On October 21, 2014 the North Carolina Court of Appeals REFUSED to stay an order of Superior Court Judge Stephens requiring an early voting site on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, (Watauga County) North Carolina. On October 22, the State Board of Elections held an emergency meeting where they approved a plan […]
SCSJ's Allison Riggs talks student access to the ballot on WRAL
This story originally appeared on WRAL on March 25, 2014. Advocates say politics motivates moving polling places off campus By Laura Leslie Raleigh, N.C. — Rulings by the State Board of Elections on Monday to close early voting sites at Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in favor […]
Concerns Over Voter Suppression Continue in NC
Concerns Over Voter Suppression Continue in NC Public News Service – NC | November 2013 | Download audio Citizenship/Representative Democracy Civil Rights Human Rights/Racial Justice Photo: SCSJ Voting Rights Client Montravias King now serves on City Council. Courtesy: SCSJ November 4, 2013 ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Local elections take place in 200 towns and cities […]
From Buncomb to Pasquotank, voter suppression in NC persists
Today’s news is full of stories about a Buncomb County NC elections official forced to resign after making racially inflammatory comments on The Daily Show. While this behavior goes beyond social norms, we must keep in mind that the sentiment is not unique. On the contrary – voter suppression efforts targeting people of color remain […]
Montravias King inspires a roadmap for successful voting rights advocacy
On Tuesday, September 3 2013 SCSJ represented Elizabeth City State University senior Montravias King in a hearing before the NC State Board of Elections. Mr. King wanted to run for city council, but the local Board of Elections had ruled that because he lived on-campus he was not eligible. While SCSJ provided the legal representation […]
VICTORY in Montravias King elections hearing
On Tuesday September 3, 2013 Montravias King, represented by Southern Coalition for Social Justice staff attorney Clare Barnett, won the right to run for city council in Elizabeth City NC. King was initially barred from running by the Pasquotank County Board of Elections due to his on-campus residence at Elizabeth City State University. The […]
Montravias King hearing Tuesday 9/3 at 1PM
When Montravias King, a senior at North Carolina’s historically black Elizabeth City State University, showed up at a hearing before the Pasquotank County Board of Elections in August to defend his bid for a city council seat, he and SCSJ staff attorney Clare Barnett faced off against Richard “Pete” Gilbert, the local Republican Party chair. […]
SCSJ weighs in on Watauga Elections Issues
August 30, 2013 […]
Montravias King brings national spotlight to NC student voter suppression
On August 22, 2013 The Rachel Maddow Show was devoted entirely to North Carolina voting rights issues. One of the major topics was SCSJ client Montravias King. Mr. King has lived in Elizabeth City since the summer of 2009, when he moved there to attend Elizabeth City State University. During the last four years, Mr. […]
SCSJ files appeal in college student voter suppression case
Today SCSJ filed an appeal with the North Carolina State Board of Elections challenging the Pasquotank County elections board’s decision barring Elizabeth City State University student Montravias King from running for city council due to his residence in a college dormitory. Read the Pasquotank appeal press release here. On her August 19, 2013 show, Rachel […]
SCSJ client Montravias King featured on Rachel Maddow Show (twice)
On August 15, 2013 the Rachel Maddow Show dedicated a lengthy segment to evolving voter suppression efforts in North Carolina. One of the featured examples was the story of Montravias King, who SCSJ is representing in his efforts to run for City Council. The local board of elections has ruled that Mr. King may not […]