No movement on elections bill + constitutional amendments on marijuana use
Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I’m democracy reporter Kyle Ingram, bringing you today’s North Carolina politics news with assists from our interns Ava Menkes and Ronni Butts.
Republicans’ sweeping elections bill, which makes dozens of changes to how voting and campaigns are carried out, laid dormant on Wednesday after a frenzied introduction the day before.
House Speaker Destin Hall had initially told reporters the bill would come to a floor vote on Wednesday, but lawmakers ended up holding it, saying changes still needed to be made.
Asked if he’d support the bill once it came to his chamber, Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters he preferred to hold his comment until he saw a final version.
“What it looks like tomorrow is probably going to be different than what it looks like today,” he said. “We’ll see what they’re able to get over here.”
Meanwhile, more protesters arrived at the legislature on Wednesday to oppose the bill. Ava has a dispatch on their concerns:
Advocates organize against Republican voting bill
Voting rights groups gathered Wednesday outside the legislative building to call on lawmakers to withdraw the sweeping elections overhaul package, which House Republicans advanced on Tuesday without public comment.
The bill includes provisions to require more documentation from overseas voters, prohibit election officials from encouraging voter participation and allow the Republican state auditor to investigate election conduct in counties of his choice.
“It’s confusing for the average reader to understand, that’s what they want, they don’t want you to understand,” Kat Roblez, Senior Voting Rights Counsel at Forward Justice, said. “They don’t want you to understand that it would allow the state auditor, who is himself a partisan elected official, to select counties at his discretion to do post-election audits.”
The 37-page bill does not outline standards for State Auditor Dave Boliek to conduct post-election audits to ensure that they protect voter privacy and are nonpartisan, according to Policy Director Brian Kennedy with Democracy North Carolina.
Advocates said this bill is not an isolated incident, as in 2013 former Gov. Pat McCrory signed a Republican bill that required government-issued photo IDs at the polls and reduced the early voting period. The bill also comes just over a year after Republicans took control of North Carolina’s state and local election boards, stripping Democratic Gov. Josh Stein of his appointments to these boards. Boliek is now the only auditor in the country with election oversight powers.
Among other provisions, Shruti Breathe, Director of Education at North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) emphasized the bill’s impact on marginalized and student voters, including immigrants, noting the proposal to prohibit election officials from encouraging voter participation could make it harder for these communities to access trusted information.
“This is like saying you own a restaurant, but you cannot go online and say, ‘Please come eat dinner today,’” Roblez said.
Breathe told reporters NCAAT is providing voter education and election resources in up to 21 languages, training volunteers and poll observers to help voters navigate registration and voting requirements and working year-round to ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot.
Additionally, Brooks Fuller, policy director at Common Cause North Carolina said voting rights groups will continue to offer a hotline for voting information, including polling location or registration assistance.
- Ava Menkes
Democrats push for constitutional amendments on marijuana
Democratic lawmakers discussed constitutional amendments to legalize recreational and medical cannabis at a press conference on Wednesday. Sens. Caleb Theodros and Kandie Smith said that since lawmakers haven’t made a decision on previous attempts to pass cannabis legislation, it’s time to turn to voters. “Too many individuals have faced long-term consequences from low-level possession offenses that continue to affect employment, housing, as well as educational opportunities,” Smith told reporters. “At the same time, many patients suffering from serious medical conditions have expressed a desire for access to cannabis-based treatment options under the guidance of medical professionals.” Smith said that the bill does not create commercial cannabis sales, establish dispensaries or authorize home cultivation of cannabis. Though Democrats face an uphill battle when introducing legislation — especially about cannabis — in a Republican-dominated legislature, Theodros said that he’s “cautiously optimistic.” The bill was introduced in early May and has since been stalled in the Rules Committee. Theodros said many bills have been passed without detailed review because they would give the state more tax revenue. But he said that he wants to ensure he and his colleagues can have thoughtful conversation on both sides of the political aisle about the “nuanced” issue. “There are many states that have moved ahead of us, again on either side, but at least having some sort of progress,” Theodros said. “And so that is what this piece of legislation is attempting to do.” Smith is also involved in discussions about cannabis in the state’s executive branch. She sits on Gov. Josh Stein’s Advisory Council on Cannabis that discusses the technicalities of cannabis legalization, including taxation.
- Ronni Butts
Headlines you won’t want to miss
- NC House passes a new bill about property taxes, with more legislation to come
- If summertime means a trip to the North Carolina DMV, these tips can help
- NC state employees’ health plan faces big changes. Here’s what’s coming in July
- NC Republicans advance sweeping elections bill with new auditor powers. What to know
- NC Gov. Josh Stein warns against use of ‘threats’ in I-77 toll lanes fight
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