NEWS & COMMENTARY Deadline approaching for candidates who wish the Constitution Party nomination



As we have



The Party has now issued instructions for how candidates interested in running as Constitutionalists can get on the ballot. You can review that process by



Commentary



We commend those who worked so hard, including our own Ray Leary, to get the requisite number of signatures to achieve ballot access for the Constitution Party. It will indeed offer an alternative to the "two-party" system in North Carolina and hopefully will encourage many voters to return to voting that have abandoned the process because they did not feel there was a significant difference between the Democrat and Republican parties in many contests.



We think a strong three (or more) party system would be good not only for the state but also for the existing parties. Beaufort County is a perfect example.



We have suffered in recent years from people filing to run and even getting elected as Republicans who were not actually Republicans, according to their voting records once elected. Current commissioners Gary Brinn, Ron Buzzeo, Jerry Evans and particularly Frankie Waters have voted with the Democrats on the board more than as would be expected of a Republican. This year's budget will be yet another prime example.



A major reason for this is that the party has no way to exercise oversite over these RINOs who run as Republicans and then vote like Democrats. We have no doubt this is one of the reason for low turnout in recent years. The Republican Party has been essentially meaningless in Beaufort County in recent years.



We think it is important that the parties vet the candidates who run under their brand, and we would even suggest that the party should be able to expel a party member who violates the duly established platform of the party. The voters deserve that. The voters should be able to review the platforms of each party and count on the elected officials voting that way once in office.



We're not talking about impeachment and removal from office, but rather withdrawing the use of the party's brand from any candidate or elected officials who does not adhere to the core principles and platform positions. It is no more right for a person to run as a Republican and then vote contrary to duly established Republican positions than it is for a gasoline station to sell gasoline as branded gas when it is not that brand's product.



We suspect this issue will soon become significant for the Democrat Party as well, as the more radical left wingers gain more and more control of the Democrat Party. Many life-time Democrats now feel the party has left them and like many Republicans simply do not vote. A viable multi-party system will allow voters more choices and if the parties could control the use of their brand the voters would have a better idea about what they can expect of the elected officials.



The time has come to change the nominating process in North Carolina. Each party should be able to decide whether they want to use the primary system or the nominating convention, or a combination thereof. It should be up to each party.



For that reason, we are encouraged by the Constitution Party and their forward thinking in trying to establish a system to maintain allegiance to the party's core principles by their candidates and elected officials. That is a good thing, and we wish them well.



Click here to read more. As we have previously reported, the Constitution Party of N. C. has obtained ballot access in North Carolina. It only awaits formal approval by the State Board of Elections.The Party has now issued instructions for how candidates interested in running as Constitutionalists can get on the ballot. You can review that process by clicking here. The deadline for submitting the forms is June 12. A committee will review the forms and a nominating convention will act on them on June 16 in a state convention in Charlotte. That is for the 2018 General Election. In future years, according to Kevin Hayes, the Vice-Chairman, the Constitution Party will participate in the Primary elections in 2019. But Mr. Hayes indicated that it is the intent of the State Executive Committee to seek changes in the Election Laws, if not in the short session then in the 2019 Legislative session to allow the Constitution Party to continue using the convention method of nomination.

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