Local disputes in NC could be an encyclopedia

In a win for Republicans, a federal judge has let the current state Senate map stand. The decision makes it easier for Republicans to retain their supermajority in the chamber in the 2026 election. #ncpol READ MORE--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-senate-...

"I am grateful for every dollar that we’ve gotten, and it’s over $6 billion. But when the scale of the damage is as immense as it was in Western North Carolina, $60 billion, we need a lot more help."

A liberal group posted an unconfirmed rumor on X that North Carolina's top Republican and President Donald Trump had a quid pro quo. Senate leader Phil Berger denied the claim, but said he's open to a new voting map. #ncpol Story here--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/berger-red...

Come for the legislative updates, stay for the finger pointing and colorful language. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/sept-2025-...

Crime bill passes Senate along party lines, heads next to House. #ncpol Reminder of what's in the bill--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/top-nc-law...

North Carolina House Republicans say the chamber won't take up a Senate bill tying Medicaid funding to a Children's Hospital project. #ncpol Story here--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-medicai...

Per crime bill draft obtained by @theassemblync.bsky.social, NC lawmakers will seek to restrict cashless bail, speed up executions, and let judges and magistrates hold any defendant in jail without a hearing for up to three days for a mental health eval. #ncpol www.theassemblync.com/politics/cha...

NEWS: North Carolina state Rep. Jarrod Lowery will be leaving the General Assembly on Oct. 7 for a government job in DC. Lowery has been a leading voice in the effort for the Lumbee Tribe to receive full federal recognition. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/jarrod-low...

Don’t let us down, Dairy Queen! If you or someone you know works in corporate comms there, please hit me up. #ncpol

Bryan Anderson: Arts Policy Reporter kinda has a nice ring to it

Following the killing of Charlie Kirk, North Carolina Democrats and Republicans alike are voicing safety concerns. "It’s going to take leaders on both sides stepping forth and simply repudiating any sort of political violence whatsoever," Hall says. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/im-afraid-...

North Carolina legislative leaders and the governor say they're working toward a bipartisan solution in response to the killing of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train. #ncpol

Some news today that folks shouldn't ignore: North Carolina has awarded $15 million to the producers of Mr. Beast's game show. This represents nearly half of the grant program's annual budget. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-awards-...

BREAKING: Kirk has died President Trump announces.

JUST IN: A federal judge has signed off on a settlement reached between NC elections officials and the Trump administration over voter registration. It could have ramifications for the 2026 midterms. #ncpol

BREAKING: Surry County Board of Elections Board Chairman James Edwin Yokeley, Jr. has just resigned following an arrest on charges of drugging his two grandchildren. #ncpol

Per NCSBE data request, here's the form that's about to go out to 82,737 NC voters who need to update their registration in order to avoid having to cast a provisional ballot. #ncpol List of voters here (shrinks daily; this is as of 8/14) --> docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Did lawmakers violate NC's open meetings law with an unorthodox meeting on the floor last week? I looked into it, as well as the history of such hearings in the state --> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/bending-th... (thanks as well to Galen Bacharier for sharing photo) #ncpol

NEWS: An NC Court of Appeals ruling makes it easier for unaffiliated candidates to get on ballot. A 2022 Orange Co. commission candidate needed 4% of all county voters to sign petition to get on ballot. Judges say it should've been 4% of *district* voters; not full county. #ncpol

NC leaders have called for hiring dozens of additional DMV license examiners. But a new audit suggests that may not be the most effective solution. There's already 160 examiner vacancies across the state. And a $20/hr salary isn't very enticing. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/its-not-go...

Went on @wfae.bsky.social this morning with @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social to discuss election administration changes and how that could impact voting for tens of thousands of North Carolinians. #ncpol Tune-in here—> www.wfae.org/show/charlot...

For those who are curious and have been asking: Rep. Carla Cunningham declines to respond to intraparty pushback from NCDP Chair Anderson Clayton, but does tell me she’s NOT leaving the party and will remain a Democrat. #ncpol

A number of controversial provisions in a sweeping elections bill have been removed. But there are now also other items that could reduce transparency in election administration. #ncpol Story here--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-electio...

NOTABLE: Four NC Dems bucked Stein. Willingham said he got a call from Stein last night trying to persuade him to sustain his veto. Separately, Cunningham was embraced by fellow Mecklenburg County Rep. Tricia Cotham after heated comments on an immigration bill (Cotham left DEM Party in 2023). #ncpol

NC lawmakers have reached a deal on a 31-page mini budget plan. The agreement between House and Senate Republicans would make a number of changes in election administration and oversight of state agencies. #ncpol What you need to know--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/mini-budge...

In 24 hours, WRAL has repeatedly given its audience the false impression that they reported something wholly on their own. Their "reporting" on Cooper followed Axios by hours. Their "reporting" on Whatley followed Politico by hours. Their "reporting" on UNC settlement followed N&O by hours. #ncpol

NEWS: RNC Chairman Michael Whatley will run for U.S. Senate, can confirm from multiple people familiar with the matter. Whatley has considered this for months. Announcement and Trump endorsement is forthcoming. First reported by Politico, story coming for Anderson Alerts. #ncpol

A new report from Axios says North Carolina's former governor will enter the U.S. Senate race next week. Roy Cooper's team wouldn't confirm the report, but said an announcement is forthcoming. #ncpol

NC Senate will return July 29th for veto override votes, GOP Senate leader Phil Berger announces. Measures would then go to House, where they'd need at least one Dem to cross party lines or two Dems to be absent when a vote is called, assuming all Republicans are present. #ncpol

UPDATE: If you value contextual, aggressive, nonpartisan coverage of #ncpol and don't want this news service to go away, now is a key moment. We've doubled our subscriber goal five months ahead of schedule, but still need financial support to continue operations as midterms approach. How to help-->

STORY UPDATE: Per NCSBE data, the 103,270 impacted voters who will have to cast a provisional ballot if they don't update their registrations are disproportionately younger and unaffiliated. Republicans are the least likely to be impacted. #ncpol

JUST IN: 103,270 NC voters need to act imminently to avoid having to cast a provisional ballot in future elections. Who's on the list and what should they do about it? Given the importance of this issue, I've lifted the paywall--> #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-voter-r...

Exactly two months ago, Sam Hayes took over as executive director of NC’s State Board of Elections. In profile, I take a look at his background, the moves he’s already made and what lies ahead for an agency that has become a political football. #ncpol www.theassemblync.com/politics/ele...

UPDATE: A couple dozen bills that weren't posted Friday have just now been presented, so 2025 is officially the second least productive session in terms of bill passage count, not the lowest. #ncpol

#BREAKING: U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis will not be running for reelection in 2026, he announced today. #ncpol #Election2026 STORY-->

No budget, no mini budget, no exempt positions for NCSBE, no agreement even on how to adjourn. Even disregarding the numbers, it’s awfully hard to argue the past six months have been productive in Raleigh. #ncpol Story —> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-2025-un...

Transparency/Conflict of Interest Note: There's one legislative race I will not be covering this year: Senate District 4. Why? I learned this week that my barber is running for the seat. While I won't be supporting any candidate, I do have one endorsement--> #ncpol

North Carolina lawmakers advanced dozens of bills this week. Several of them will become law, while others have a long road ahead. Here's what you should know--> #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-2025-bi...

This morning, a House committee rushed a bill that allows foreign nationals to make political donations for ballot measures. The bill also prohibits state and county elections officials from encouraging people to vote. #ncpol READ MORE--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/house-rush...

We have an adjournment resolution. North Carolina lawmakers would return for possible votes on July 29-31, Aug. 25-28, Sept. 23-25, Oct. 7, Oct. 28-30, and Nov. 5. #ncpol

It's 9 a.m. And in a stunning turn of events, we actually have a committee starting on time- a sign lawmakers are more than ready to leave Raleigh. Bill is being debated now. It'd allow 25 exempt positions at State Board of Elections. #ncpol READ MORE--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-electio...

JUST IN: A new bill addresses photo ID issues from the 2024 Supreme Court race, creates the possibility (albeit highly unlikely) of a 38% staff turnover at State Board of Elections and stands to make voting both more and less burdensome. #ncpol MORE--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-electio...

I may have exhausted my pun limits on this one, but don't be a crustacean. The shrimp bill has been krilled. #ncpol

Good news for Republicans: Stein loses a Utilities Commission seat and several Building Code Council appointments. Good news for Dems: Stein retains ability to fill statewide judicial vacancies how he sees fit. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/stein-judi...

In case there wasn't enough mess in #ncleg, here's how even a few dozen pages for a "mini budget" is becoming out of reach. The House's top budget writer says the Senate violated terms of a deal. Senate's top negotiator says House has gone AWOL and isn't communicating. #ncpol

It's been a long day at the legislature. Here's my best attempt to explain what's truly most important right now: An emerging failure of House and Senate Republicans to achieve either of the two things they really needed to get done this session. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/budget-hel...

No resolution on Helene recovery bill. Both chambers have held out hope for passing something before summer recess. House just unanimously rejected Senate plan. #ncpol What Senate wanted--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-senate-... What House wanted--> andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-house-h...

Updated: Here's all county elections boards members appointed today, per NCSBE. They'll be formally sworn in next month. #ncpol

About 98K NC voters will have to cast a provisional ballot if they don't provide their driver's license or last four digits of their Social Security number. Another 96K are being asked to update voter registration info. #ncpol