Erica and I were tasked with producing several segments for The Leadership Conference around the troubling voting suppression upon the expiration of The Voting Rights Act. We packed up the vehicle with more than enough equipment to do the job and spent a week traveling from Raleigh to Charlotte, and spots in between.
We interviewed about seven participants who were affected by many challenges from Republicans, who seemed to be hellbent on making voting almost impossible. The normal movements of citizens within a state were making voting a tenuous reality and compound that with intense gerrymandering and you have a recipe for political control by shrinking sector of conservative lawmakers.
While it was all work, just seeing the beauty of North Carolina was a treat. We had no problems traveling through the “tar heel” state and decided to eat at only native restaurants (save the barbecue. I’m a vegetarian).
We take for granted the ease of voting, living in the same place for the last 16 years, but for some, simply changing ones address or going off to school can somehow disqualify them voting with the new rules in North Carolina. We hope these challenges don’t last long for North Carolina voters.
Last note: Erica’s voice can be heard for the opener and informational narration.
