As you know, two things happened on Friday, February 4th that were not good for North Carolina Democrats.

First, after a spirited battle, Britt Cobb ended the Commissioner of Agriculture race. He did a great job bringing professionalism back to that Department and all of us should thank him for it. We all share the disappointment about the outcome in this race.

Second, the State Supreme Court ruled 5-0 that over 11,000 provisional ballots should not be counted in the Superintendent of Public Instruction race and this decision could impact the outcome of that race and potentially, other important races like those for County Commissioner in Mecklenburg County. As I understand it, these ballots were legally cast by North Carolinians who used a procedure in State law to vote in their county of residence. Frankly, the decision is very troubling and disenfranchises these voters. I know that our friend June Atkinson continues to pursue all remedies available in this race and I fully support her effort to assume the office that she won in the November election.

Here are some important lessons that we should learn from the two events on Friday:

1) Our State law must be clarified to count every vote cast by a North Carolinian in their county of residence and prevent the problems highlighted in Friday's Supreme Court decision.

Those North Carolinians that cast provisional ballots thought they were complying with State law and it's a bad thing that they may have been disenfranchised on Friday.

2) Our Party must have a 100-county campaign strategy that recognizes that one size doesn't fit all.

I worry that in recent election cycles, we have fallen into the pattern of the State Party really only making an effort in about 30 to 40 counties. In order to win more statewide elections and to maximize our chances to win local elections for county commissioner, sheriff, register of deeds and clerk of court, the State Party must work with ALL county parties. I've done this twice successfully as State Party Executive Director in the 1980's and as Governor Hunt's Campaign Manager in 1996. As State Chair, I'll lead development and implementation of a strategy that tries to win EVERYWHERE.

3) Our Party must have a Council of State campaign strategy for 2008 that begins in 2005.

All of us must immediately begin to talk to a diverse group of women and men across our State to encourage them to seek the Council of State offices that will be held by Republicans in 2008--we know there will be at least three--Agriculture, Labor and Auditor--and then the State Party should help these candidates as they prepare to run. This means candidate training beginning in 2005, working with County parties so that these potential candidates can attend events all over the State and get to know Party activists and introducing them to Democrats that can help them raise money in both large and small amounts. I have discussed this idea with people such as Elaine Marshall and Ralph Campbell--both of whom I am proud to count as my supporters--and they are willing to help. As State Chair, I'll lead this effort and look forward to working with you on it. To hold the Council of State seats that our Party currently holds and to take back those that we've lost, we must do things differently.

4) Voting machinery used in every county must count every vote and those votes must be verifiable.

As hard as so many Americans have fought for the right to vote, it is tragic that votes are being lost or not counted. I fully support the efforts in our General Assembly led by Senator Ellie Kinnaird and Representative Verla Insko--both Democrats from Orange County--to change State law on this matter. As a former County Party Chair, Verla has great insight in this matter and I am confident that these two legislators and other Democrats will make important changes during the 2005 session to address this problem.

5) We must have a more effective strategy to win judicial elections.

Although statewide judicial elections are now nonpartisan, there's no doubt that voters in both parties know who is running on our Party's principles. As shown in the disappointing 2004 losses by Jim Wynn and Alan Thornburg, our Party needs to do things better in these races. As State Chair, I'll think it's time we seriously consider the Party endorsing a candidate in each statewide judicial race and I'll present this idea to the Party's Executive Council and the State Executive Committee for discussion in 2005. I'm convinced that one reason that the Republican candidate won the Supreme Court race against Judge Wynn is because that Party endorsed one candidate.

Thanks again to the hundreds of you that are supporting our campaign as we head toward February 19. I'm excited about the great energy that I see from Democrats statewide and I'd appreciate your support at the State Committee meeting.

Sincerely,

Ed