The 2024 presidential election has leftists more disillusioned than ever. Every four years, progressives, socialists, and others on the left bemoan the lack of a better option than a moderate Democrat (one that has a chance of winning, anyway). But this year, with continuing death and destruction in Gaza and a Democratic nominee from an administration that has been an unwavering ally to Benjamin Netanyahu, many on the left find themselves unable to vote for Kamala Harris despite the dangers of a Trump presidency. For those leftists who have not yet voted, however, it is vital not to stay at home on Tuesday – because your votes could be the difference in a number of critical down ballot races in our state that will have a material impact on our organizing conditions.
Despite an electorate that is split nearly evenly between registered Democrats and Republicans, the GOP has a stranglehold on our state legislature thanks to the highly gerrymandered district maps passed in 2023. This makes it difficult for Democrats to even stave off a GOP supermajority, as we have now, let alone find a district where a leftist might win. Overcoming this massive obstacle to progress requires a Democratic majority on the NC Supreme Court, which ultimately has the power to reject or approve legislative maps. While there won’t be an opportunity to flip any seats until 2028, it is vital that the Republican majority, which currently stands at 5-2, not increase in the meantime. That starts with re-electing Allison Riggs, who was appointed to the Court to fill a vacancy by Governor Roy Cooper in 2023. Riggs, a social justice oriented civil rights attorney, is facing off against Republican Jefferson Griffin in a highly tense race that appears neck and neck. Griffin’s views on abortion and racism are bad enough, but his election would also make it extremely difficult to overturn the Republican majority on the court before the next round of redistricting in 2030. If the left is going to make any inroads in the General Assembly in the next fifteen years, a Riggs victory is a prerequisite.
As the GOP advances its onslaught of attacks on trans rights, the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction is also critical for the left. The passage of last year’s Parents’ Bill of Rights is already set to cause great harm to our state’s LGBTQ youth. Now, we are faced with the prospect of Superintendent Michelle Morrow. The election of the Republican nominee, a Q-Anon enthusiast who pushes the far right’s abhorrent “groomer” rhetoric, would constitute a crisis for parents of LGBTQ children, who would have to consider whether their families are safe in North Carolina. Trans rights of course are not the only issue on which Morrow represents nothing short of disaster – she doesn’t believe in public schools at all, railing against them as socialist indoctrination centers and choosing to homeschool all of her own children. On the other hand, there’s no question that Democratic nominee Mo Green, former superintendent for Guilford County, believes in public education. Green’s campaign focuses on the nuts and bolts of improving our state’s struggling public schools – and one thing that does not fit into that agenda is further dismantling the rights of LGBTQ youth while saddling our already overburdened teachers with new duties as gender and sexuality cops. While the fight for trans rights is far from over, a Green victory at least allows the left to continue organizing without the ground beneath our feet shifting further into fascism.
Finally, Braxton Winston’s campaign for Labor Commissioner provides a rare opportunity that should excite labor focused leftists. A popular former Charlotte City Council member, Winston is the first ever hourly union worker to run for labor commissioner. In a state with the lowest union density in the country besides the other Carolina, we have a tremendous opportunity to elect a bona fide working class fighter to a seat that can tangibly hold corporations to account while keeping workers safe and fairly paid. His opponent, Republican Luke Farley, is a “right to work” supporter, and if you’re a leftist, that’s about all you need to know about him.
These aren’t the only races that should matter to the NC left. All the way down the ballot, there are choices you can make to make the tasks of leftist organizers a little easier – and if you’re in Raleigh, you’re even lucky enough to have a couple of DSA endorsed socialists running for City Council in Reeves Peeler and Mary Black. All of which is to say, the top of the ticket is one small part of a very long ballot. Can’t bring yourself to vote for someone who will continue to send weapons abroad to kill oppressed people? I get it. But taking a few minutes out of your Tuesday to fill out the rest of your ballot can go a long way towards keeping our most marginalized neighbors safe, while enabling us to fight for real progress in the years to come.