Mecklenburg

Last week four men chosen by the Mecklenburg County Commissioners to serve on a bi-partisan panel to study and recommend new voting district boundaries decided instead to undermine the process of which they’d agreed to be a part. Without notice to either the county commissioners or their fellow panel members they made a hasty trip to Raleigh to meet with the leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly. Within hours a bill to bypass the public process already underway was brought to a vote in both houses and passed. And just that quickly, the rights of the citizens of Mecklenburg, Buncombe, and Gilpin Counties were usurped, literally stolen from us for political gain. Whether you lean right, left or somewhere in the middle – where most of us surely are – this action was a direct attack on your democracy, promulgated for unabashed political gain and power. When questioned about the tactic a sitting commissioner responded, “It’s politics.”

Attends Economic Forecast & Chamber Events

During the past week Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin visited with hundreds of voters in three more counties.

In Harnett, Wake and Mecklenburg Counties he updated audiences about the good news and good work of their Department of Insurance. He focused on how he and his team have saved consumers statewide more than $650 million during his short 18 months in office already.

Goodwin also expressed his frustration and concerns about the level of uncivil political discourse.

In the November 2, 2006 election, Mecklenburg County, had several very close results in both national and state races, including a 329 vote squeaker in the Kissell-Hayes Congressional election. Scrutiny of the vote totals has revealed an unexplained undervote: a significantly higher percentage of voters than in the past declined to vote for the most prominent races such as those for US House of Representatives. Never in past years had the Congressional races been "outperformed" by downballot races such as for sheriff, county commissioner etc.... but it did happen in 2006. Mecklenburg County includes parts of three Congressional districts. ALL three districts had a significantly higher undervote in Mecklenburg than they did in other counties, and all three races had a significantly higher undervote than they did past years for the same race.

For a look at the data, analysis, and an account of the problems that arose during the recount, please read on...