Early voting is underway throughout North Carolina, and in Sampson County, we’ve got arguably more ways than ever for you to learn about the candidates before you cast your ballot, whether it’s during the early voting period or on March 3, the day set aside for the primary election.
This year, Sampson has two seats up for election to the state Legislature, as Rep. William Brisson plans to retire from the North Carolina House, and Sen. Brent Jackson is seeking his ninth term. Two Republicans, Jerol Kivett and Wellie Jackson, will battle it out in the Republican primary for District 22 in the House. Jackson faces competition, too, in the form of William Barbour of Wallace.
Local races are heating up too, with Sheriff Jimmy Thornton facing a challenge from Tracy Jackson, and two Sampson women, Tammy Grady and Cashie Lee, vying for Clerk of Court. Five candidates are running for three spots on the Sampson County Board of Education, while the Clinton City school board is locked in with three candidates running for the three available seats.
Over the past few weeks, The Sampson Independent has used multiple avenues to inform the public about the people vying for elected office in our area, through our Candidate Q&A special publication, which was inserted inSaturday’s print edition and posted online, at clintonnc.com, along with our Candidate Forum, televised on Star Communications Channel 16/316 and their YouTube channel. We have also covered every single candidate who filed in our newspaper, with photos and biographical information at the time they announced their intentions to seek public office.
The in-person forum and in-print special section were firsts for the Independent, and that’s because we wanted to give our readers as many options as possible to learn about the people who are hoping to represent you at the local and state level.
While federal races often get the lion’s share of attention and the highest level of voter participation, we encourage you to be sure to vote in the primary, because as we said during November’s municipal elections, these individuals will have the most profound impact on your daily lives.
State and local government decisions impact how much you pay in property taxes, what services are able to be provided locally, and who will enforce the laws of your area.
Have you personally been satisfied with Sampson County’s presence in state government? With our local law enforcement? With any experience you may have had in the court system? With what’s going on in our school systems? Whatever your answer to those questions, it’s important to make your opinion known by voting for the incumbents or by casting a ballot that brings someone new to an office.
Whether you vote early or wait until Election Day on March 3 to let your decisions simmer, we implore you to exercise your rights. With more stringent voting restrictions being proposed by federal lawmakers, it’s more integral than ever that Americans make their voices heard.
The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this year, and our founding fathers and mothers did not fight and die merely for our right to vote to simply be taken for granted. Democracy is more fragile than you may think, and it’s up to us, the people, to keep it alive.
Please, do your part and vote in this election. It’s time to make your voice heard.