Letter to the editor: Call your state legislators, Brunswick Beacon

Brunswick Beacon, 12.05.24

In the governor’s race, Brunswick County chose Democrat Josh Stein over Republican Mark Robinson. In fact, of NC’s 100 counties, Brunswick gave Stein his greatest gain compared to Roy Cooper’s 2020 performance (+7.1%), and gave Mark Robinson his biggest loss compared to Dan Forest’s 2020 result (-12.4%). 

But NC’s Republican legislators refuse to honor your vote. They can’t make Robinson governor, so they’re trying to do the nearest thing: strip power from Stein and give it to Republicans.

On Nov. 20, they passed a 131-page bill written in secret and revealed just an hour before House debate began in order to avoid publicity. 

Among its many power grabs, the bill strips the Governor’s appointment authority to the Board of Elections, Utilities Commission and Commander of the NC Highway Patrol, and gives it to the incoming Republican state auditor. It lets political parties choose appellate judges, takes away two judges elected by the people, and gives that right to the legislature. It also makes it harder for voters to correct errors on mail-in ballots.

Robinson, who was soundly rejected by NC voters, presided over the House vote. When an audience member shouted, “You are overturning the will of the people,” Robinson cleared the public from the chamber. He shamelessly dismissed public concerns, saying, “Republicans in this body are trying to protect their interests.” Robinson called the power grab, “just politics as usual.” 

Former Republican Governor Pat McCrory called it an unconstitutional power grab, and accused the legislature of “caring more about the power of the party than the power of the people.” Gov. Cooper agreed, and vetoed the bill. 

Republicans have the votes to override him, but the clock is running, because they lose their supermajority when the new legislature convenes in January. As Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, “Elections have consequences.”

If you don’t want your vote canceled, call your state legislators and demand that they sustain Cooper’s veto.

Nancy Briganti

Carolina Shores