Larger Turnout Expected for Primary Election

Voters mark their ballots at the Pinedeen precinct at the Southern Pines Recreation Center Tuesday morning.

As of Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Explanation on Amendment One

The 2011 General Assembly approved a measure that would put language into the N.C. Constitution related to legally recognized marriages in the state.

The proposed amendment to Article 14 of the state constitution would add a new section, to be called Section 6. It would read as follows:

“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”

The General Assembly also approved the language that voters will see on the ballot this spring as they consider this constitutional amendment: for or against.

“Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

The Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission has approved language for an official explanation of the proposed amendment that can be provided to voters to assist them in understanding the amendment. The Commission has three members: Secretary of State Marshall, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper and George Hall, the General Assembly’s legislative services officer.

Here is the official explanation adopted by the commission:

“A current North Carolina law enacted in 1996 says that marriage between individuals of the same sex is not valid in North Carolina. This amendment would make that concept part of the North Carolina Constitution. If this amendment is passed by the voters, then under state law it can only be changed by another vote of the people.”

“The term ‘domestic legal union’ used in the amendment is not defined in North Carolina law.

“There is debate among legal experts about how this proposed constitutional amendment may impact North Carolina law as it relates to unmarried couples of same or opposite sex and same sex couples legally married in another state, particularly in regard to employment-related benefits for domestic partners; domestic violence laws; child custody and visitation rights; and end-of-life arrangements. The courts will ultimately make those decisions.

“The amendment also says that private parties may still enter into contracts creating rights enforceable against each other. This means that unmarried persons, businesses and other private parties may be able to enter into agreements establishing personal rights, responsibilities, or benefits as to each other.

“The courts will decide the extent to which such contracts can be enforced.”

Voters are heading to the polls today for the primary election, and a larger turnout is expected.

The polls opened at 6:30 a.m. today and will close at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s primary election has been keeping the county Board of Elections busy. There has been a big turnout for early voting, Elections Board Director Glenda M. Clendenin said.

“This week alone, every day we saw an increase in voters,” Clendenin said Friday morning. “On Monday we had 305, we had 350 on Tuesday — not sure about Wednesday, but yesterday there were 400.”

Early voting ended Saturday at noon, and Clendenin wanted to be sure voters know they will have to go to their precincts to vote in person on Election Day.

To view sample ballots, click here. For a list of polling places, click here.

A bigger than usual primary turnout is expected. Parties will select their nominees for president and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Perhaps the most contentious issue on all ballots — no matter the political party — appears on the last page: a proposed amendment to the N.C. Constitution. It would “provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”

State law already says marriages “between individuals of the same gender” are not valid in North Carolina “whether created by common law, contracted, or performed outside” of the state.

The amendment, if passed, would end legal recognition of domestic partnerships between unmarried opposite-sex couples as well as same-sex partnerships as currently recognized by some cities and counties through domestic partnership registries. 2010 census data shows 223,000 North Carolina couples living in domestic partnerships with 12 percent of those same-sex couples.

Proponents argue putting the prohibition in the state constitution will protect it from invalidation by courts and make it hard to change. Opponents say it will mire the state in federal litigation at great expense and condemn it as an attack on liberty.

Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum appear as presidential candidates on the Republican Party primary ballot. On Democratic Party primary ballots, just one name is in the top slot: President Obama. The Libertarian Party offers their voters a choice between nominating Roger Gary, R. J. Harris, Gary Johnson, Carl Person, Bill Still and Lee Wrights for president — but no candidates are offered for any other office on the Libertarian ballot.

On all the ballots, voters also have the option of selecting “no preference” as their presidential choice.

There is tough competition in both parties for nomination to the District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democratic Party primary voters will choose between Toni Morris, Steve Wilkins and Jim Bibbs. Incumbent Renee Ellmers is facing Sonya Holmes, Clement F. Munno and Richard Speer for the GOP nomination.

Seeking Republican nomination for the state Senate — in the new District 29 Moore County is now in — are Tommy Davis, of Aberdeen, and John Marcum, of Pinehurst, who are challenging incumbent Sen. Jerry W. Tillman, of Randolph County.

No Democrat filed for that seat.

For governor, the Democratic Party will nominate Lt. Gov. Walter H. Dalton, Gary M. Dunn, Bob Etheridge, Bill Faison, Gardenia M. Henley or Bruce Blackmon. Six candidates are seeking the Republican nomination: Jim Harney, Scott A. Jones, Jim Mahan, Pat McCrory, Charles Kenneth Moss and Paul Wright.

Gov. Bev Perdue is not seeking another term in office.

Democrats will nominate either Eric L. Mansfield or Linda D. Coleman for lieutenant governor. Five Republicans are seeking their party’s nomination for that office: Dale Folwell, Dan Forest, Tony Gurley, Grey Mills, and Arthur Jason Rich.

In other Democratic Party races, primary voters will choose Walter Smith or Scott Bryant as nominee for N.C. commissioner of agriculture. Their candidates for nomination as N.C. commissioner of labor are Marlowe Foster, Ty Richardson and John C. Brooks. Ron Elmer and Janet Cowell are seeking nomination for state treasurer on the Democratic ticket.

On Republican primary ballots there are five seeking the state auditor slot: Joseph Hank DeBragga, Greg Dority, Debra Goldman, Fern Shubert, and Rudy Wright. For state commissioner of agriculture, Republican primary voters will pick Bill McManus or Steve Troxler. Moore County’s Richard Morgan is facing James McCall and Mike Causey for the GOP nomination as commissioner of insurance.

Also on the Republican ballot:

The choice as nominee for N.C. secretary of state is between A. J. Daoud, Kenn Gardner, Ed Goodwin, and Michael (Mike) Beitler.
Contestants for state superintendent of public instruction are Ray Ernest Martin, David Scholl, John Tedesco, Richard Alexander, and Mark Crawford.
Contestants for state treasurer are Frank Roche and Steve Royal.

Contact John Chappell at (910) 783-5841 or jfchappell@gmail.com.

More like this story

healthcare_2011 1 year ago

I took advantage of early voting because I work on the 8th and didn't want to take the chance of forgetting to get up earlier than my usual to go vote before work.

aggou 1 year ago

How are the turnout reports looking, here in Moore county? I've heard it's moderate across the state.

bigD 1 year ago

I voted about 9:00 AM. The vote count was 133 at the Sr Enrichment Center.

native 1 year ago

Around noon at Catholic Church, spns, I was nr 445

Nezumi 1 year ago

Pinecrest HS polling station - I was #550 or so

starbuck 1 year ago

East Aberdeen- 5pm I was number 480

GoldenDreams 1 year ago

In Seven Lakes it was very heavy. I had to wait almost an hour to vote between 4-5 PM. Most people said the amendment was driving the heavy turnout.

Bentpan 1 year ago

At 6:25pm Pro amendment votes held a 16 point advantage in exit polls, a landslide victory for values and decency.

aggou 1 year ago

Where are you seeing these exit polls at, Bentpan?

Bentpan 1 year ago

aggou; News 14 on Time Warner Cable

AM910 1 year ago

If the Amendment wins, the fight is far from over.

clarabelle 1 year ago

"Bentpan - At 6:25pm Pro amendment votes held a 16 point advantage in exit polls, a landslide victory for values and decency."

No - it's simply nearing the end of a staid old bible thumper era. In 10 - 15 years all of this will be meaningless as younger people who recognize equality will overturn this silly amendment. As with the civil rights movement - it will eventually change!

So bedpan - enjoy it while you can :)

Bentpan 1 year ago

clarabelle Face it you made your case and North Carolina has told you clearly " Get Lost " and BTW MORON, It's Bentpan.

AM910 1 year ago

Getbent sounds better, but I do like bedpan. Bentrod and Greasypan sound good as well.

clarabelle 1 year ago

"Bentpan - BTW MORON, It's Bentpan."

When the ignorant are forced to actually think they always resort to name calling......

and yes - getbent does have a "special" ring to it!

Bentpan 1 year ago

AM910, clarabelle Don't care, go for it, latest exit poll is showing 70% for amendment 1, a 2+ to 1 advantage. While I doubt that number will hold, it makes me warm and fuzzy knowing the liberal segment of society has been in NC at least, put in their place. This bellwether vote is the deathnell of democrat hopes in NC. Nov. 2012 is going to be a conservative landslide and finally the beginning of real recovery, starting with the end of the Obama presidency and Reids tenure as leader of the senate, not to mention the election of a republican NC Governor with an conservative led NC senate. Laugh that one off guys.

clarabelle 1 year ago

Bedpan - the days of old fashioned far right conservative rule is coming to an end - trust me.

I do however, hope you sleep peacefully now that the "gay" threat has been "retired". I'll bet it curtails all those homos from chasing you around trying to get "some"..........

Bentpan 1 year ago

70% LOL

lakeview 1 year ago

Clarabelle- let me see if I got this correct. You calorie Bentpan a name. Bentpan, recall. Then when Bentpan , in return, calls you a moron, you rebutt by saying he then is ignorant for resorting to name calling??? Duh !!

AM910 1 year ago

When the lawsuits that tie up the court system that will in turn, cost the State MILLIONS of dollars that we don't have, be all giddy in your and the Redneck Agenda win tonight.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Please do not be to hard on Clarabelle, he is doing his best with what he has to work with.

moonchild7 1 year ago

Just read that Amendement One passed by 60% to 40%. It's CONFIRMED. A lot of predjudiced people who still believe in discrimination live in North Carolina. The 2008 Election results in this state must have been an abberation.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Why would there be lawsuits? I thought the lefties believed in "power to the people". I can't stand a sore loser. This doesn't bode well for Democrats in November.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Is it true that every state that has voted on such an ammendment has passed it including California? I didn't have much of an opinion either way until the lefties went nuts over a few stolen signs.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

"The 2008 Election results in this state must have been an abberation."

Many have had the cataracts of liberalism removed and now see the light.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Do you see the light.m4v by Lolakis Tralalakis

AM910 1 year ago

Multiple posts in a row don't make you popular or intelligent...

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

You can only do this with "the premium package".

nothingspecial 1 year ago

The amendment isn't about discrimination. It is about the difference between being lovingly TOLERANT of the lifestyle or actively PROMOTING it and in doing so trampling over the needs of families and children. The majority of voters have spoken here and in 30 other states - that is lawful and not discriminatory. The difference between tolerating gays by doing away with sodomy and other laws and allowing something as huge as a change in what marriage is to occur is incomparable.

Now we can all look forward to the new debates between governors, congressmen, senators, etc etc...

PS to Moonie, 2008 was a fluke, NC will go red again this year.

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