Weekend reads: Elections heat up in swing-state NC

Supporters cheer during an event for Donald Trump at the North Carolina Aviation Museum in Asheboro on August 21, 2024. (Photo by Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

Latest poll gives Stein a double-digit lead over Robinson in NC’s governor’s race

By Clayton Henkel

A new High Point University/SurveyUSA Poll shows Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor, leading Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson by 14 percentage points in North Carolina’s closely watched governor’s race.

The online poll of more than 1,000 North Carolina registered voters found 48% favored Stein and 34% supporting Robinson. Eighteen percent say they remain undecided.

The High Point Poll comes roughly a week after a New York Times/Sienna College poll showed Stein leading Robinson 49-39 percent. [ Read more … ]

‘Let’s fight for it’: Harris vows to chart a new way forward, defeat Trump

By: Ariana Figueroa and Jacob Fischler

CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination for president Thursday evening, pitching her candidacy as an opportunity for the nation to move forward, rather than accept a dark future she said would follow a second election of her Republican opponent.

Harris on the last night of the Democratic National Convention took advantage of the largest television audience she’s likely to have at least until her first debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump next month.

The vice president told her life story to the millions of Americans watching, saying it informed her agenda meant to boost the country’s’ middle class.[ Read more … ]

Bonus reads:
* A former high school football coach rises to running mate as Walz accepts VP nomination

* ‘Hope is making a comeback’: The Obamas make the case for Kamala Harris

Trump, Vance attack Harris on Afghanistan exit, foreign policy at North Carolina event

By Galen Bacharier

ASHEBORO — The members of the Republican presidential ticket criticized Vice President Kamala Harris over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and America’s place on the world stage during a visit to Asheboro on Wednesday.

The event, which took place outside the North Carolina Aviation Museum, marked former President Donald Trump’s first outdoor campaign event since an attempted assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania last month. It was also U.S. Sen. JD Vance’s first visit to the state since being tapped as the GOP vice presidential nominee.[ Read more …]

Republicans sue NC elections board, alleging ‘deliberate’ flouting of voter roll review law

By Galen Bacharier

NCSBE calls claims ‘categorically false,’ asks GOP to rescind news releases

Republicans sued North Carolina’s elections board on Thursday, demanding enforcement of a new law that requires cross-checking jury documents to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

The Republican National Committee and North Carolina GOP allege that the North Carolina State Board of Elections has “deliberately declined” to enforce the law. [ Read more . ..]

Racial Justice Act case rests with Superior Court judge after closing arguments

By Christine Zhu

SMITHFIELD — Closing arguments took place Wednesday in a Johnston County court proceeding with significant implications for more than 120 people on North Carolina’s death row.

As NC Newsline reported at length earlier this year , the case involves Hasson Bacote, a Black man who was sentenced to death in Johnston County in 2009. [ Read more. ..]

A divided NC Board of Elections allows use of UNC-Chapel Hill digital IDs for voting

By: Lynn Bonner

The state Board of Elections decided along party lines to allow UNC-Chapel Hill students and employees to use digital identification cards to vote.

Most people use drivers licenses as their voter photo ID,  but options such as ID cards issued by local boards of election, colleges, or state and local governments are also allowed. [ Read more …]

NC Housing Finance Agency awarded $8M federal grant to secure housing for people with disabilities

By Greg Childress

The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is one of 18 state housing agencies that recently received an award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to secure affordable housing for people with disabilities. NCHFA will receive nearly $8 million to help people with disabilities pay for affordable, safe housing. The agency will spend the money on 225 housing units in the form of rental assistance. [ Read more … ]