Advocates for voting rights took aim at partisanship in the North Carolina judicial system and criticized Chief Justice Paul Newby for actions they said has made the courts less fair.
The N.C. Fair Courts Coalition gathered outside the Pitt County Courthouse Thursday morning as part of the coalition’s statewide tour. Representatives from the N.C. Council of Churches, the American Civil Liberties Union and N.C. Voters for Clean Elections are touring to inform voters of what they call attacks on judicial independence…
The Rev. Dr. Arlecia Simmons, east regional director for the Partners in Health and Wholeness for the N.C. Council of Churches, said she wants to see judges elected based on merit, impartiality and their record rather than politics. She said her organization does not promote partisanship in churches but instead wants congregations to be good citizens and know the laws.
“We’re an ecumenical body not representing just Christians, but many denominations,” Simmons said. “We advocate for justice, we advocate for fairness.
“We believe our judges should not be partisan because we want … people who are good attorneys to become good judges and to judge fairly.”
Simmons said she wants all people, especially black and brown people, represented fairly politically and get a fair chance in the judicial system. She said she doesn’t have a timeline for partisanship’s removal from judicial elections.
“I’m sure whether it happens now, or next election or in 2024, we’re just hoping whatever we can do we can work together to bring this issue into the minds and hearts of people so they know what is happening in government.”
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