The NC State Board of Elections is currently in session, passing judgement on the dozens of County Board of Elections’ racially discriminatory early voting plans which have been contested by those boards’ minority Democratic members (each county board is 2 Rs and 1 D). Here I’ll provide a little color commentary on each of the State Board’s decisions as they happen. I’m not actually attending the meeting; just relying on WRAL’s Mark Binker’s tweets (@binker).
The story so far:
Rockingham County’s Republican plan adopted by state board on a 3-2 party-line vote. It’s actually not a bad plan, but then Rockingham County (home to the largest KKK offshoot in the US) is as white as it gets.
Another party-line vote, approving Randolph County’s Republican plan, which increases 2012’s 3 polling places to 4 and ups total EV hours somewhat. But the rejected Dem plan provided many more hours, plus Sunday ‘Souls to the Polls’ hours which the prevailing R plan lacked. Because black churches, dontcha know.
The Board approved the Democratic minority’s plan for Hoke County, which cuts Sunday voting hours in half from 2012 (the Republican majority plan abolished Sunday voting entirely). Very slightly increased weekday and Saturday hours, with the same total number of sites as 2012.
The board is back from its potty break, and taking up Lenoir County. Here the Republicans’ plan was notorious, slashing total sites from 2 in 2012 to just 1 in 2016 (requiring 45-minute one-way driving times for many residents). Lenoir is an impoverished county with a near-majority black population.
And, oh yeah: Lenoir Republicans’ plan slashed Early Voting hours by 75% from 2012. WRAL’s Mark Binker says the Lenoir Repubs and Dem have come up with a new “unity plan.” Which probably means a 50% reduction instead of 75%?? We’ll see.