Elections are upon us again! If you’re 18 or older, voting should be one of your top priorities. In recent years, many people have forgotten how important voting is- which is more or less understandable considering the state of our country at the moment. However, choosing representatives for your state is a major part of being a citizen of the United States, regardless of how you feel about the candidates. That being said, as annoying as voting ads can be, they have a lot of information about our politicians. As always, it is important to do your research, because many advertisements can hold biases. Voting for someone who shares some of the same views as you to represent your state is important and makes a real difference.

Each year, voters have the opportunity to represent their opinions on issues such as abortion rights, women’s rights ,BLM, gun laws, and more. Citizens should vote for candidates with similar values as them (or at the very least, a lack of prejudices against you). Imagine trying to sleep every night knowing that your rights could be stripped away from you at any minute. That could be a potential reality if you neglect your voting rights. It already is a reality from some. Now onto the candidates:

Ted Budd (Republican)
The owner of a gun range and store in Rural Hall, Ted Budd is a representative from our 13th Congressional District. He was elected in 2016, 2018, and 2020. He served in the US House of Representatives and worked as an investment analyst. A quote from him: “I am gravely concerned about our country’s future, because North Carolina families, our values and our jobs are under attack every day in Washington.”

Cheri Beasley (Democrat)
Cheri was as a judge on the NC Supreme Court. She went into office back in 2012 and left in 2022. She joined the NC Supreme Court as an associate justice in 2021. Beasley was elected to the NC Court of Appeals and became the first black woman to be elected to any statewide office in North Carolina. She went to Rutgers University and Douglass college, getting her Bachelor of Arts Degree in political science and economics.

Who do you trust to protect and represent you best?