its final resting place, so to speak.

LocalIsabel WilliamsFebruary 26, 2020Comment

What You Need to Know About the North Carolina Primaries

What You Need to Know About the North Carolina Primaries

As of now, the race in North Carolina is looking quite competitive, making voting even more important. Polling data indicate a close three person race between Senator Bernie Sanders, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden. For weeks, Biden held a commanding lead in the polls, but his popularity has recently dropped significantly, placing him slightly below Sanders and Bloomberg.

LocalBenjamin Picciano February 24, 2020Comment