In helping reform the annexation laws through the state, I noticed things about the two main parties.

It appeared the state republicans would change the annexation laws but when they won the majority, they did not give registered voters a vote on being annexed but instead gave only property owners a vote via protest petition. When challenged in court, the protest petition method of voting was ruled as unconstitutional and the state was forced to give the vote of registered voters in the final annexation bill.

Many annexation warriors wanted the protest petition that prevented renters from voting and did not recognize that cities would eventually use the handy numbers of properties being annexed to also annex parcels yet to be developed.

A developer might have agreed to be annexed and gotten a vote for each of his parcels and with that cities would know exactly how many others to annex to prevent the protest petition from succeeding.

State republicans were made aware of this but were unwilling to go the final mile until the court ruling. The leadership of both parties seemed to find rules to prevent bills from being heard by all lawmakers. It appeared both parties were only interested in serving their own party citizens and not all of the citizens.

I am a Christian and unaffiliated voter and was suspicious of the republican candidates using their religious stance to influence voters. I voted for democrats locally for commissioner because of their past reasonable actions and reserve in spending.

In particular, Renee McDermott showed her interest in all of the citizens by her help toward changing the annexation laws. Through the correspondences that I had with her, I found her to be very qualified and sincerely caring about ‘all of the people!’ I really do not understand how the current republican majority could have a clear conscience toward God after the bad ads that their party used to stop her re-election.

If the Republican board of commissioners truly wishes to attract business and money to our county, my question would be: “If these new business people come to our county with their money, will they be given a fair chance to run for office here, or will their non-native status be grounds to disqualify them and silence them perpetually?”

Personally, I would hope that Renee and people like her that have moved to our area and contribute taxes be given fairness to contribute their governing, in keeping with democracy!

– Julie Perkins, Tryon