Editorial: Voting issues need attention from voters
The Rev. Dr. William Barber II, president of the N.C. NAACP, is leading a voter registration drive.
While national attention was focused on the Iowa caucuses late last week, groups in Winston-Salem worked to let the public know about candidates that voters will have a chance to vote for.
The East/Northeast Winston Neighborhood Association and the African-American Caucus of the Forsyth County Democratic Party, Jacquelyne Barber Branch, provided opportunities for voters to meet and greet people running for office. Few people attended the sessions.
The one candidate at both events was Keith King, a businessman running in the Democratic Primary for the Northeast Ward seat on the Winston-Salem City Council. This seat is currently held by Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke, who also is a Democrat.
While King told the audiences about himself and what he would do if elected, he stressed at the neighborhood meeting that it’s important for people to vote on Primary Day, March 15.
“Our people need to get out and vote,” he said.
Marva Reid, president of the neighborhood association, agreed.
“We need to put people in place to keep us on track,” Reid said, adding that Republicans don’t appear interested in helping black people.
The African-American caucus also stressed voting: absentee voting.
Earline Parmon, vice president of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, asked the audience to encourage people to get absentee ballots to vote “so they will not have to face the embarrassment of being turned away in this era of voter disenfranchisement.”
People at both meetings mentioned how the voting rules are confusing because not all parts of the 2013 N.C. voting law will be implemented on March 15. That means voters need to start planning how they will vote physically, whether in person or absentee. We all need to know the rules of voting for the March 15 elections.
The caucus has information on a Voter Check Up flier that will help inform people about voting.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/africanamericancaucusforsythncdp or contact President Chenita Johnson at chenitajohn@hotmail.com to reach the organization.
The Voter ID hearing of the N.C. NAACP vs. McCrory trial ended Monday. We must wait for the judge’s ruling. Start determining a plan of action for March 15 to make sure your vote is counted no matter what the ruling is.
