In a big decision, NC's Supreme Court just struck down the GOP gerrymander, 4-3.
Had Dems not won the 2018 Supreme Court race, this would have gone the other way.
2018 is the year that... the GOP tried to rig the election, only to have it spectacularly backfire. Let's recap.
Had Dems not won the 2018 Supreme Court race, this would have gone the other way.
2018 is the year that... the GOP tried to rig the election, only to have it spectacularly backfire. Let's recap.
Heading into 2018, the GOP wanted Justice Barbara Jackon (R) to win. It pushed a series of changes to ensure that.
1—It cancelled judicial primaries just for 2018
2—It changed ballot order rules
3—It added partisan ID on ballot
(All these things will soon conspire against them.
1—It cancelled judicial primaries just for 2018
2—It changed ballot order rules
3—It added partisan ID on ballot
(All these things will soon conspire against them.
Why did they think this helps? Well: Incumbent is a Republican, but it'll be hard for Dems to coalesce around 1 challenger. With primaries cancelled this year, this would mean a November race with one R & multiple Ds. Add partisan ID on ballot, & GOP wins.
(=This is the theory.)
(=This is the theory.)
Plot twist: Dems did coalesce, around civil rights attorney Anita Earls.
Another plot twist: An attorney (Anglin) switched parties right before filing deadline &... filed to run as a GOPer.
Recall GOP had cancelled primary. So that left... 1 "D" & 2 "Rs" on one ballot in Nov!
Another plot twist: An attorney (Anglin) switched parties right before filing deadline &... filed to run as a GOPer.
Recall GOP had cancelled primary. So that left... 1 "D" & 2 "Rs" on one ballot in Nov!
And recall GOP had added party ID on the ballot. If they hadn't, maybe some ppl who didn't know candidates would have skipped.
But now, Dems knew to easily vote for the one D; GOP voters just going down ballot couldn't just vote for their party in an equivalently quick way.
But now, Dems knew to easily vote for the one D; GOP voters just going down ballot couldn't just vote for their party in an equivalently quick way.
Note there's reason to think the GOP actively tried to get a Dem lawyer to join the ballot to split the vote of Dem's preferred candidate, Anita Earls.
(Did that give ideas to the candidate who became a GOPer just to run as a GOPer on the ballot?)
(Did that give ideas to the candidate who became a GOPer just to run as a GOPer on the ballot?)
https://twitter.com/gercohen/status/1034557134837624832
Fast-forward: Anita Earls easily won, but with just under 50% of the vote, vs both Anglin & Jackson.
And solidified such a Dem advantage that party kept the majority despite a GOP sweep in 2020.
On top of that, Earls is a civil-rights attorney who's worked in voting rights.
And solidified such a Dem advantage that party kept the majority despite a GOP sweep in 2020.
On top of that, Earls is a civil-rights attorney who's worked in voting rights.
And this story is one of the reasons why you have a 4-3 Democratic majority in NC's court, & why the GOP gerrymanders were struck down today, which may affect federal & state power for a while.
(It's also why state & local elections matter, hence you should follow @BoltsMag!🙂)
(It's also why state & local elections matter, hence you should follow @BoltsMag!🙂)
I’ll drop this here for if you read this far 😁
https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1488555539676241920
Oh this made my day
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