MIT's Election Performance index has been updated to include the 2024. Look up any state and see how it compares on a host of different measures of election performance. elections.mit.edu?utm_source=s... For an explanation, see: playingwithelectiondata.substack.com/p/the-electi...

Chuck Edwards' Q1 FEC report is out (through the end of March). ~785K total in receipts ~490K cash on hand If you want to read through every expenditure (including $7.99 at the Sylva Zaxby's, have at it: docquery.fec.gov/pdf/563/2026... #nc11 #npol #avl #wncpol

Teaching about migration and population growth in southern politics tomorrow. This one says more than 1000 academic articles ever could.

re-upping for the evening crowd. #ncpol

Migration is changing #ncpol. The graph below is the % of each voter registration cohort (1st time registrants) who are identified as a NC native in the NC voter file. 🛑Lots of missing data on this field, but the trend is still striking.

The Completely Avoidable Embarrassment of the Literacy Test in North Carolina's Constitution And Why We Should Use This Short Session to Do Something about it. #ncpol open.substack.com/pub/chriscoo...

“'The bones of this race are really difficult to overcome unless something drastic happens,' one North Carolina Republican strategist admitted to us." @jessicataylor.bsky.social / @cookpolitical.com moved the #ncsen race from Toss-up to Lean Dem #ncpol ⤵️

If you’ve got even the smallest interest in professional cycling, tune into #ParisRoubaix

. @coryvaillancourt.bsky.social reports that Anna Ferguson has been chosen to fill the NC-119 seat (Jackson, Swain, Transylvania) & will appear on the Nov '26 ballot She will be the 1st woman & the first enrolled member of the EBCI in the #ncga House #ncpol smokymountainnews.com/news/item/41...

The Sylva Herald is reporting that 4 people are vying to fill the #ncga district 119 seat (& appear on the November ballot): Anna Ferguson, Shira Hedgepeth and Molly McKim (all Jackson County), and Larry Chapman (Transylvania County) (1/5) 🧵 www.thesylvaherald.com/top_stories/...

Raphael Lemkin’s definition:

The sky got the message—always look your best for Easter.

Lindsey Graham is running an ad in the SC primary with the tag, "South Carolina Republicans deserve a Senator who says no to cocaine and yes to the truth." Also notable, Pee Wee Herman makes an appearance.

Remembering when I woke up on Easter Sunday to find a tape of Dire Straits Brothers in Arms in my Easter Basket. Mid 1980s Easter Bunny slapped.

THREAD: Groups are starting to sue to block President Trump's executive order that calls for restricting voting by mail...

Curious why Phil Berger's primary loss is such a big deal? ⤵️ #ncpol #statepolitics open.substack.com/pub/chriscoo...

With today's #SCOTUS oral arguments on birthright citizenship, where do North Carolinians stand on this democratic principle? #ncpol Some analysis at: ncpoliticscenter.substack.com/p/who-counts...

If I understand ⬇️ correctly, states would have to submit to the USPS a list of mail voters at least 60 days before an election. Helene hit #wnc 39 days before the 2024 election. If this EO was law then, Helene victims would have had no way to request a mail ballot after they were displaced #ncpol

Also: This was the only case left from court's October sitting other than CALLAIS, the VRA case. The only justice who hasn't written a decision from that sitting is Alito. The court tries to distribute cases fairly evenly, so strong odds that Alito is writing for the majority in Callais.

The End of the Berger Era: Why is Phil Berger's loss such a big deal? 🔗 ⤵️ #ncpol #statepolitics chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/the-end-of...

Just read that Jon Dee Graham passed away. If you don’t know Jon Dee or his music, start w this piece by @chuckreece.bsky.social If you do know his music, still read this piece by Chuck Reece RIP bittersoutherner.com/jon-dee-grah...

The Haire Institute for Public Policy is pleased to welcome Katie Searles to speak on: "How News Coverage of Democracy Affects Audience Participation" on April 5 in Apodaca 201 on the WCU campus. Please join us if you're in the greater Cullowhee metropolitan area. All invited #polisky #wnc

No living North Carolinian has ever known a General Assembly controlled by the GOP without Phil Berger at the helm. #ncpol

Curious: John King was in Marshall talking about #nc11 and whether it might be competitive, but he never mentioned either candidate—Jamie Ager or Chuck Edwards by name. #ncpol

Had a great time at the NC Political Sci. Assoc. mtg @ Elon Fellow academics (esp. grad students): don't sleep on state conferences.They're not going to help you medal in the prestige olympics, but they're small enough to build relationships, people actually attend panels & you get real feedback.

It started as a nice day for a trail run with my son. It soon became a reflection on age and generations as the 12 year old dropped me in the first 300 yards and never looked back.

No one loved serving in the #ncpol General Assembly more than Mike Clampitt. He was a kind man who did the best he could for his district and his constituents. May he rest in peace. smokymountainnews.com/news/item/41...

Re: the undervote claim in the Berger/Page election (👀 @sarahmichels.bsky.social 🔗 ⬇️ for context)--no matter the comparison group, MORE, not fewer votes were cast in SD 26 than in other Republican primary elections in the same precincts. #ncpol

Close elections across the board in this PPP poll of likely #ncpol voters e1.nmcdn.io/assets/ppp/w... Related, never thought I'd see the day when Democratic Governor Josh Stein had a favorability within 3 percentage points of Republican Senator Thom Tillis among Trump voters.

The No Labels party was born to great fanfare, but died w/a whimper. Read to find out why it had little to no effect on the party structure in a key battleground state. @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social @profsuroberts.bsky.social @whitneymnz.bsky.social shorturl.at/7lpwL

The primary results are in from last week in #ncpol, let's not forget about the election administrators who made it possible — even in the middle of a hurricane. 📖 🔗 ⬇️ + an update on Berger/Page, ad spending in the #ncsen race & a few other odds & ends. chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/elections-...

After the #ncpol primary, a few folks have asked whether the parties might shut Unaffiliated voters out of their primaries. SB 747 said they can't⤵️ For more, see the bottom of this piece in @theassemblync.bsky.social www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...

Posted some thoughts on last week's #ncpol primary: open.substack.com/pub/chriscoo...

Pleased that "Much Ado About Nothing: The Birth, Life, & Death of the No Labels Party in a Purple State" (@bowtiepolitics.bsky.social, @whitneymnz.bsky.social, David McLennan, Susan Roberts & me) is available in @pspolisci.bsky.social. #ncpol #polisky www.cambridge.org/core/journal... (1/3)

. @wesmediaproject.bsky.social is out w/ their report on midterm campaign spending. Despite being 1 of the 3 earliest primaries in the nation, #ncsen & #ncpol congressional candidates are not among the biggest TV ad spenders thus far. mediaproject.wesleyan.edu/releases-030...

The late great Townes Van Zandt was born this day in 1944. Here's my favorite cover of my favorite Townes song Gillian Welch, David Rawlings & Norah Jones): www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rN5... If you don't know his music, but you want to, start with Live at the Old Quarter.

In the latest sign that Florida Republicans will go through with re-gerrymandering the congressional map when they reconvene on April 20 for a special session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, legislators have advanced a bill to delay the candidate filing period from April to June

. @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social doing a predictably great job as the keynote speaker at the Citadel Symposium on Southern Politics.

A couple of folks have asked whether Page or Berger could simply run again an independent. The answer is no. For the history, see this clip from chapter 8 of Anatomy of a Purple State ⤵️ #ncpol

Late night thoughts on the #ncpol primaries: open.substack.com/pub/chriscoo...

2 precincts left & a 172 vote margin. This is a fine print election: canvass and recounts are going to decide it--not whatever we see tonight. #nc26 #ncpol

Just going to put this right here for future reference. #sd26 #recount www.ncleg.net/enactedlegis...

Back to the big one. Page up, but (and it's a big but), Rockingham has completely reported, Guilford has not. Page is doing much better in Rockingham than Guilford. #ncpol

Berger looking like he's doing well with Guilford early votes, as expected. No Rockingham votes thus far. 8:36 pm. #ncpol #sd26

votes starting to populate in #ncpol

Have we ever done a live Substack before? No. Do we know what we're doing? Arguably, also no. Will it be fun to talk #ncpol with @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social you bet!

Curious what to watch in the NC primary tonight? I’ve got an election night cheat sheet at the bottom of this link ⬇️ It’s 4 pages and results will come in around 8:30, so if you read a page every 15 minutes, you’ll have time leftover for a nice evening run. #ncpol

Make that around 8:30. Your thumbs can stand down until then

A little after 7:30 pm, all of #ncpol will begin posting election results in progress There is no secret portal to better or newer information. Everyone is just navigating to er.ncsbe.gov & pressing refresh as fast as their thumbs will allow So, join the fun. No experience required.