Call and/or write to your NC Representative and Senator and tell them you want primary runoff elections.
When the NC General Assembly approved the new redistricting map, it also abolished primary runoff elections. How fair is that for the Congressional races, and for all races including U.S. Senator, Governor and on down?
Consider a 3-way race between a RINO incumbent and two conservative opponents. The incumbent already has
When the NC General Assembly approved the new redistricting map, it also abolished primary runoff elections. How fair is that for the Congressional races, and for all races including U.S. Senator, Governor and on down?
Consider a 3-way race between a RINO incumbent and two conservative opponents. The incumbent already has
the advantage of name recognition. His conservative opponents are going to split conservative vote and will each garner a share of the less conservative Republican voters. The incumbent gets 35% of the vote, Opponent A gets 34% and Opponent B gets 31%. Without a runoff, the incumbent wins.
With a runoff, Opponent A might get 65% of the vote, soundly defeating the incumbent.
Background: In normal NC primaries, if no candidate receives 40% of the vote, there is a runoff election between the top two winners.
Call and/or write your NC Representative and Senator and tell them you want a runoff election. To find other Representatives or Senators contact info, go to http://ncleg.net/. It's not too late to change the law. The new redistricting map is being challenged in court. We’ll likely have the maps settled by June when we have the special US House primary. A runoff could be inserted between that and the general election in November.
This winner-takes-all scheme is another instance of stacking the deck for the incumbents.
Peggy Smetana
With a runoff, Opponent A might get 65% of the vote, soundly defeating the incumbent.
Background: In normal NC primaries, if no candidate receives 40% of the vote, there is a runoff election between the top two winners.
Call and/or write your NC Representative and Senator and tell them you want a runoff election. To find other Representatives or Senators contact info, go to http://ncleg.net/. It's not too late to change the law. The new redistricting map is being challenged in court. We’ll likely have the maps settled by June when we have the special US House primary. A runoff could be inserted between that and the general election in November.
This winner-takes-all scheme is another instance of stacking the deck for the incumbents.
Peggy Smetana
