North Carolina News – October 6

ELECTION 2020-NORTH CAROLINA-VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS

Group sent thousands of incorrect voter registration forms

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina elections officials say 11,000 voter registration forms pre-filled with incorrect information were mistakenly sent to people in North Carolina by a group seeking to increase election participation. The North Carolina State Board of Elections released a statement saying that the company called Civitech mistakenly sent the voter registration forms that included incorrect name, address and birth date information. The company aims to increase voter participation and was not working with state or local governments. The company was reaching out to people sent the incorrect forms, which were intended for people who may be eligible to vote but weren’t currently registered.

ELECTION 2020-HARRIS

As Harris pitches to Black voters, some want to hear more

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sen. Kamala Harris is pitching the Democratic presidential ticket’s message directly to Black voters in states like North Carolina and Michigan in the closing weeks of the campaign. From barbershops to historically Black colleges and universities, Harris is speaking about police reform, ending the pandemic and creating a more equitable economy. She’s in a unique position as the first Black woman on a major party’s presidential ticket. But she’s still facing skepticism from some Black voters who question whether she and Joe Biden are committed and able to make meaningful change. Harris will speak to one of her biggest audiences yet during Wednesday’s debate with Vice President Mike Pence.

AP-NC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

Pandemic leads to 2.49 million unemployment claims in N.C.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The number of people in North Carolina who’ve applied for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus pandemic began is at 1.31 million. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the figure was released Monday in a report from the N.C. Division of Employment Security. The agency said that some people have reached the end of one unemployment benefit program and had to switch to another. That means the actual number of claims is even higher because some people have had to file for more than one unemployment insurance program. Since the middle of March, people in North Carolina have filed a combined 2.49 million state and federal jobless claims.

BC-NC-DURHAM-REPARATIONS

North Carolina city leaders call for federal reparations

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Officials in the North Carolina city of Durham have called for a federal program that would give reparations to the descendants of people who were enslaved. The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the call came in a resolution that passed at a meeting on Monday night. The resolution stems from a recommendation from the city’s Racial Equity Task Force. Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson said the resolution concerns areas of policy that are outside the city’s purview. The City Council is also calling for a universal basic income, a guaranteed living wage and an increase to the minimum wage.

ANTI-KLAN RALLY-SHOOTINGS

Council to consider apology for anti-Klan rally deaths

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina city council will consider a resolution and apology for the shooting deaths of five demonstrators at a rally against the Ku Klux Klan and American Nazi Party nearly 41 years ago. First reported by the News & Record of Greensboro, approval of the resolution would mean the city admits the police department neglected to act on knowledge it had that the Nazis and Klan were planning violence in a low-income housing community during a “Death to the Klan” rally on Nov. 3, 1979, organized by members of the Communist Workers Party. Five demonstrators were shot and killed at the rally. Juries acquitted several people of killing the protesters.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE-COMPLAINTS

2 NC lawmakers subject of new ethics complaints on expenses

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A campaign finance reform advocate has lodged ethics complaints against two more Republican lawmakers in North Carolina. Former Democracy North Carolina leader Bob Hall filed the paperwork on Monday against Reps. Josh Dobson of McDowell County and John Torbett of Gaston County. Hall alleges the two wrongly accepted state funds for expenses related to North Carolina General Assembly duties that also got paid for by their campaigns. He wants the Legislative Ethics Committee to investigate and order the taxpayer funds be returned. Dobson says the filing is politically motivated weeks before an election. He’s running for state labor commissioner.

ELECTION 2020-SENATE-NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Sen. Tillis says he has no COVID-19 symptoms

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he’s no longer exhibiting any symptoms from the COVID-19 he tested positive for last last week. Tillis had said over the weekend that he still lacked his senses of taste and smell, but he said Monday that even that’s returned. He says he will continue to self-isolate. Tillis is among several people who tested positive in the days after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett at the White House. Tillis is seeking reelection next month. He’s temporary halted in-person campaigning, and several campaign staff have gone into quarantine.

BC-NC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORTH CAROLINA

Coronavirus cases in North Carolina top 217,000

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The state of North Carolina now has at least 217,496 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus. State health officials also say that 3,634 have died. The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the numbers were released on Saturday. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 610 new COVID cases. That’s a drop from 2,202 the day before and the lowest single-day total since mid-August. But the state still reported that about 6.6% of tests were positive. That’s more than the state’s goal of 5% or lower. At least 907 people were reported hospitalized as of Sunday. That’s down from 921 the day before.