• S H O R T S H O R T S
VOTERS TO CONSIDER
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
IN ADDITION to the slate of state and local
candidates, there are six proposed constitu-tional
amendments on the North Carolina
ballot in November.
If passed, the different amendments would
require voters to present photo identification at
the polls; protect the public’s right to hunt, fish,
and harvest wildlife; lower the cap on income tax
rates; protect the rights of crime victims; estab-lish
a merit system for filling judicial vacancies;
and create
a Bipartisan
Board of
Ethics and
Elections
Enforcement.
The tax
rate amend-ment
would
lower the
cap on state
income tax
from the cur-rent
10 percent to a maximum of 7 percent.
The 2018 rate is 5.5 percent.
The victims’ rights amendment would establish
basic rights for victims of crimes, including the
right to speak at all hearings and the right for full
and timely restitution.
The judicial vacancies amendment would
create a nonpartisan “Judicial Merit Commission”
to evaluate the fitness of judges when vacancies
occur between elections. Currently, the governor
has sole appointment power.
The Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections
Enforcement amendment would create a new
eight-member board appointed by the General
Assembly with no more than four members com-ing
from any one political party.
Sample ballots are available on your county
board of election’s website and can be printed
and taken to the voting place for reference.
Compiled by Pat Bradford from the Charlotte Observer,
Raleigh News & Observer and longleafpolitics.com
LAWLER CHOSEN VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
JEAN LAWLER was honored for her service
to the Azalea Festival by being named
the International Festivals & Events
Association 2018 Volunteer of the Year.
Lawler, the festival’s 2017 president, was recog-nized
and presented with the award at the IFEA
Awards Luncheon on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, during
the organization’s annual convention in San Diego.
“I was kind of amazed,” she says. “I felt very hon-ored
to be a part of this.”
Lawler first volunteered with the Azalea Festival
in 1960, when she was 15. She has been involved
in some capacity ever since.
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WBM november 2018