N.C. voters miss out on Super Tuesday

Media Credit: Helen Dear

Citizens of 24 states will head to their local polling place today to cast votes for their favorite presidential candidates as part of Super Tuesday. Up for grabs is 52 percent of the national convention delegates needed for the Democratic nomination and 41 percent of the Republicans' delegates.

But left out of the picture, and of the eight states that held primaries or caucuses before Super Tuesday, is North Carolina, where citizens won't cast votes until May 6.

And according to political science professor Andrew Taylor, the nominees for each party will be all but decided by then, leaving North Carolina with little to no impact on the presidential race.

"Not unless there is the very unlikely event that the nominee is not decided yet -- then it'd have a tremendous influence," Taylor said. "But that is very unlikely. History teaches us it doesn't go that far."

This is the biggest Super Tuesday in history, as more states have joined than ever before.

"There have been big events like this [Super Tuesday] before, especially in the last two or three election cycles as states are pushing more towards the beginning," Taylor said. "But this one is huge."

Some North Carolinians though, such as Andrew Bates of the College Democrats and Brittany Farrell of the College Republicans, argue that they have been disenfranchised from the process.

"There seems to be an exceptional level of resentment and a disconnect between the national parties and many North Carolina voters," Bates said.

Farrell echoed his comments, saying that everyone in the state is hurt by the tardiness of the primary.

"It makes it really hard for myself and other students, who would love to help on the national campaigns, but can't because we'd have to go out of state and can't make the time for it," Farrell said.

Some students though, such as Bates, have traveled out of the state as workers for a variety of campaigns. Bates works on the campaign of Democratic candidate Barack Obama, along with a number of fellow College Democrats from N.C. State.

Bates worked in Chicago at Obama's headquarters over the summer and has spent time in Iowa, the nation's first caucus site, as well as South Carolina.

Back in North Carolina state elections though, the primary still holds importance because of the "down-ballot" candidates up for election. Up for grabs is the state's governor, lieutenant governor and a number of other council of state members.

"It's important to remember that the presidential race isn't the only race on the ballots," Bates said. "There are a lot of positions to be elected."

And those at the University have much more influence on these elections. In fact, a debate between the lieutenant governor candidates will take place on campus Feb. 21.

Moving the primary date has been discussed in the state legislature but never gained much support, according to Taylor.

"If the primary was earlier, then the down-ballot candidates would have to campaign earlier," Taylor said. "If it's later then they may not have the presidential races driving voter turnout."

But Taylor contends that if there was enough resistance to the late primary, then change could be made.

"My sense is that most people do not feel disenfranchised," he said. "Because then there would be enough of a push to bring us near the process."

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