In two small NC towns, March 2026 will be more than a midterm primary election. It will be a redo. The State Board of Elections ruled that irregularities in the 2025 municipal election require Harrellsville & Morehead City to conduct new races. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73939/do-ove...

County election boards are deciding where (and when) early voting sites should be for the 2026 primary. So far, there are a few non-unanimous plans, which will go to the State Board. A few disagreements are related to college campus sites. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73858/new-go...

Like their national counterparts, NC’s lawmakers and governor can’t get on the same page on health care. Despite yesterday's Medicaid cut reversal, they’re not planning to solve the problem next week, during a scheduled legislative session. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73846/nc-gov...

This year, a campaign finance bill turned into a mid-decade, more Republican congressional map. An effort to limit Lake Glanville wake surfing ended up changing how Louisburg’s elections are run. This practice isn't unusual in NC. I looked into it. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73814/gut-am...

How much will three-quarters of a billion dollars get you? In North Carolina, perhaps a U.S. Senate seat. The 2026 elections are officially on: here's a look at the expensive race to replace outgoing Republican. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73700/get-re...

Hey everyone, I'm officially in the newsletter game! I'll be giving an in-depth and behind-the-headlines view of the 2026 election cycle every other week (sometimes more often) beginning now and ending after the final election's certified. Sign up here for free! carolinapublicpress.org/subscribe/

Wednesday in Winston-Salem, a panel of judges seemed skeptical about arguments against North Carolina’s newly redistricted Congressional map. It’s very possible this case ends up at the Supreme Court alongside Texas’ case. carolinapublicpress.org/73519/federa...

In a recent bill, the State Board of Elections got 7 hires exempt from a state law requiring hiring/firing decisions to be made without regard to politics. Most of those positions have been filled. I looked at how we got here & the potential impact. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73480/turnov...

It wasn’t so much a blue wave as it was a blue mist permeating North Carolina’s municipal elections. In some ways, NCians followed the national Democratic tide. But in a political world with very little left to nationalize, some elections remained local. carolinapublicpress.org/73413/blue-w...

Last week, North Carolina Republicans passed a new Congressional map, designed to give their party an additional seat in the U.S. House. Now, the courts will decide whether those maps can remain in place. I looked at what may happen next. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/73058/will-c...

It may be a good time to revisit this story I wrote 2 weeks ago on the potential for mid-decade redistricting in North Carolina. While any redistricting attempt is certain to end up in litigation, a recent court decision may make the path easier. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/72815/appeti...

Democratic State Rep. Cecil Brockman is living on borrowed time. The Guilford Cty rep was charged w/ statutory rape & taking indecent liberties w/ a 15-year-old. Two options are likely: He resigns, or the House launches an ethics investigation to expel him. carolinapublicpress.org/72951/what-i...

While NC is an unlikely target for mid-decade redistricting before the 2026 elections, the state’s redistricting battles helped set the blatant partisan gerrymandering in motion. carolinapublicpress.org/72555/gerrym...

If you hadn't heard, one vote matters. Yesterday's municipal elections mostly fell along predictable lines, but there were a few surprises (see Charlotte City Council) and one race that may be decided by one vote. carolinapublicpress.org/72480/upsets...

There's a new caucus in town: the NC Progressive House Caucus, a part of the broader NC House Democrats. The now 11-member PHC won't be passing bills anytime soon, but they are looking to have an impact on the 2026 elections through fundraising. carolinapublicpress.org/72469/new-nc...

ICYMI: North Carolina received a DHS offer to provide its voter roll to the feds to root out non-citizens from the electorate. The NC State Board deferred its vote on it. While participation may be a politically popular idea, the devil's in the details. carolinapublicpress.org/72367/nc-ele...

If you didn't know, there are elections next week, including the mayor & city council primaries in Charlotte. In the largely Democratic city, the primaries are generally decisive. Here's a big picture view of what's at stake for the city & North Carolina. carolinapublicpress.org/72400/charlo...

NC lags in civic engagement. Gaps in civics learning part of the problem. ncnewsline.com/2025/08/31/n... Story by @sarahmichels.bsky.social #ncpol

This year's elections omnibus bill is a work in progress, but it's come a long way. The current version would require a full SSN for voter registration, attempt to keep foreign money out of NC elections & loosen ballot counting/curing deadlines. #ncpol carolinapublicpress.org/72308/omnibu...

For many of North Carolina’s students, civics class isn’t interesting. It’s not interactive, & it doesn’t effectively motivate them to be informed, engaged citizens. It doesn’t have to be this way. Story 3 of CIVICS UNLEARNED explores potential solutions. carolinapublicpress.org/72196/how-ci...

Civic education isn't doing its job — developing a generation of civically engaged adults. What's the problem? The 2nd story in my series, CIVICS UNLEARNED, explores 3 major factors: standardized testing, the STEM mentality & politicization of education. carolinapublicpress.org/72189/civic-...

So, I've been working on a project for a while... And the first of three stories dropped today! Presenting CIVICS UNLEARNED, a series on how deprioritization/watering down of formal civic education in NC may contribute to relative disengagement. carolinapublicpress.org/72172/nc-lag...

Tuesday, the state Senate passed a bill protecting NCians from revenge or coerced pornography. Early bill drafts had unanimous support in the state House, but in the end, only Senate Reps voted for it, due to several added anti-trans amendments. carolinapublicpress.org/71355/anti-t...

In a unanimous vote late Monday evening, NC senators passed a $2.6 billion Tropical Storm Helene recovery package. It may not be the final package. Senators approved a version of the bill that differs significantly from the one the House passed. carolinapublicpress.org/71336/senato...

Tuesday, a super minority of Senate Democrats used one of the few tools at their disposal — a discharge petition — to force action on a Helene relief bill. While their move wasn’t entirely successful, it did make some legislative ground. carolinapublicpress.org/71299/helene...

When Shaneeka Moore-Lawrence was in school, cafeterias and hallways were filled with conversation. Now, they’re quieter. Most students are on their cellphones. “Students, I say jokingly, but not jokingly, come out of the womb swiping." carolinapublicpress.org/71231/cellph...

Some might say newly appointed State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes wrote his own job into law. The GOP attorney's election experience includes defending NC’s voter ID law, legislators’ redistricting plans & most recently, Senate Bill 382. carolinapublicpress.org/71172/hayes-...

The DOJ sued the NC State Board of Elections Wednesday over alleged violations of the Help America Vote Act. The lawsuit addresses the same issue that was at the heart of the Griffin election protests. But this time, the outcome could be different. carolinapublicpress.org/71019/hava-c...

I recently sat down with NC Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton to talk 2026 strategy (never too early, right?) Clayton wants to capitalize on the momentum created in 2024 with her strategy to put up Dem challengers in all legislative districts. carolinapublicpress.org/70935/democr...

Clean energy — from solar power to electric vehicles — has been a boon to North Carolina's economy, thanks to state and federal commitments in the past two decades. But with Trump in office, lawmakers are walking some of those environmental promises back. carolinapublicpress.org/70874/clean-...

BIG NEWS: A federal judge ordered the state to certify Democratic Justice Allison Riggs as winner of a long contested 2024 state Supreme Court race in a ruling late Monday evening. The ruling signifies a major victory for Riggs, but may not be the end. carolinapublicpress.org/70632/riggs-...

Dave Boliek made history last week as the first auditor to appoint members of an election board. He used his newfound power, granted by the N.C. Court of Appeals a day before, to transform the State Board of Elections into a more Republican body. carolinapublicpress.org/70598/boliek...

Western North Carolinians need bridges in more ways than one. 7 months after Helene, federal money is in the pipeline, but may not arrive for months/years. State funding is coming in waves. Local governments have 2 months to balance their budgets. carolinapublicpress.org/70575/helene...

When the Jackson Cty Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on a resolution asking the legislature to make school board elections partisan, there was no warning. The proposed change wasn’t even on the agenda. BOE Chairwoman Gayle Woody felt blindsided. carolinapublicpress.org/70505/partis...

For the 5th time in a decade, a lower court decided that the legislature can't remove a governor’s power to appoint election board members. If the case ends up at the NC Supreme Court, a 5-2 GOP advantage could lead to a different end than previous attempts. carolinapublicpress.org/70426/appoin...

There’s going to be a full house in Ashe County’s public schools this summer. After Helene (and bad weather) closed schools for 47 days, Superintendent Eisa Cox plans to take full advantage of a Helene learning loss program funded by the legislature. carolinapublicpress.org/70364/helene...

Lawyer Jim Phillips Jr. feels like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day.” The Wake County judges do, too. Monday, a 3-judge panel heard the latest arguments over a law that would shift elections appointment power from the Democratic governor to a Republican auditor carolinapublicpress.org/70098/court-...

Military and overseas absentee voters from 4 Democratic-leaning counties will now have 30 days to prove their eligibility or be dropped from the count in a key 2024 judicial race that remains contested, per a Friday decision by the NC Supreme Court. carolinapublicpress.org/70037/milita...

Lynn Berry-Bernstein knows what builds trust — & it’s not Trump’s recent elections executive order. Of course, some disagree. Trump’s EO makes his priorities clear & could impact NC elections. One problem: He may not have the authority to implement it. carolinapublicpress.org/69675/execut...

Looks like Griffin and Riggs are going back to the NC Supreme Court If the state’s highest court upholds today’s decision (or ties), 61k voters may have 15 days to prove their eligibility, or be removed from the count* (*pending likely federal appeal) carolinapublicpress.org/69616/challe...

In fewer than 24 hours, Danielle Brown left an out-of-state bus tour, came home to NC to cast a vote and then boarded a plane to rejoin the tour. Now, her vote is one of nearly 67k ballots contested by GOP Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin. carolinapublicpress.org/69368/griffi...

Josh Stein is arguably the weakest governor in the nation. Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper jokes that if Republican lawmakers strip any more power away, he’ll be naked. That doesn’t seem to be a deterrent this session. carolinapublicpress.org/69053/govern...

From DEI efforts to immigration to the environment, executive orders from the Trump administration are expected to have far-reaching effects. I wrote about the downstream impacts of federal funding cuts, DEI bans and immigration executive orders. carolinapublicpress.org/68938/trump-...

I believe we are up to 592 bills filed so far this session. I've been tracking them, and found some that may be of interest (and also potentially become law) Topics include: crypto, social media, ICE, DEI, and of course, fireworks. carolinapublicpress.org/68962/bills-...

They say hope is a bad strategy. But with redistricting reform, it seems to be all anyone has. This was such an interesting story to learn about/tell. Special thanks to Clark Plexico, a former lawmaker who filed a bill in 1993, for answering the phone! carolinapublicpress.org/68847/redist...

NC lawmakers asked 10 county election boards to experiment with verifying absentee ballots signatures last year to bolster election integrity. It did not go particularly well. My story about the pilot program. (also, SZA song title found in the wild:) carolinapublicpress.org/68690/signat...

Can dead people vote in North Carolina elections? The question is murkier than it appears. Honestly, one of the more interesting parts of election law (or lack thereof??) I've learned about. Check it out! carolinapublicpress.org/68603/ballot...

North Carolinians do not know or understand the state’s electoral processes enough, which leads to confusion, distrust and apathy, a bipartisan commission found. Election boards need more funding to address this and operate effectively, they said. carolinapublicpress.org/68489/electi...

As North Carolina begins long-term Helene recovery, it faces a sobering math problem. Full recovery will cost nearly $60 billion. The federal government may chip in $15B. So far, the legislature's dedicated $1.1B. Who, if anyone, will fill the gap? carolinapublicpress.org/68428/helene...

It's déjà vu for North Carolina Republican lawmakers as they enter another session one seat shy of a veto-proof supermajority. What strategies will they use to fight Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's anticipated vetoes? And how will Democrats try to stop them? carolinapublicpress.org/68265/lawmak...