Under the Dome: Farley to put his photo in every NC elevator. Could it lift his profile?
Good morning and welcome to the Under the Dome newsletter. I’m Emily Vespa.
Soon, when you step into an elevator in North Carolina, a new face will greet you: Labor Commissioner Luke Farley.
The head of the agency that regulates 28,000 elevators across the state announced he’s putting the portrait back on inspection placards, a practice that started in 2005 during former Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry’s 20-year tenure. Berry’s successor, Republican Josh Dobson, removed the pictures in 2023.
The placards propelled Berry, the “elevator lady,” into popularity. They also lifted her electoral prospects, according to a 2015 article co-authored by political scientist Jacob Smith while he was a doctoral student at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Smith said he found Berry, a Republican, performed better than she did in previous elections in places with higher concentrations of elevators. That held true even in counties that typically lean Democratic.
“These places were really excited to vote Republican [for labor commissioner] just from the elevator,” Smith, now an associate professor of political science at Fordham University, said in a phone interview. The photos acted as advertisements, he found.
A 2018 Elon University poll also supported the idea that including Berry’s name and photo in elevators boosted her name recognition, Smith said.
The poll found that less than one-third of North Carolina voters could correctly identify their state senator or representative, but 49% could identify Berry’s job. Of those who identified Berry’s job, 65% said she was the “elevator lady” or “elevator queen,” which the pollsters accepted as a correct, unofficial title. Twenty-three percent said she was the labor commissioner, and 12% said both titles.
If Farley runs for reelection in 2028, Smith said he plans to analyze the results to see if the pattern holds for a different commissioner. Some, including Berry, have theorized that her name being mispronounced as Cherry, not Cher-EE, to rhyme with her surname helped her success.
Farley said he’s “restoring government accountability” by bringing the elevator photos back.
“When you see my photo and signature on an elevator, you know I stand behind the work of [North Carolina Department of Labor] inspectors,” he said on X.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES MORE TOP STAFF
Attorney General Jeff Jackson on Jan. 14 announced more additions to his leadership staff. They are:
Stephanie Robinson, general counsel: Robinson previously worked as deputy general counsel and chief records officer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation and as lead general counsel for the North Carolina Global TransPark Authority.
Kelly Chambers, civil bureau chief: Chambers will stay in the Department of Justice, where she’s been senior deputy attorney general of the civil division since 2021.
Boz Zellinger, criminal bureau chief: Zellinger most recently led the special prosecutions and law enforcement section of the department’s criminal division.
Kunal Choksi, consumer protection division director: Choksi was previously special deputy attorney general in the department’s consumer protection division.
Carlye Wittek, legislative director: Wittek joins the department from the state Department of Public Safety, where she was a legislative liaison.
Natalia Botella, interim public protection section director: Botella is a special deputy attorney general and served as deputy director of the department’s public protection section.
Tina Wong, interim human resources director: Wong previously worked as the department’s deputy human resources director.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE WORKING ON
GOP state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin has challenged the validity of over 60,000 early and mail-in ballots. Kyle Ingram has the details on how to find out if your vote is challenged.
Today’s newsletter was by Emily Vespa. Check your inbox tomorrow for more #ncpol.
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This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM.