Rep. Adams responds to Burr's pride
in blocking judicial nominations
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Just days before the
election, Rep. Alma Adams
and other Democrats called
out Sen. Richard Burr for
saying that blocking judi
cial nominees was the
"right thing to do" despite
their qualifications.
Audio of Buit talking
to supporters was released
by CNN last week. During
the remarks, Bun quipped
about being surprised there
wasn't a bulls-eye on
Democratic presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton
when he saw her on the
cover of a gun magazine.
Burr has since apologized
feu the remarks.
In the same recording,
he talked about the
Supreme Court, which has
had a vacancy since
February because
Republican lawmakers
refhse to hold a hearing for
President Barack Obama's
nominee for the seat.
"If Hillary Clinton
becomes president, I'm
going to do everything I
can do to make sure that
four years from now, we've
still got an opening on the
Supreme Court," he told
them.
He told the audience
that blocking such a high
level nomination wasn't
tough for him because he
has the longest judicial
vacancy in the history of
the United States in the
Eastern District of North
Carolina.
Adams gave her
response in front of Burr's
local field office at a
Democratic press event
held on Thursday, Nov. 3,
saying he's "taken partisan
obstruction to a new low."
She pointed out he also
voted against the attorney
general nomination of
Greensboro-native Loretta
Lynch, but she was con
firmed, anyway.
"Anyone who refuses
to do their job should be
fired," said Adams.
Adams, who represents
the 12th District that cur
rently contains parts of
Winston-Salem, was joined
by City Council Member
Denise "D.D." Adams,
who represents the North
Ward. Denise Adams also
condemned his remarks,
saying it was time to end
the "partisan blockade" on
judicial nominations.
Forsyth County
Democratic Party Chair
Eric Ellison, who is also a
lawyer, said that the
absence of a ninth judge on
the U.S. Supreme Court is
resulting in deadlocks as
the court is now evenly
split between liberal and
conservative justices. This
means lower court rulings
still stand, creating what he
called a "patchwork of
uncertainty" of legal rul
ings that varies between
districts.
All three Democrats
urged for the election of
Democrat Deborah Ross,
who was running against
Burr.
PU.lyToJJLck
US. Rep. Alma Adams speaks in front of Sen. Richard Burr's local office as Democrats, including City
Council Member Denise "DD." Adams and Forsyth County Democratic Party Chairman Eric Ellison (far
rieht). look on.
Voter turnout up
and down at
inner city polls
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Turnout at predomi
nantly black voting places
in the city was like a roller
coaster ride on Tuesday
night with numbers very
high at some locations and
historically low in others.
At Forsyth Tech's
Maize Woodruff Center at
Carver School Road and
Lansing Drive, more than
300 people showed up to
cast their ballots, accord
ing to chief judge Kay
Shelton. With just over an
hour left before the polls
closed, Shelton said the
flow had been steady
throughout the day.
"The turnout here has
been pretty good. We start
ed out fast and had a little
down time around 1
o'clock but we picked
back up after voters got off
work," Shelton said.
Just down the street at
Carver High School, chief
judge Donielle Walker
said only about 30 people
showed up the entire day.
She said, "It's been pretty
slow, but we had a big
turnout during early vot
ing, so that could be a con
tributing factor."
Walker also mentioned
many of the people who
showed up to vote at
Carver were at the wrong
precinct and had to go
elsewhere. She said a
number of provisional bal
lots were submitted
throughout the day as well.
At the Fourteenth
Street Recreation Center in
the heart of East Winston,
volunteer Puccinni
Roseboro said it was much
of the same. During a short
discussion with The
Chronicle, Roseboro said
many people were going to
the wrong voting place
because they had not done
their research.
"A lot of people are
showing up here because
it's convenient for them or
because they have friends
and family members who
are registered to vote
here," he said. "Many peo
ple didn't do their research
before coining out. I think
that's the biggest issue."
Roseboro, who has
been a chief judge at 14th
Street before, said turnout
was slow during the pri
mary election as well.
"This neighborhood
usually doesn't have a
large turnout in the pri
mary but I was expecting a
better turnout today," said
Roseboro. "I'm really dis
appointed in the turnout
here."
At the Martin Luther
King Jr. Recreation Center,
voters were waiting at the
door at 6 a.m. to cast their
ballots. Chief Judge Brian
Miller, who has volun
teered on election night for
more than 40 years, said he
has never seen anything
like it. Miller said after the
initial rush of voters to
start the day, the flow
remained steady.
"We had about 30 peo
ple waiting outside this
, morning. Since then, it has
been pretty steady, most of
the booths are filled at all
I times." Miller said.
With just over two
hours before the polls
| closed, the Martin Luther
King Jr. location had
already seen close to 400
voters. After casting her
ballot, city native Junetta
Holman said she was
going home to pray that
Democratic presidential
nominee Hillary Clinton
becomes the next and first
woman President of the
United States.
"1 feel confident that
Clinton will get the win
but just in case I'm headed
home now to pray,"
laughed Holman. "This
election has been crazy. I
haven't seen anything like
it but I'm kinda glad that
it's all over."
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Photo Dy Tevin Stinson
Volunteer with the Forsyth County Democratic Party Allen Wilson helps stu
dents at Winston-Salem State University into a van headed to the early voting
station on Reynolds Park Rd. on Friday, Nov. 4.
Local Democratic Party offers
WSSU students ride to polls
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE ___
The lack of a early voting spot on cam
pus didn't stop more than SO students at
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU)
from voting last week thanks to the efforts
of the Forsyth County Democratic Party
(FCDP).
On Friday, Nov. 4 FCDP provided a
shuttle service complete with a van and
several vehicles to takes students to the
early voting station at the William Roscoe
Anderson Jr. Recreation Center on
Reynolds Park Road.
Before taking a group of students to
submit their ballots, volunteer Allen
Wilson said he was delighted to help.
"This election is very important and 1
wanted to make sure the students here at
Winston-Salem State understand how
important their vote is," he said.
After casting her ballot, WSSU fresh
man Terrian Moore said although a lot of
her peers have decided not to vote this
election, she said she wanted to do her
part.
"The two candidates might not be my
first choice but not voting is not a option
for me," said Moore. "Our ancestors did
too much for us to have this right, that's
why I decided to vote."