I did something Tuesday I have rarely done in my life. I skipped voting day.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big believer in voting and normally I go to the polls no matter how many or how few races are on the ballot.

Tuesday I didn’t feel I could, in good conscience, cast a vote in the Democratic Primary for Labor Commissioner. You see, I voted in the Democratic Primary in May and that was the only choice I had Tuesday.

The reason I didn’t cast a ballot is that I’ve already made up my mind that I’m voting for incumbent Republican Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. Honestly, it is something I haven’t done before. Four years ago, I voted for Mary Fant Donnan and for Wayne Goodwin four years before that.

I’m convinced, however, that Berry is doing a fine job and I’m also convinced if the best Democrats can do is a recycled John Brooks, they don’t deserve my vote.

My early decision to vote for Berry brings to three the number of Republicans I will cast my vote for in the upcoming Council of State Elections. That is likely the highest number in my voting history. In fact, I’ve probably voted for more Libertarians in my life than Republicans.

In addition to Berry, I will continue to vote for incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler. Unlike Berry, I’ve been on the Troxler bandwagon for a long time. I voted for him eight years ago and then again four years ago.

I’m on board with the Troxler campaign and likely will continue to vote for him for the foreseeable future.

The third Republican I’m already sure I’m voting for is Ed Goodwin. For those of you who don’t know, the Chowan County Commissioner earned the Republican nod for Secretary of State during Tuesday’s runoff primary.

I can honestly say voting for Goodwin is something I’m for reasons other the partisan politics. I don’t have anything against the Democratic incumbent – Elaine Marshall – and I’ve voted for her many times in her current post and when she ran for the U.S. Senate.

My change of heart has little to do with Marshall. It has everything to do with my belief that all politics is local.

If you people – and by you people I mean the voters of North Carolina – intend, as it appears, to elect a former Charlotte Mayor as Governor of this state, it is imperative that we elect Goodwin.

The prejudice against eastern and western North Carolina by the Mecklenburg, Guilford and Wake counties of the world are notorious. Many of their elected officials have made it clear – they make the money and they should spend it. Republican nominee Pat McCrory has, to my knowledge, professed such a belief.

If we are going to elect someone from the Queen City, we also need to elect a true eastern North Carolinian. As a person from Chowan County, Goodwin meets that bill well. I will support him and I hope the rest of my eastern North Carolina friends will too.

I’m not saying those are the only three I’ll vote for, but early on I’m looking at a high number of Republicans on my Council of State ballot. Sometime before the election, I’ll write about the members of the GOP that absolutely won’t be as well.

 

Thadd White is Managing Editor of Roanoke-Chowan Publications. He can be reached via email at thadd.white@r-cnews.com or by telephone at 332-7211.