Monroe residents shocked to learn NC House Bill 3 would change the city’s election process

MONROE, NC — Backdoor politics in Raleigh has people in Monroe furious. NC House Bill 3 was first created to change election years in Simpson, North Carolina. Like most bills, things have been added.

Just this week, Monroe officials found out the new provision would change the way the city has voted for more than 60 years.

“I find this to be a lack of transparency, lack of integrity and it also erodes trust with the citizens. It should not be tolerated,” said Monroe City Council member Surluta Anthony.

Some Monroe City Council members, including Anthony, held a news conference Friday afternoon to voice their concerns with the bill.

The new bill filed on Wednesday would change Monroe’s election from non-partisan to partisan. Meaning unaffiliated voters would need to pick a side in order to cast a ballot.

“For the citizens of Monroe, I think it’s one of the biggest efforts to really disenfranchise the vote, to actually sway the vote in the direction of a certain party,” explained Archie Hansley with the Union County NAACP.

Union County has more than 70k republicans registered and 66k unaffiliated voters. However, Monroe is the only municipality in Union county named in HB 3.

UNC Charlotte Political Professor, Eric Heberlig, says it’s likely a move by Republican’s in Raleigh to strengthen the stranglehold on the political landscape in the city.

“Rather than have a free for all among many Republican candidates in a general election where Democrats and independents would be able to pick probably a more moderate Republican for the office,” explained Heberlig.

If the bill passes, the process would change immediately and the first Monroe primary election in decades would happen in September.

Monroe City Council member, Julie Thompson, says that election would also cost the city about $75k that has not been budgeted.

Thompson and others want more time to get the word out before a final vote expected next week.

“We should have a voice in that and that has not been given to us,” Thompson told a crowd of Monroe residents.

Council members have a special meeting Monday morning about the bill.

Representative Tim Reeder first introduced the bill. WCCB reached out to his office asking why Monroe was added to the bill. We have not heard back.