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Editorial - October 2002 |
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Decision time Nov. 5 October 30, 2002 - The political signs are everywhere. You can’t get away from the TV ads, some of them obnoxious. Thank goodness, Election Day is almost here and it will all be over. For Lincoln County voters, it’s decision time. Given the high-profile campaigns by Elizabeth Dole and Erskine Bowles, voters should be fully informed of the U.S. Senate race to fill the seat now held by Jesse Helms, who is retiring. This is a rare opportunity for North Carolina voters because it is not often a U.S. Senate seat is open.. It’s doubly important because of the fierce competition for control of the Senate by the Republican and Democratic parties. North Carolina is lucky to have two highly qualified candidates in this race. Lincoln voters will also have a congressional race to decide as long-time U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger, a Republican from Hickory, faces a challenge from Morganton businessman Ron Daugherty. If you’re wondering what happened to Lincoln’s representation by U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, the county was shifted from the 9th to the 10th District during redistricting. We have one legislative seat to fill, the redrawn District 97 Seat which covers all of Lincoln County. Rep. Joe Kiser, R-Vale, formerly represented part of the district and is the incumbent. Democrat Floyd E. Mason and Libertarian Bryan Edwards are also seeking the seat. We also have contests for sheriff, county commissioner, clerk of court, register of deeds and school board. These are the offices closest to the people and it’s very important to make good selections. Remember, these are not primary races so you don’t have to follow party allegiance. (The school board races are non-partisan). Many of these candidates have been in the public spotlight and are well-known. We have tried to cover most of these races with questionnaires and interviews, but we did not attempt to cover the judgeship races. If you want to sharpen up on these candidates, get on your computer and go to the web site of the North Carolina Center for Voter Education where you can find information on each candidate. Voting is not painful. It takes only a few minutes and it is what underpins our Democracy. Please plan to vote on Tuesday.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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