It’s Go Time
It’s been a challenging time to find my get up and go to write Pam’s Picks for this election. Every time I tried to pick myself up and focus my mind and will on researching and writing it, it seemed a sin to set my energies on anything political at all. Amidst the catastrophic conditions in our county — Floods. Landslides. Loss of communications. Loss of homes and possessions. Sorrow. Fear. And the worst–loss of life.
I, like so many of you, have been helping where and how I can. And trying to pick myself and my community up off wet ground.
I then began to experience the incredible fortitude of our community on my Facebook feeds. The will to go on, the commitment to our neighbors. The indomitable spirit of all of us, of newcomers and old timers, young and old. Unwavering resolve. Our ability to overcome adversity and, most importantly, our deep commitment to each other–picking each other up come hell or high water. Or both.
There is an eternal spirit. It is us.
Every election race on your ballot is important this year. Be sure to vote it from the top to the very end.
I don’t need to tell you there are some serious stakes in this year’s elections. I’m gonna hit some of the highlights on some of the candidates on this page, but I encourage you read about all this year’s elections races and candidates before marking your ballot. You can go through them one by one by clicking the links to the rights of your screen.
But before I get in to that, I want to direct you to what’s at stake in the very last item on your ballot this year:
VOTE YES!
“WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STRUCTURE CHANGE”
Without even consulting with the local Board of Commissioners, Senator Ralph Hise got a bill passed in the state legislature to gerrymander Watauga County’s commissioner districts. As a result of the gerrymandered map, over 20,000 of you won’t get to vote for who you want to represent you on your local Board of Commissioners for the next two election cycles. As an additional kick in the teeth, this year’s Republican candidates for the Board of Commissioners get to continue to serve for the next two election cycles even if they lose the upcoming election. (This bill will also take effect for our our school board districts after this election.) How’s that democracy thing working out for ya?
In response, the Board of Commissioners included a “Structure Change” referendum on your ballot to give ALL Watauga voters the chance to voice their support for a fair and non-partisan commissioner district map in place of the politically gerrymandered Hise map. Read all the details HERE!
The NC SUPREME COURT
I’ll let candidate Allison Riggs tell you about the takeover of the State’s highest court and the long road to getting it back. We start with this election.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
I’m voting “AGAINST” the “Constitutional Amendment.” It’s discriminatory and fear-mongering, and just another lego in the scary immigrant pile. Plus that, it’s a set up to make registering to vote harder, especially for young people. Before you start thinking I’m wearing a tinfoil hat, you should check out my discussion on that too HERE.
Onward to some seriously crazy and/or dangerous people running for statewide office. It’s honestly frightening.
NC GOVERNOR:
This is one of your candidates for NC Governor, and let’s just say there are far better choices.
NC SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
Check out one of the two candidates wanting to run the state’s public schools, Michelle Morrow Seriously? Check out my full discussion of this race HERE because I don’t even know where to begin.
THE WATAUGA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
Let’s not forget our local schools too. Nothing has changed since my my candidate picks in the March primary for this race, except (1) I was really impressed with Allison Idol at the Boone Chamber of Commerce candidate forum(which gave me pause) and (2) during the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, candidate Tom Ross was, shall I say, weird, and kept endorsing himself and the two other Republican candidates (including Idol) AND MICHELLE MORROW. I was hoping at least one of the other two Republicans would call him out on that, but they didn’t.
Candidate Bishop is the author of the now infamous “Bathroom Bill.” He is also a founder of “Gab,” an online forum for white supremacists. He is one of big proponents of the Big Lie, a strong supporter of Mark Robinson, supports a total abortion ban, and is one of the most extreme, right-wing members of the House of Representatives.
NC COMMISSIONER OF LABOR
The Republican candidate is anti-worker, anti-union, anti-minimum wage, against COVID-19 mandates of any kind, and opposed to federal heat safety regulations for workers.
I’m running out of embeddable videos! There’s also Hal Weatherman, running for NC Lieutenant Governor, who champions a 6-week abortion ban, opposes the very idea of the minimum wage, wants to abolish all corporate income taxes, repeal every part of the Affordable Care Act, and who associates with far-right conspiracy theorists. There’s Dave Boliek, Current UNC Board of Trustees member and candidate for NC Auditor, who has led the fight at UNC to eliminate woke diversity and equity policies. And of course there’s always Virginia Foxx, running for US House of Representatives again. You remember her. The Congresswoman who holds steadfast for no abortions for any reason, consistently earns a zero rating from the Human Rights campaign, who voted against certifying the last Presidential election, and who is always a no show for candidate forums.