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Your vote can shape history
It’s been 20 years since presidential candidates have paid attention to North Carolina during primary season, but the epic battle for the Democratic presidential nomination between Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has the Tar Heel State front and center.
We strongly encourage all registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters to be a part of this history-making election season and cast their ballots either at the polls Tuesday or at a one-stop voting site by Saturday.
Unless something totally unforeseen happens between now and the Democratic National Convention in late August, either an African-American or a woman will head a major party ticket for the first time. North Carolinians can help determine which course of history we chart.
Locally, Democrats and unaffiliated voters will determine two county commissioners’ seats. With no Republicans having filed, a primary win is tantamount to election in November.
Over the past year and a half, we’ve seen how passionately our citizens care about this area as discussion of steep-slope and subdivision ordinances drew large crowds to public hearings and commissioners’ meetings. Now is the chance for voters to weigh in on how they feel about the ordinances – and a multitude of other issues.
There’s also plenty of reasons for Republicans to get out and vote as well. The most visible race for the GOP has three candidates seeking the nomination for the 11th Congressional District seat.
Both parties will choose gubernatorial nominees, and because since 1976 every governor elected has served two terms, odds are good that one of the winners on Tuesday will be our governor for eight years.
The historical aspect of the election continues in the gubernatorial race. Lt. Gov. Bev Purdue is looking to become our state’s first female chief executive.
We already have a woman senator in Republican Elizabeth Dole, who is seeking re-election. If State Sen. Kay Hagan wins the Democratic nomination, two women will square off for that senate seat in November.
Hagan’s chief opponent, Jim Neal, is trying to become the first openly gay candidate to win a statewide race in North Carolina.
Getting back to the local scene, don’t forget that the general election for two school board seats is held in conjunction with the primary, and one of those non-partisan races is contested this year.
In short, the election of 2008 is likely to be looked back on in years to come as a pivotal one at the national, state and local levels. Make sure your voice is heard.
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