Benton: Let Wake create its elections maps

Wake County school board Chairman Tom Benton is advocating suspending this fall’s school board contests if elections districts adopted in 2011 are not used.

In 2011, the Republican majority on the school board adopted new lines for districts that Democrats swept that year to gain the majority. In 2013, the Republican-led state legislature replaced the districts but denied the change was made for partisan reasons.

On July 1, a three-judge federal appeals court panel declared the legislature’s maps unconstitutional and said they can’t be used in the Nov. 8 elections. The ruling is being appealed to the entire U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Benton, who said he was speaking only for himself, said at this week’s board meeting that if wouldn’t cost anything to restore the 2011 maps. But if that doesn’t occur, Benton said he hopes the 2016 school board elections are suspended until a suitable process for developing new maps occurs that provides input for Wake County citizens.

“Get this back to local control for local elections instead of outside courts and outside legislators telling Wake County how and when they are to elect their local officials,” Benton said.

Beach retreat

Knightdale’s Town Council members wanted to talk about hiring a new town manager, so, they took a road trip to Wilmington to have a talk. On Tuesday, town clerk Whitney Ledford posted a notice that the council would meet for a two-day retreat at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Wilmington beginning Thursday afternoon.

Mayor James Roberson, who selected the location for the retreat, said it fit the bill for town leaders. “It was just the closest place that came to mind without having to drive three hours,” Roberson said.

Although the plans were not made public until Tuesday, Roberson said planning for the retreat had been underway for months.

Political events

▪ The Western Wake Dems will meet at Mellow Mushroom at 4300 NW Cary Parkway in Cary on Wednesday, July 27. Rebecca Llewellyn, 1st Vice Chair of Wake County Democratic Party, will discuss the NC Coordinated Campaign and Wake County Coordinated Campaign; Rhonda Bond will speak on voter registration efforts; Larry Boone will discuss the voter ID project, and staff from the NC Coordinated Campaign (Victory NC) will discuss how it will function in Wake. The group will also watch some of the Democratic Convention. Social hour begins 6 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. RSVP to westernwakedems@hotmail.com.

Compiled by T. Keung Hui and Johnny Whitfield.

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Benton: Let Wake create its elections maps."