Here's what NC Influencers have to say about voter identity and voting rights

Using an online tool called Your Voice, we asked readers what were the questions from NC leaders and influencers about race relations. Then we asked the readers to vote on the question that they wanted us to ask Influencers. The question was: "How can North Carolina ensure that everyone has an equal chance to vote easily and safely for their voices to be heard?

Here is a sample of NC Influencer responses:

Thomas Stith, former Chief of Staff of Gov. Pat McCrory

"The role of the government is to provide a safe and secure electoral system. The voter ID is an additional tool to ensure the integrity of the process, but voter turnout is the most important part of the equation. In many elections, voter turnout for eligible voters is extremely low. People have to engage in the process to have a voice. "

Bob Page, CEO Replacements, Ltd.

"A federal solution would be to recognize that voting is so important to our democracy and citizen-led government that it deserves a national holiday dedicated solely to the exercise of this right. In North Carolina, we should strive to expand people's right to vote, not to restrict it. An overly aggressive purge of voter lists and prior restrictions on the use of the student card tells us a great deal about how partisan lawmakers consider voting and certain types of voters. "

Cyndee Patterson, President, The Lee Institute

"If it is not broke, do not fix it." I have not seen convincing statistics that suggest we have a voting problem in North Carolina, or even across the country. Voting is the most important action we can take as citizens of North Carolina and the United States. We should do everything in our power to facilitate voting, easy, convenient for members of all socio-economic groups.

Patricia Timmons-Goodson, Judge (retired), N.C. Supreme Court; Vice President of the American Civil Rights Commission

"The voter identification requirement was a solution in search of a problem."

Michael Marsicano, CEO Foundation for the Carolinas

"If I'm not mistaken, other places are experimenting with cell phone voting. Could this be an answer?

Art Pope, CEO, wholesalers in varieties; President of the John William Pope Foundation

"North Carolina is already one of the most generous states in terms of voting. We offer non-apologies postal voting both by mail and on advance voting sites. It is easier to vote in North Carolina than in New York, which does not have an advance vote. In the 2016 elections, North Carolina had a larger percentage of eligible voters registering and voting than the majority of states, including New York. Just as voters in North Carolina have many opportunities to vote, they also have the right to insist that their legal votes not be canceled by illegal votes or electoral fraud. This is why measures to deter spoofing, a person voting several times and residence fraud; protect the integrity of ballots and vote registration systems; and, to enforce our electoral laws in general, are also important.

Jim Martin, Governor of the NC 1985-1993

"The state should provide easier access to photo ID so everyone can get one if they want to vote. Each state agency, and in particular the election office, should be empowered to issue a photo ID as a basic civil right. "

Richard Sneed, Senior Chief, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

"The current system already offers everyone equal opportunity to vote."

Mike Rizer, Executive Vice President and Community Relations Manager at Wells Fargo

"Reversing unnecessary suppression laws and eliminating gerrymandering. There has been very little evidence of electoral fraud, so there is no reason for all the obstacles that have been created.

Ashley Christensen, chef, restaurateur, food activist, philanthropist

"Work to correct gerrymandering problems by rewriting district maps; to make the vote as accessible as possible by not adopting the amendment which would require the identification of voters in November. "

Bob Morgan, CEO of Charlotte Chamber

"Make identity checking as easy as possible."

Richard Vinroot, Partner in Law, Charlotte Mayor 1991-1995

"I really do not understand this question. We all have easy access to polling stations and, rather than trying to "politicize", whether it's too difficult or easy enough, as both political parties do, we need to move on to something more serious, from the president downstairs. "

Kit Cramer, CEO Asheville Area Chamber

"Extend the hours and days of voting. Provide workarounds for identification problems. Strengthen the program of civic education and voter education in schools to develop an appreciation of the right to vote.

Pat McCrory, Governor of the 2013-2017 NC

"An identity photo, early voting and longer hours during the day to vote in the polls."

Karen Rindge, Executive Director, WakeUP Wake County

"Does not require voter identification. Increase the number of days of advance voting and ensure that sites are accessible in transit. "

Dr. Laura Gerald, President, Kate B. Reynolds Charity Trust

"There is not much to say that the current system that does not require voter identification is dangerous. As civic participation is so important in a democracy, and frankly as important to your health, North Carolina should give greater opportunity to vote, not less.

Bev Perdue, Governor of the NC 2009-2013

"Voting is the most important responsibility as citizens. I have believed for years that our voting process and our rules should encourage people to vote. So, open the process. Encourage the extension of voting hours and days. Let observers, drivers and voters vote. "

Vivian Howard, conductor, author, television presenter, defender of the Eastern NC

"I think that automatically registering each person to vote and expanding early voting are two things that could help."

Bree Newsome, activist

"North Carolina can ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to vote easily but safely by increasing access to polling stations and opportunities to register as a voter. In recent years, Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have sought to reduce voter turnout by ending early voting, closing polling stations and taking other measures to create queues and difficulties for voters. workers, students and minority communities in particular. "

Liz Chen, co-founder of MyHealthEd

"I recommend increasing the number of advance poll sites and extending the number of opening hours of voting sites so that North Carolinians have more opportunities to vote." when they can integrate them into their busy schedule. Not everyone is able to take time, find a babysitting service or find a convenient means of transportation to get to the polls on polling day. As I went door-to-door for the 2016 presidential election, many North Carolinians with whom I spoke were not aware of the early voting options in the county of New York. Durham.

Virginia Hardy, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs of the ECU

"There should be enough advance voting places and hours, including Saturdays and Sundays, especially in disadvantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods. Additional information and opportunities regarding provisional ballots and postal ballots should be made available to voters. "

Most Rev. Claude Alexander Jr., Pastor, The Park Church

"Pursue early voting, expand advance polling sites, expand secure voter registration online, and allow voters to be registered on notebooks that allow registration to stay active each time they move to that location. State. They would be able to update their information until the day they would vote. "

Mark Jewell, President Educators Association of North Carolina

"Your publications have written a lot about recent audits that show that elections in North Carolina are healthy and virtually fraud-free. Voting is a constitutional right. Citizens should not have to jump through the hoops to vote. Where our country and our country should focus, the focus is on Russian piracy and other similar interferences, not on putting in place barriers that allow our citizens to exercise their right to vote.

Joan Zimmerman, CEO of Southern Shows Inc.

"Maybe I'm missing something here. At present, access to voting poles is easier than ever. There are organized groups that will take disabled people to the poles; the ability to vote in advance, in absentia. The only thing I could think of would be to have mobile polls (vans) that would go into more rural areas, where the poles might be farther away; or find a cyber-proof system that allows for a valid online vote. "

Lawyer Catherine Lawson launched the # meAt14 campaign

"North Carolina already has many ways to vote:" no apology ", postal voting, many places and hours of advance voting, and voting on polling day. If your registration is problematic when you arrive, you can vote in advance. While it may be necessary to raise awareness of these issues, every North Carolinian who wants to vote has many ways to do it. A change that could make voting even easier would be to provide prepaid postage fees for absent voters. "

Hugh McColl, CEO of Bank of America, 1983-2001

"Keep the system that has worked for a century."

Patrick Woodie, CEO NC Rural Center

"Across the country, many states are exploring initiatives to make voter registration less burdensome and more accessible for eligible voters. This involves creating an automatic registration process in which voters must withdraw from their registration rather than actively participate in it. In some places, registration is by default at the time of issuing a driver's license. To not be registered, it is the responsibility of the applicant to withdraw.

"It is still early, but there is some evidence that such efforts have a positive effect on voter turnout, with more eligible voters in some states coming in on polling day. North Carolina should explore similar efforts to facilitate the registration of eligible voters and participate in our electoral process. "

Mike Easley, Governor of the NC 2001-2009

"Fair voting requires that all citizens be treated with dignity and respect and have the right to vote quickly, to have reasonable hours and to have places to vote. In addition, the military and other citizens need reasonable and unhindered voting opportunities. In a democracy, voting should be easy.

How to participate

Your Voice is an ongoing conversation between readers, the 60 NC influencers and the makers of our state. From now until polling day, we ask readers what matters most to them about a particular policy issue. Once the readers have weighed in online each week, we hold a vote Your voice to see what is the answer of the reader that resonates the most. Then we will ask this question to the NC Influencers. To participate, simply click on the Your voice link in each story in the Influencer series.