The News & Observer recently ran a long feature about the Directors of County Election Boards and the problems they face. The N&O also took the unprecedented step of listing the salaries of the directors in all 100 counties. In some small counties, they have no staff and must depend upon volunteers.
Two years ago, the gerrymandered districts for both federal and state candidates and the maps had to quickly be redrawn before elections. The candidates also had to choose which new district they wished to represent. The boundaries in the 2024 election stood and were used in the spring primaries. The new requirement for voter IDs was applied in the primaries, but it is being contested for the fall election in a lawsuit. There are also some Republican primary second run-off elections still to be held.
In recent years, the North Carolina General Assembly seems to be trying to do everything they can think of to favor one party. New rules, new regulations, and new procedures keep the county election boards jumping to keep current. The Republicans say that Democrats did the same for decades, and that’s true. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Trump’s continued insistence, even today, that the 2020 election was rigged has broken the trust of the voters. The election device companies sued for defamation and won. Now the voters seem to think that all elections and all election officials are crooked. That undermines the basis of American democracy.
Hostility then leads to apathy, and some people just quit voting. The right of all people to vote has been a long battle and a victory that is being challenged. It took two Constitutional Amendments to allow people of color and women the right to vote.
Some candidates always have used slur campaigns, and hate is a powerful motivator. In recent years, the use of unlimited funds from corporations and wealthy individuals have skewed the results. It also has limited the number of candidates willing and able to run unless they are wealthy themselves. Some argue for term limits, and others for age limits, but neither seem likely.
Elections are primarily governed by state law and administered at the state and local level. People who committed fraud have been tried and convicted in state courts, including those who to tried to preempt the votes of established electors to the Electoral College.
Politics always has been a blood sport, but it seems to be particularly so in recent years. Only 5½ months, and then it all will be over.
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