NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | Thursday, October 22, 2020
2k20: to the polls we go
Thursday, October 22, 2020 |2
Letter from the editor Waaaaaassshannnnniiinnnn! It’s good to be back. This semester has been one hell of a ride but it’s almost over!
decison.
As always, Nubian’s got y’all with the content. We’ve compiled a voters guide -- filled with things that you should know in order to make a well informed
THISISSUE 5
ABSENTEE BALLOT
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DAVID PRICE
9
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
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VOTER HARASSMENT
How to vote by mail
Get to know the incumbent candidate How the electoral college affects the election Why people may not vote
We’ve got more content coming up soon! Be on the lookout. My quote for this issue is from the amazing Emeli Sande: “In a world that’s breaking, where nothing is for keeps -this is us, this is love, and this is where I sleep.”
cover photo BY Ryan Farischon/Staff Photographer People line up outside for the first day of early voting at Talley Student Union on Oct. 15th, 2020. Early voting at Talley will continue until October 31st.
As always, protect your peace. Love, Elikem
The Sentinel of the African-American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. 314 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 office 919-515-1468 advertising 919-515-2411 online thenubianmessage.com
Elikem Dodor
Editor-in-Chief
nubian-editor@ncsu.edu Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe Managing editor
nubian-managingeditor@ncsu.edu Arana Blake
Layout designer
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of Nubian Message: Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 3
features
Why We’re Voting
-a Collection from the Nubian Staff + Instagram Followers “50-60 years ago we couldn’t so now I would love too and I want to change our government”
“I am voting to honor those who fought for me to have the right to vote. I am voting because it is a privilege to be able to try and make a change in the nation I live in. “
“It’s my civic duty, I want to be the change that I want to see in the world and i believe that voting is the way to do that.”
“To move towards a better future for the younger generation”
“Basic human rights are on the ballot this year.”
“To make my voice heard” “I’m voting in this election because it’s the closest chance I have to improve the quality of life for myself and generations to come. Voting is a way for at least some of my values to be represented in the way America is governed. The policies that will be implemented by political officials will significantly impact my life and the lives of my community in the months and years to come. “
Ray black
“I’m voting in this election because I’ve always believed that when people speak up, things will get done. I’m voting not just for me but for the ones behind me. I’m voting in this election because I want to see a president who actually cares for the lives of the American people, no matter the gender, race or socioeconomic background. It’s time to choose a president that represents what we are really about. “
Nubian Message Staff.
“For all of the people who are unable to vote. As a child of immigrants, I saw the people I cared about most be impacted by things that they did not have the power to vote to change. “
“I believe Black trans matter. In the meantime, minimizing the harm done to us by participating in voting and grassroots organizations seems to be the best option while fighting for abolition.”
“I feel pretty powerless sometimes but voting is a way for me to use my voice for me and other marginalized communities that may be impacted more by harmful legislation”
ThursDay, October 22, 2020 | 4
news
Things that you probably Voting information that may come in handy don’t know about voting Election Day is less than Ugonna two weeks away. Millions ezuma-igwe of citizens have already Managing Editor cast their ballots while
Ryan Farischon/Staff Photographer People line up outside for the first day of early voting at Talley Student Union on Oct. 15th, 2020. Early voting at Talley will continue until October 31st. A current university identification card Well, here we are ladies Oluwajoba and gentlemen- almost with a proof of campus living. Ogun With that, the county of board elections at the finish line of this will verify your address, social security election. Through the Staff Writer number, and number by mail and count year, both federal and your ballot toward the election. local candidates have spoken and have tried to convince us, the American people, Where you can vote: what they can bring to the table in terms With early voting, you can vote in any of affordable healthcare, solving racial voting site in the county whereas on issues and taxes, just to name a few topics. Election Day, you have to vote at your Now early voting is open so it’s our time assigned polling place. to speak up and show out in this election You can search for voting booths that are and decide on the best candidates to lead the closest to you on ncsbe.gov our state and our country because lives OR depend on it, literally. You can vote on campus in Talley If you’re still unsure where and how to Student Union. Booths are open: vote, here are some steps that you can still Monday- Friday 8am- 7:30 pm take to secure your ballot. Saturdays 8am- 1pm Since the initial deadline for registration Sundays 1pm- 6pm. has passed, we’re currently in the process On the last day, Oct. 31st, they will open of early voting, (October 15-31), and you can register at the early-voting sites during 8 am- 3pm. this period. After registering, you can cast If you registered to vote before the your vote at the same site, hence same- day October 9 deadline then you can vote on registration. election day (November 3). The nearest polling location is Pullen Park Community The things you need to verify Center. your registration are: Remember that having the right to vote North Carolina driver’s license is a privilege in our country with that OR being said, plan accordingly. Other identification issued by the government that includes your name and address. OR
many voters have begun heading to polling locations around the country to go and vote. Nubian Message has compiled a list of things that you probably don’t know about voting. Many states don’t allow voters to wear clothes that are political Many states consider wearing clothing that state political opinions as Electioneering. Electioneering is taking part actively and energetically in the activities of an election campaign essentially campaigning. Some states allow for items with political opinions such as buttons, pencils, pens, signs, or stickers. In North Carolina, it is illegal to distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election‐related activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone. The buffer zone is set at most 50 feet from when the entrance door is closed. So you can not wear political clothing or items to vote in North Carolina. If a voter does show up with political clothes/items then poll workers are allowed to ask voters to remove them, cover them, or to leave the polling site. You can change your mind about using your mail-in ballot In North Carolina, a voter can request an absentee ballot and change their mind. They can choose to vote in person as long as they DON’T also submit the absentee ballot. If both are submitted then the voter would have committed voter fraud by voting two times in an election. In North Carolina voting twice is a criminal felony punishable by a jail term of 3 to 12 months. Voter fraud is rare. A study by Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt found just 35 credible allegations of fraud from 2000 and 2014 – out of more than 800 million ballots cast. Felons can vote (depending on the state) Each state has rules on felons voting that vary. Some felons can vote right out of prison or when they have completed their parole or after a certain amount of years. It is very important to do research about the state, county and city you plan to vote in as rules can vary and are constantly changing. Last month in North Carolina, a Wake County Superior Court judge ruled that convicted felons who have completed all other parts of their sentence, including probation and
parole, can not be denied the right to vote -solely due to them still owing money in fines, fees or other court-imposed obligations. In the majority of cases in which a felon voted illegally, it was unintentional. In 2018 in Alamance County, the New York Times profiled cases of people being prosecuted for illegal voting. Several of those being persecuted were still on parole or probations and were unaware that they weren’t allowed to be voting It’s illegal to take a photo of your ballot (Depending on the state) States that have passed legislation permitting ballot selfies: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nebraska , Oklahoma , Oregon, and Utah. States that allow ballot selfies but don’t have specific legislation: Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming. North Carolina is not on either of these lists, it is illegal to take a photo of your ballot. According to NCLEG, “No person shall photograph, videotape, or otherwise record the image of any voter within the voting enclosure, except with the permission of both the voter and the chief judge of the precinct.” Also “No person shall photograph, videotape, or otherwise record the image of a voted official ballot for any purpose not otherwise permitted under law.” Everyone can get a free identification card (depending on the state) The process is different depending on the state but the majority of states have made it possible for voters to get free identification. In North Carolina due to House Bill 589, every voter can get a free identification card. This bill waived the previous fees that were applied to those over 70 years old, anyone whose driver’s license has been canceled because of a disability, the homeless, the legally blind and every other North Carolinian. Voters can get an identification card whether they’re registered to vote already or showing up to register at the polls without paying a fee by signing that they are eligible to vote. Their information must be verified first and then North Carolina won’t charge a fee. This is not a comprehensive list so everyone should do their own research.
news
Thursday, October 22 2020 | 5
How to Vote by Mail in ballot ballot, you will need to return it to your county board of elections. There are multiple ways to go about this. The first is by mailing the ballot directly to your county board of elections. The ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day and must be received by November 6th at 5 p.m. The next option is to drop off the ballot in person at your county board of elections office before 5 p.m. on Election Day. The final option is to drop off the ballot in person at any early voting site in your county during the voting hours (this option is only available from October 15 to October 31). You can find your county board of elections office and early voting sites by searching on the NCSBE website. Happy voting!
Jalen Rose Staff Writer
With the election coming soon, many Americans are hoping to cast their ballot to vote to perform their civic duty. Due to COVID-19, there has been an increase in mail-in ballots to avoid risking transmission at the voting polls. For anyone who has decided that they are going to vote through mail, this is a guide for you to ensure that your vote will be counted and represented in the election. In order to vote by mail, you must first request your ballot. In North Carolina, anyone can request an absentee ballot. There is no requirement of a special circumstance or reason for it. To request the ballot, you have two options. The first is filling out an Absentee Ballot Request Form on the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) website and mailing it to the local county board of elections. The second option is by filling out a form online. This form can also be found on the NCSBE website. In North Carolina, you have until Tuesday, October 27 at 5 p.m. to submit your request for an absentee ballot. The next step is to complete your ballot
Photo obtained from Creative Commons of absentee ballot from the 2020 primary election. upon arrival. While filling in the ballot, you witness will have to complete and sign the must be with one witness. This witness can witness certification that comes with the be a friend, family member, colleague, etc. absentee ballot. After this, you will need to The witness does not need to see who you place your ballot into the return envelope are specifically voting for; they only need to provided. Make sure to sign complete and see that you are completing the ballot. Once sign the return envelope. you’ve completely filled out your ballot, your Once you’ve completely finished your
We’re Getting Down to the Wire Supreme Court Oluwajoba Judge Ruth Bader ogun Ginsburg (RBG), and Staff Writer Congressman John Lewis were two of the most influential people that this generation has witnessed fight to end systemic racism and gender inequality. From RBG’s determination of making sure women had a voice in this world to Lewis’s continuous message of unity being the only way forward as a country, these two groundbreaking individuals represented change. People that were willing to step out and do the unthinkable in the midst of adversity, never losing sight of what it’s important and necessary. Now how do you think they were able to step up to the plate? Simple. By being advocates for equality and justice. This past year alone, we have seen history repeat itself, as we continue to experience cruelty and ignorance, pertaining to the pandemic and the lives of Black people in the country AND in the walls of our
university. And we have constantly fought back to assure our place in this world. With our protests and our letters, we were able to make our voices heard. So the question is why does that stop at casting in our ballot? Why do we speak so passionately about the things that need to change but don’t participate in the actual event that can bring leaders to make those changes come to fruition? There is no excuse. You have probably heard and seen this pitch for voting so many times, but it is crucial you know how much your voice really matters in this upcoming election. The media has continuously tried to fill our minds with myths about voting that may have given us the wrong picture about what voting is and it needs to be debunked. Here are the main ones.
MYTH 1 Your vote doesn’t matter- Though it may not seem like your single vote doesn’t matter
with everything that’s going, it does.There have been many elections in the past two decades that have been determined or tied by one single vote. Literally one vote can make a difference so don’t ever think yours can’t. MYTH 2 President elections are the only ones that matter- The president and vice president can’t be focused on one state all the time. That’s why we have governors, senators, and an attorney general. State and local elections can have more influence than presidential elections because they work with issues and pass policies that affect your community. They even have proven to be more productive than Congress in passing bills, so vote in your local elections as well because they directly impact your and your family. MYTH 3 Mail-in voting leads to voter fraud- We have seen this issue plastered all over the media, for months. Many, including the
president believe that mail in voting will play as an disadvantage, but in truth there has been no real evidence of fraud. Some states even vote entirely by mail and have no issues. The bottom line is that voting by mail is most likely not to harm the election. If you want to vote by mail, make sure you request a ballot and check for the deadline to have it sent so that it can count. This is a critical time in our country and we need all hands on deck. The government is of the people, by the people, for the people right? So let’s make sure that we get the right ones elected. Let’s continue the job that RBG and John Lewis already laid out for us; they already set the blueprint, all we gotta do is follow it through. Don’t complain about the problem if you haven’t even participated in the solution.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 6
features
Get to know incumbent Rep. David Price: His thoughts on COVID-19, health care and more
Photo via robertthomasforcongress.com
Cassie Englund Since 1997, David Price has served Technician in the U.S. House News Co-editor of Representatives
for North Carolina’s 4th District, which includes Raleigh, Cary and Chapel Hill. Before working in Congress, Price was a political science and public policy professor at Duke University. Currently, Price serves on several congressional committees. He is the chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. For the Nov. 3 election, Price is the incumbent and is running against the Republican candidate, Robert Thomas. Technician sat down with Price to discuss his platform and views on other relevant issues affecting our community. Impacts of COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire nation, and the 4th District has been no exception, Price said. In an effort to aid citizens during the pandemic, Congress has produced successive relief bills, which Price had a hand in creating. These include the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act, the Legal Assistance to Prevent Evictions Act of 2020 and the Coronavirus Community Relief Act. The Transportation Services Act provides grants and other forms of emergency funds to transportation services that suffered money loss due to the pandemic, and the Prevent Evictions Act creates a grant program that will provide free legal assistance to citizens facing eviction due to the hardships of the pandemic.
The Coronavirus Community Relief Act provides $250 billion in relief for areas heavily impacted by COVID-19, like local governments with a population of 500,000 or less. According to Price, the only way for the United States to stage an economic comeback is to crush the virus and get it under control. Price also cites the lackluster national response to the devastating effects of the virus as the primary problem with the decision to reopen campuses for the fall semester. “It’s very, very hard to reopen our states and reopen our campuses when there still isn’t a national program in place for testing and tracing and for getting the critical equipment where it needs to go,” Price said. Student loans and debt Price supports Pell Grants, grants given to students who have exceptional financial need, and advocates for more reasonable student loan provisions to lower student debt. Along with scholarships, Price said he supports forbearance, or the delaying of payment, for student loans and rent during the pandemic. Some forbearance provisions have been put in place by Congress as a part of COVID-19 relief, such as through the CARES Act. According to Price, the federal government should continue to improve the terms of student loans. He believes student loans should be deferred or forgiven under certain circumstances for those who go into public service, like teachers.
Diversity and minority communities Price said promoting diversity, expanding outreach for minority communities and fostering a welcoming environment is vital in North Carolina. He discussed ongoing police brutality against Black Americans and the growing racial tensions in the country that have led to hundreds of protests across the country. “This, of course, applies to the all too evident structural racism that’s built into our communities, institutions and practices, and this is made very clear from these police killings that have continued to haunt us,” Price said. Price also pointed out the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on minority communities. “The impact has not been equal,” Price said. “It’s particularly been hard on the minority communities. We need to be sensitive to that and deal with it and, of course, make certain that educational opportunity, housing opportunity, other things are robust and are available and are fairly administered.” He also said that it is important to recognize transgender people as a minority community in the broad context of diversity, opposing the Trump administration’s refusal to protect transgender people. Price said he finds the Trump administration’s immigration policies “awful,” and hopes to “overhaul” the country’s immigration program. Climate change and environmental issues In order to promote environmental sustainability, Price said an important component is finding transportation methods more conducive to environmental protection. Price added that his work on the housing and transportation subcommittee to promote biking and more sustainable travel has been in an effort to facilitate environmental change. “Nationally, we have, you might say, a lot of repair work to do,” Price said. “We’ve been playing defense with the Trump administration when they do just absolutely atrocious things, like pulling us out of the Paris Climate Accord.” Price emphasized the urgency of climate change and the global climate change response.
“There has to be a sense of urgency about this and kind of an all-hands-on-deck mentality, and with Trump, you actually get denial of it, and you get reversal of the progress we had already made,” Price said. Citing NC State as an important research location, Price said, in the future, it is important to continue work with renewable energy. Gun control Price is a vice chair on the House of Representatives Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He said he supports gun control policies, such as requiring comprehensive background checks when purchasing firearms, including gun shows and online transactions. Additionally, Price supports regulating the type of guns available for purchase, saying that assault weapons should be off the streets entirely. In the past, Price said he has had some success in removing the effective ban on research on gun violence. In December 2019, Congress voted to dedicate funding to gun violence prevention research for the first time in over two decades. Health care Price said he supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which states insurance companies cannot charge more when individuals have preexisting conditions. The ACA is also meant to provide insurance coverage for low-income individuals and families who would otherwise not be able to afford insurance, along with other purposes. “That needs to be safeguarded,” Price said. “That safeguard is in place, but it’s in jeopardy.” Price also mentioned protecting the provision of the ACA that allows children to remain on their parents’ insurance plans until the age of 26. The Trump administration has openly opposed the ACA and has attempted to overturn it in the past. Also, Price said he supports the expansion of Medicaid, along with the ACA. Price is optimistic about his role in the local community of the 4th District and on the national scale if he wins the next election.
features
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 7
Meet Robert Thomas: Republican challenger for U.S. House 4th District Thomas also wants to bring businesses back from overseas, stating that moving a town or community’s primary employer has had a big impact on the 4th District in the past. Additionally, bringing back these jobs will benefit students, Thomas said, since many of them would be research jobs. “I will make that my mission: To get businesses back here so that everybody who wants a job can have a job,” Thomas said. Student loans and debt According to Thomas, he would not have liked the person he would have become if he never attended a university. However, he stated that some people go to school without considering the applicability of the education they are receiving. “What we need to do is, going forward, we need to have more realistic expectations about the kind of money a person can make with a college degree and try not to outspend that with regard to paying for college loan debts,” Thomas said. According to Thomas, there may be some room for loan forgiveness; however, he believes that students should pay for what they receive and learn that there are bad consequences for bad decisions.
Via Wikimedia Commons. Photo by United States Congress.
In 1995, Robert Anna Beth Thomas moved to MCCormick Durham, North Carolina to work Technician News Co-Editor with his sister in the real estate appraisal business. As an Ohio native, Thomas worked in a factory until he was 28 years old and received a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Ohio State University. Then, he attended law school and practiced family law, general practice, securities law and corporate law throughout his career. For the Nov. 3 election, Thomas is running against the incumbent, David Price,
to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 4th District. Thomas sat down with Technician to discuss his platform and other relevant issues. Impacts of COVID-19 Many citizens living in the 4th District have lost their jobs as a consequence of COVID-19, Thomas said. If elected, Thomas said he will work to channel resources into the 4th District to provide training and education. He plans to start a small business center where people can bring questions they have about starting a business, as well as offer guidance on filing paperwork and taxes.
Diversity and minority communities Thomas said he is a supporter of President Trump’s initial immigration policy to build a wall on the southern border because he stated he is against human trafficking. He cited the immigration policy as “perfect” and added that a “big beautiful door” should be built into the wall. According to Thomas, America needs workers when all other classes of American workers have been used up. He added that he wants to control the flow, not stop the flow of people from the southern border. Additionally, Thomas said he believes that North Carolina is diverse and very welcoming to minorities, and he cannot imagine it being any more welcoming. Climate change and environmental issues According to Thomas, he is strong in science and stated the temperature of the earth fluctuates in harmony with Mars. While he doesn’t think that humans can have an impact on Mars, he does think the
role of the sun has been largely overlooked in temperature swings and that is something to consider in regards to climate change. Thomas is also in favor of breeder reactors based on thorium, a radioactive material that has fewer toxic byproducts, and will enable sun power with less pollution. Gun control As a strong advocate of the Second Amendment, Thomas believes people should have guns to protect their home in case of a break-in. However, with regards to avoiding gunrelated tragedies on campuses, he cites the 2011 Norway massacres as an example of a gun-free zone putting a school at greater risk. According to Thomas, gun-free zones invite nuts and criminals. Thomas is in favor of having enough safety patrols and officers in schools and on college campuses to oppose threats when they come along. Health care According to Thomas, college students do not need full insurance. They only need the bare minimum package that will cover catastrophic health problems, such as cancer. “What we need is a cheap plan to cover you for that,” Thomas said. “All you need is something reasonable to fit your situation, but we don’t have that now.” Thomas recalls being “invincible” when he was in college and never getting sick or hurt because he didn’t do “stupid” or “dangerous” things. 2020 elections From his work as an appraiser in the 4th District area, Thomas said he knows the people, economies and businesses. With the exception of Franklin County, he said he won’t have to learn about the district. Thomas stated that people who work with Price claim he is not a responsive person. “And I want to be a better legislator than he is, a better representative, someone who listens to his constituents,” Thomas said.
ThursDay, October 22, 2020 | 8
news
Why you should wear mask at the polls + Voter history In North Carolina,
elikem Dodor voters are not being Editor-in-Chief required to wear masks or face coverings. Here’s a look into why:
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Why are masks not required at the polls? On June 1, 2020, the N.C. State Board of Elections released a memo saying “Voters will be strongly encouraged to wear face coverings and will be provided with a face covering if they do not have one . . . Voters will not be turned away if they choose not to wear a face mask.” In an interview, Rachel Raper, the Orange County elections director, said that the right to vote is constitutionally protected -- this means that poll workers cannot turn away people from the polling sites, even if they are not wearing a mask. When did the mask mandate originally appear in North Carolina? On June 24, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper released an executive order, requiring face masks to be worn in the state of North Carolina (with the exception of people with medical conditions, children under 11, people who are at home, and people who are walking or exercising while not within six feet of others). This mandate for masking wearing has not been changed or reversed -- masks are still required to be worn. Are NC residents for or against wearing masks? A poll conducted by Elon University found that 74% of the respondents (NC residents) support the state requirement to wear a mask. Almost 50% of the respondents said that they always wear a masks while in public, 19% wore masks most of the time and 11% never wore masks. More specifically, a New York Times survey shows that Triangle residents report wearing face masks more than anywhere else in the state. “In some Triangle neighborhoods, there’s a 75%-83% chance that everyone would be masked in those encounters.” Additionally, a September study by Pew Research found that 85% of Americans regularly wear a mask or face covering
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Natalie Folsom /Staff Photographer
The last day of early voting on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 at Talley Student Union. Talley held voting for the 2020 North Carolina primary election. while in public/store. This is a more than 50% increase from their June poll. As we continue further into the pandemic, there has been an increase in support of and wearing of masks while in public. In a document from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, “scientific evidence suggests that use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic can help reduce disease transmission.” Even without face coverings, what precautions are polling places taking? • Polling sites are enforcing social distancing and providing masks and hand sanitizer for voters and election workers who do not have their own. • They have provided gloves and face shields for election workers. • There are barriers between the election workers and voters at all check in tables. • There are single use pens in counties that are using hand-marked paper ballots and Q-tips for those using ballot marking devices.
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Frequent cleaning of surfaces and equipment at all polling stations and early voting sites. There has been a push to recruit poll workers who are less vulnerable to the virus.
Historically, what changes have been made in regards to voting? The constitution was written in 1787 and officially went into effect in 1789. Since then, there have been several different changes made in regards to American’s right to vote: • 1870: The 15th amendment gave African American men the right to vote but there will still literacy tests and other barriers to voting • 1920: The 19th Amendment gave American women the right to vote • 1924: The Snyder Act admitted that Native Americans were citizens, giving them the right to vote • 1964: The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes • 1965: Voting Rights Act prohibited
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voter discrimination based on race, color, or membership in a language minority group 1971: The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 1984: The Voting Accessibility For The Elderly and Handicapped Act required polling sites to be accessible to people with disabilities 1986: The Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allowed U.S. armed forces and overseas U.S voters to register and vote by mail 1993: National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) created new ways to register to vote and required states to keep more accurate voter registration lists 2002: Help America Vote Act authorized federal funds for elections, creating the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) -- the RAC helps states adopt standards on voter education, registration, and ballots. 2009: Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment (MOVE) Act improved access to voting for military and overseas voters
***All of these were implemented on a federal level but the right to vote is governed by state laws -- state implemented their own laws to prevent people from voting in their states*** These are not all of the amendments and acts that have been implemented since 1787. Nonetheless, there have been several changes made in order to allow more people to vote and making voting easier for all. Changes will still continue to be made. Even though masks are not being required at polling locations, people should continue to wear masks and face coverings while being in public places and/or around other people. There are several different types of evidence showing that masks are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
features
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 9
How the electoral college affects the election There is a lot of Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe confusion in terms Managing Editor of what the electoral
college is and how it affects the general election process. There are arguments that the electoral college is outdated and no longer needed but there are also people who argue that the electoral college is needed. Regardless of these arguments voters still need to know what the electoral college is. The Electoral College is an entity made up of 538 electors and forms every four years solely to elect the president and vice president of the United. 538 electors are made up of different amounts of electors representing each state and Washington D.C. For each state’s electors, they are chosen based on the number of senators plus the number of its U.S. Representatives (which may change each decade according to the size of each State’s population as determined in the Census.) In order to win the election, there must be an absolute majority-- 270 electors or more is required to win the election. There are varying ways in which an elector is chosen. 33 states choose electors by party convention, while seven states and Washington DC selects electors by state party committees. The rest of the states use gubernatorial( the state governor or someone front the governor’s office) appointments, appointments by party nominees, state chair appointments, presidential nominee appointments, and hybrid methods for elector selection. Smaller states, with fewer people, like Vermont and South Dakota, are overrepresented since there is a minimum requirement of three electoral votes per state. While bigger states, with more people, like California and Texas, are underrepresented in the electoral college. There are rules in place when selecting electors to maintain the balance between the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. One rule is that members of Congress and employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving as an Elector. Also in North Carolina, any elector who signified his consent to serve as an elector and then fails to attend and vote, unless they are sick or in other unavoidable accidents, must pay the state $500. Typically most states give all their electoral college votes to whoever won the poll of ordinary voters in the state. An example
Photo from creative commons
A depiction of each states number of electors would be, if the Democratic candidate won 50.1% of the vote in North Carolina, they would be awarded all 15 of North Carolina’s electoral college votes. Only Maine and Nebraska divide up their electoral college votes according to the proportion of votes each candidate receives. For this reason, presidential candidates target specific “swing states” during their campaigns rather than trying to win voters across the country. There tend to be more campaign stops, rallies and events in swing states. A swing state is a US state where the two major political parties have similar levels of support among voters meaning the vote could go any way. In 2016, presidential candidates spent 71% of their advertising money and 57% of their campaign appearances in Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio (swing states). The electoral college is the reason why a presidential candidate can win the popular vote and not become president. The winner of the presidential elections of 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016 did not win the popular vote but won through the electoral college. With the latest being Donald Trump who had almost 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton. The Electoral College was created in 1787 as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and the election of the President by a popular vote
of qualified citizens. American founders created the electoral college for multiple reasons: • To balance the interests of highpopulation and low-population states • To put a buffer between the people and electing the president; a chosen group of people would be able to object to the people’s vote • They believed that not all voters were informed enough to choose a leader • The creation of the Electoral College was part of a political agenda for slavery to persist in the United States, None of the Founding Fathers’ assumptions about the electoral system proved true. It was never written how the electoral college electors should be picked in the constitution. The Founding Fathers assumed that each elector’s vote would be counted but all but two states no longer follow this. According to History.com, Founders also assumed that most elections would ultimately be decided by neither the people nor the electors, but by the House of Representatives. The Founders also assumed that subsequent races would include a huge amount of candidates who would split the electoral college votes into little pieces, in the end allowing Congress to pick the winner. As soon as national political parties were created, the number of presidential
candidates began to decrease. Only two U.S. elections have been decided by the House and the last one was in 1824. For these reasons, many people believe the electoral college should be dismantled. People believe that it allows candidates to focus too much on swing states-- they spend most of their time and resources in these states because they have a lot of power in deciding the next presidential election. People also believe that the Electoral College gives disproportionate influence to whiter, more rural states so it is believed that the GOP benefits the most. People believe smaller states get too much power as they must have at least 3 electoral votes. People’s biggest issue is that they feel that their vote doesn’t count, almost as if they are wasting their time to go out and vote. On the other hand, some people think the electoral college needs to stay and that it is integral to America’s federalist philosophy. Allen Guelzo argued in National Affairs that by eliminating the Electoral College, other institutions would reform. He suggests that its elimination will “open federalism to review” resulting in the need for the U.S Senate. Nonetheless, the electoral college is an integral part of the election process.
ThursDay, October 22, 2020 | 10
news
From the Board of Commissioners to the Board of Education: Get to know your local candidates Rachael Davis Technician Editor-in-Chief
Editor’s Note: An * indicates that the candidate is the incumbent
Board of Alicia Thomas Commissioners Technician (BOC) District 1: Managing Editor Sig Hutchinson (D) What are your Austin Dunlow qualifications? Technician • Been working Arts & Entertainment to create safe Editor and healthy communities where citizens can thrive for the past 25 years. • Primarily responsible for a 200-plus mile greenway system. • Ran for county commissioner in 2014 to put a $2.3 billion transport referendum on the ballot that was passed in 2016. In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being on the Board of Commissioners? • Transportation: Working to create a variety of options through a $2.3 billion referendum. • Affordable Housing: Passed a 1 cent property tax for affordable housing, totaling to $14 million a year. Also built over 750 affordable housing units. • Creating Safe and Healthy Communities: Chairs and advises the LiveWell Wake initiative, which is currently working on initiatives like affordable housing, access to jobs, education, mental health BoC District 2: Matt Calabria (D) Calabria is a Democrat who is running unopposed. Learn more on his campaign website. BoC District 3: Maria Cervania (D) What are your qualifications? • Worked in planning and crisis management during the early HIV/ AIDS epidemic and the H1N1 virus pandemic. • Developed partnerships in support of creating affordable housing in Wake County • Fought HB2 and advocates for
LGBTQIA+ rights. Advocated for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, environment/sustainability, employment/income equity and other societal benefits for Wake County. In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being on the Board of Commissioners? • Protecting Wake County from COVID-19: Wants to optimize our COVID-19 response to accelerate recovery and address the barriers that limit access to health care, and support residents who experience health challenges • Equity For All: Will support any changes to the way policing is done in Wake County to have transparency and accountability, actively explore establishing a civilian review board and conducting a regular community survey, strengthening the community’s right to record law enforcement and requiring use of body-worn cameras. • Balancing the Economic Environment: Wants to be conscientious with general revenue and CARES Act funds to address needs, back efforts for rental assistance and housing support, wants to increase transparency and accountability to ensure that tax dollars are going to good use. •
BoC District 4: Susan P. Evans (D) Evans is a Democrat who is running unopposed. Learn more on her campaign page. BoC District 5: James West (D) West is a Democrat who is running unopposed. Learn more on his campaign page. BoC District 7 Faruk Okcetin (R) What are your qualifications? • Small Business Entrepreneur: Okcetin has been involved in a range of business endeavors over the last 25 years. He said that to be successful in business, you cannot borrow and spend your way to success and believes the same holds true for the
government. Has consulted with various businesses, individuals and groups over the years to apply his learned knowledge to help solve problems and promote efficiency. In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being on the Wake County Board of Commissioners? • Public Safety: Believes in supporting and working with local law enforcement to make sure they are fully trained and ready to help stifle crime, while providing assurance to citizens that injustice will not be tolerated • Wake County Debt: He supports looking for irregularities and inefficiencies in the budget by auditing county agencies, reexamining the budget and cutting costs wherever possible. • Reopening the Economy, Protecting Current and Future Businesses: Supports establishing short and long-term goals with businesses to help them in recovering from the economic effects of the pandemic. • Low Cost of Living and Access to Affordable Housing: Says he will not vote to increase property taxes or prepared food and beverage taxes. Okcetin wants to work with the local builders •
Vickie Adamson (D) What are your qualifications? • Spent 13 years in public school advocacy • Currently is the incumbent for the 7th District and has served in the role for two years. Also serves as the vice chair of the Board of Commissioners. In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being on the Board of Commissioners? • COVID-19: States that Wake county has had a strong public health response to the pandemic. The county has over 200 contact tracers, has people answering phones, added nurses and created four different free drive-thru testing locations. • Affordable Housing: Adamson said she wants to implement a program to help people catch up on their rent and pay their rent until they
•
can recover. In the past two years, the county has been building more affordable housing units and intends to continue. General Human Services: Wants to focus on issues facing parents and children, such as prenatal care, childhood immunizations and general child safety.
Register of Deeds Tammy L. Brunner (D) What are your qualifications? • Worked in progressive politics for 20 years in Wake County. • Has experience managing people in fast-paced, public-facing environments. • In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being the register of deeds? • Affording Housing and Transportation: The register of deeds has no direct impact on either of these issues, but Brunner wants to help protect their rights by providing clear guidance and record keeping. • Accessibility: Will work to make the office more accessible which includes advocating for better transportation options Charles Gilliam (R) What are your qualifications? • Has been the register of deeds since 2017. • Previous work includes being an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University. • In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in Wake County currently? How can you remedy these issues while being the register of deeds? • North Carolina’s “Stay Open” Plan: Millions of dollars of income, and billions in capital, flow through the register of deeds office monthly. He wants the office to stay open in a way that does not put our local economy at risk, and protects our staff and customers. Since March, 100% of their operations are conducted by mail, online or by video conference. The full Article will be posted on the Nubian Message Website.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 11
opinion
Why people may not to vote As you may have already seen on social media, voting is a complex issue. While we want people to vote and to have their voices heard, we also need to be understanding that people have reasons as to why they do not Elikem want to vote. Additionally, it is important to know Dodor that you do not know Editor-in-Chief people’s business like you think you do -- some people may not be able to vote.
“ You do not know people’s business like you think you do.”
Harassing people does not motivate anyone to vote. In reality, it does the opposite. As Americans, we are taught that voting is our civic duty. We are also taught that it is the job of the government officials to serve the people. As a Black woman, I can say that most of the time, these government officials do not represent me. On top of that, they do not care to represent or even understand people that look like me. Repeatedly seeing people in office that do not care about people that look like you or the issues that you care about can drive people not to vote. Logically, it makes sense that some people do not want to participate in a system that they have seen murder, turn on, and not benefit them or people who look like them. Additionally, it makes sense that people do not want to vote for a system that has never represented them. When this nation was created, some of us were not even considered full humans -- Black people were counted as three-fifths of a human. Running it back to, you may not know people’s business like you think you do, there are certain groups in the country who are ineligible to vote. Firstly, in order to vote, you need some sort of official identification. Therefore, if you do not have a government officiated ID or a student ID
card, you cannot vote. Secondly, In the state of North Carolina, imprisoned people can only vote after they have completed their sentence -- this includes their probation and parole. In other words, even though a person is physically out of prison/jail, they may still be on probation/parole -- making them unable to vote. This is specific to North Carolina, in some states people with felony convictions cannot vote at all. Lastly, only US citizens are able to vote. People who hold green cards or permanent residency cannot vote. According to the American Immigration Council, one out of every seven U.S. residents is an immigrant and one out of eight residents is a native-born citizen with at least one immigrant parent. This represents MILLIONS of people. In other words, the US has a very large immigrant population -- someone may not choose to disclose that they are an immigrant. While I only listed three reasons as to why people can’t vote, there are several more. People do not have to tell you their business or disclose this information with you. So again, you don’t know people’s business like you think you do. Nonetheless, I vote. I plan on continuing to vote. BUT it needs to be understood that this is a personal choice that I am making.
“People do not have to
tell you their business or disclose this information with you” I am actively choosing to persist despite the odds looking very slim. I am also choosing to make sure that all of those who want to vote or are curious about voting have the proper information in order to make a well informed decision. It is their right to choose. Let that choice be an informed one, not a fear induced one.
Voting playlist by ugonna ezuma-igwe & elikem dodor
If you end up waiting in line to vote, here are some bops that you should check out! As you know, we love some bangers. What You Know Bout Love POp Smoke
Epidemic Polo G
Shooting Star Rod Wave
Muwop Mullato Ft. Gucci mane
Whole Lotta Choppas remix Sada baby ft. nicki Minaj
Post 2 be Reup reedy
Mean $not & Flo milli
Jobs City Girls
Never young nudy
Don’t Stop
Party with A jabagan midas the jagaban
Glock in my lap 21 savage & metro boomin
Said sum Remix
Palo Puri, kilate tesla & kalibwoy
Get The money
Derez de’shon ft. boosie bad ass
Ukwu FLavour Ft. Stormrex
C’est plus i’heure Franglish ft. dadju &vegeta
Pogo Rubi Rose ft. k camp
Damn right Audrey nuna
Owo ni koko Larry gaaga & umu obiligbo
For the night Pop smoke ft. lil baby & dababy
Trippidy Trap Rushy
Fisher Foul Reup Reedy
Verify
Pink + White Frank Ocean
Ole Tiwa savage ft. naira marley
Nann NI**A Trick Daddy
Energy (stay far away) Skepta & wizkid
Where I sleep emily San
Sum 2 prove Lil baby
Wanna Be The internet
Zamo zamo phyno ft. Wande coal
Bank alert Illbliss
Onyeka (baby) Burna Boy
In the party Flo milli
pookie aya nakamura
Moneybagg Yo ft. City girls & Dababy
Megan thee stallion ft. Young thug
Jacquees ft. young thug & gunna
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