FRESH EYES: We need to pay attention to judicial races

Fresh Eyes is TCB’s Letter to the Editor section. This piece was submitted by Ricky Hurtado, former Representative of Alamance County. To submit your own letter, send an email to Managing Editor Sayaka Matsuoka with the subject line “Fresh Eyes.”

It’s one of the biggest issues facing our democracy that no one is really talking about: gerrymandering. Partisan gerrymandering is when one political party manipulates the boundaries of political districts to make it more likely that their party wins. 

And in North Carolina, state Republicans have taken it to the extreme, thanks to help from both Republican lawmakers and the blatantly partisan Republicans on the state Supreme Court. 

Prior to this year’s elections, Republican lawmakers drew new political districts with new boundary lines, designed to keep themselves in power. Experts called it the most egregious partisan gerrymandering in the nation. And yet, while the state Supreme Court could have been a check on this blatant power grab, the Republican-led court gave it a stamp of approval. 

Republican Chief Justice Paul Newby even made a point to note that the North Carolina constitution doesn’t guarantee “fair” elections, a comment strongly condemned by democracy advocates. 

The consequences of gerrymandering are anything but trivial. Egregious gerrymandering has redistricted candidates out of competitive districts. I would know, I was one of them.

I ran in a competitive seat in Alamance County over the course of four years. I won a race by less than 500 votes and lost a race by about the same margin. I was deeply in tune with my community, and everyone’s voice and vote mattered. I was looking forward to making the case to my community again this election cycle, but I never had the opportunity. For this 2024 cycle, I was drawn out of the district completely. Meanwhile, my former opponent has voted on extreme legislation on public safety, voting rights, and public education with little accountability to the public.

As we approach the next election, it’s crucial to remember the immense power held by the North Carolina Supreme Court. The decisions made by these justices have far-reaching consequences for our democracy, our schools, and our communities. 

That’s why we must lift the importance of Supreme Court candidates and ensure we vote all the way down the ballot. This isn’t about voting for Democrats or Republicans — it’s about electing candidates who will faithfully uphold our constitution and protect the rights of all North Carolinians. 

Your vote can help restore the integrity of our highest court and safeguard the future of our state.

Ricky Hurtado is a former Representative for NC-63 (Alamance County)