BY REP. TODD CARVER

I would like to take a moment to talk about the importance of voting in this primary season. Early voting runs through Saturday, February 28. During early voting, you don’t go to your normal precinct. There are several early voting sites around the county where you can cast your ballot, including the Board of Elections Office in Statesville, War Memorial in Mooresville, Lake Norman Fire Department, the CATS campus in Troutman and the American Legion in Harmony. On Tuesday, March 3, you will have to go to your assigned precinct to cast your ballot.

All elections are important, but this one is very important to House District 95. The differences between myself and my opponent are vast. I want to speak very carefully and stick to just verified facts about these differences.

I have spent my adult career enforcing the law. As a law enforcement officer and member of the N.C. General Assembly, I have been asked to enforce the law and help create new ones. I am a firm believer that in order to create law you should have demonstrated an ability to follow it. North Carolina’s public meetings laws are not something suggested to elected officials. They serve a valid purpose to keep the public informed. My opponent, Mike Kubiniec, and several other members of the Board of Education were accused of violating these laws.

The latest spectacle involving my opponent and the chair of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education is a perfect example of the shenanigans that cannot take place at the General Assembly. Kevin Angell took responsibility for his actions and removed himself from the Board. Mr. Kubiniec, on the other hand, has shifted and qualified the responsibility for his role in the event. There are some very large personalities at the N.C. General Assembly. Those personalities will not be bullied and neither will I.

Like my opponent, I served one term on the I-SS Board of Education. During my term, I served as the vice chairman and chairman of the Board. These positions were entrusted to me by my fellow board members. The leadership roles on the Board help chart the course and mean that those you serve with have respect for your ability to move the processes along.

My opponent, on the other hand, was elected vice chair but was then removed from the position and subjected to censure by his fellow board members. A censure is the strongest recourse fellow board members have to express their displeasure with your conduct.

I have been very humbled during this campaign. The number of people who have reached out and volunteered to put out signs and contribute to my campaign has been very heart warming. I have had several dozen people contribute in a variety of ways and that is very uplifting.

Now I have an ask: Reach out to your friends and your neighbors and remind them to go out and vote. This is a very important race for the future of our area and the State of North Carolina.

Being a member of the General Assembly is not a position where you go to be served; it’s the exact opposite. This is a position of service to my neighbors. I have tried to serve all of those who reach out to me and hope to continue doing so in the future. I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve the people who live in House District 95. 

Todd Carver represents the 95th District in the N.C. House of Representatives.