RALEIGH – Gerrymandering has been around almost as long as the country, with neither political party holding a monopoly on using redistricting to enhance its own power.
Here in North Carolina, we have now seen both parties use redistricting to their advantage. Democrats did it for decades before they lost control in 2010 and Republicans just had their shot at it in 2011.
While gerrymandering may seem commonplace and just the way things are done, there are better ways to redraw legislative districts and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Raleigh hopes to move in that direction. Continue reading →
CHARLOTTE (April 10) – Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincolnton) introduced House Bill 794 Voter Freedom Act of 2013 today to dramatically lower the ballot access barrier for new political parties and unaffiliated candidates.
House Bill 794 has bipartisan sponsors, Representatives Paul Luebke (D-Durham), David Lewis (R-Dunn), and Rodney Moore (D-Mecklenberg). A broad and diverse coalition of political parties and public policy groups from across the political spectrum also backs the bill.
The Voter Freedom Act of 2013 would reduce the number of signatures a new political party must collect to qualify for the ballot from nearly 90,000 to about 11,000. The bill would also make it easier for new parties to retain ballot access, by reducing the number of votes they must get to about 11,000 votes. Continue reading →
A group of Republicans and Democrats have introduced a bill in the state House that would set up a nonpartisan redistricting process. House Bill 606, titled “Nonpartisan Redistricting Process,” would take redistricting power out of the hands of the legislators and turn that responsibility over to division of the General Assembly.
The bill is sponsored by Representatives Paul Stam (R-Wake), Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Deborah Ross (D-Wake).
Stam is the speaker pro tem and Ross is co-chair of the Democratic Conference. The bill currently has 39 sponsors. Continue reading →
Yesterday, Representatives Paul Stam (R-Wake), Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Deborah Ross (D-Wake) introduced legislation to reform North Carolina’s redistricting process.
Our current redistricting system is very partisan and has been used effectively by both parties to bolster their majorities in the General Assembly. Continue reading →
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OUR MISSION
″The mission of Free the Vote North Carolina is to eliminate barriers to participation in the electoral process that restrict or limit the right of citizens to vote for the person of their choice; to have their vote counted; to run for elective office, and; to organize and operate political parties that are treated equally under the law with other political parties.″
Filled with mountains of information about political parties past to present, Gillespie’s Challengers to Duopoly, aptly subtitled Why Third Parties Matter in American Two-Party Politics, shows over the course of our nation’s existence the powerful role that third parties, “the [road] less traveled by,” have played in both national, state and local politics. Find Out More...
ACTION ALERTS
May 14, 2013 – HB794 passed its first reading in the NC Senate and was referred to the Committee on Rules & Operations of the Senate.
May 13, 2013 – HB794, Ballot Access Reform Study Bill, passes the NC House of Representatives with a 109-5 vote.
May 9, 2013 – HB794 Study Bill placed on the NC House Calendar for Monday, May 13, 2013.
May 8, 2013 – HB794 turned into a Study Bill. Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee will study ballot access and report findings along with recommended legislation upon the Assembly reconvening in 2014.
May 7, 2013 – HB794 scheduled for House Election Committee hearing tomorrow (May 8) at 1:00pm, Rm 643 in the Legislative Office Building. Call Committee Members in support or bills passage as it is currently wrote.
Challengers to Duopoly by David Gillespie
