North Carolina Resource Guide
Sam Adams State Resource Guides are designed to help citizens get involved in their home state.
Do you have additional information that you'd like to see on this list? Please email your tips to resources@samadamsalliance.org.
BACKGROUND
North Carolina has a long history of divided politics. In recent years, this has been increasingly manifested between urban and rural districts, the former trending heavily Democrat, the latter trending heavily Republican. Currently, the North Carolina Executive Mansion, as well as both houses of the General Assembly, are controlled by Democrats. At the national level, the state has gone for Republican presidential candidates in the most recent elections, while sending two Republians senators and a mixed delegation to the House of Representatives.
The state has a diverse collection of action groups and think tanks working to break the bipartisan status quo and bring back limited, accountable government.
ISSUES
Initiative and Referendum
North Carolina has no citizen or legislative initiative and referendum rights. There is also no recall of state or local officials.
Ballot Access
North Carolina has one of the country's highest signature thresholds for attaining ballot access at the state level. The Libertarian Party of North Carolina is currently involved in a lawsuit against the State Board of Elections with the goal of having access restrictions eased.
Property Rights
In 2007, the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly passed an amendment to the state constitution outlining citizens' rights against eminent domain abuse. The amendment, however, has been sent to an obscure committee of the state Senate and has not since been reviewed. State groups are fighting for the government to be transparent on the subject of property rights.
THINK TANKS
John Locke Foundation
http://www.johnlocke.org
The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy
http://www.popecenter.org
The Center for Local Innovation
http://www.localinnovation.org
North Carolina Education Alliance
http://www.nceducationalliance.org
Free Nation Foundation
http://www.freenation.org/
John W. Pope Civitas Institute
http://www.jwpcivitasinstitute.org/
North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law
http://www.ncicl.org
Jesse Helms Center
http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/
ACTION GROUPS
Wake County Taxpayers Association
http://www.wcta.org/
Americans for Prosperity of North Carolina
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?state=nc
North Carolina Property Rights Coalition
http://www.ncpropertyrights.com/
The League of Charter Schools
http://www.charterleague.org/
North Carolina Open Elections Coalition
http://www.ncopenelections.org/
North Carolina Open Government Coalition
http://www.ncopengov.org/
Stop NC Annexation
http://www.stopncannexation.com/
BLOGS
The Locker Room
http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/
North Carolina Property Rights Watch
http://ncpropertyrights.blogspot.com/
Red Clay Citizen
http://www.redclaycitizen.typepad.com/
Citizen Servatius
http://www.taraservatius.com/
The NC Way
http://ncway.blogspot.com/
Liberty Points
http://libertypoints.blogspot.com/
RESOURCES
State of North Carolina Official Site
http://www.ncgov.com/
North Carolina State Board of Elections
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/
North Carolina State Data Center
http://census.state.nc.us/
Local Governments
http://ncinfo.iog.unc.edu/library/cities.html
North Carolina Taxpayers' Bill of Rights
http://www.dor.state.nc.us/taxes/rights.html
POLITICAL NEWS
Carolina Journal
http://www.carolinajournal.com/
Carolina Politics Online
http://www.carolinapoliticsonline.com/
Under the Dome
http://projects.newsobserver.com/dome/
