Ballot confusion for this year's election

This year, we have a new twist on the ballots. On the backside of the ballot is a "Instant Runoff Voting" section for the Court of Appeals judges. The directions explain that the voter must select 3 candidates in order of their personal preference, then select a DIFFERENT candidate for each column. The second and third choice will NOT count against the 1st choice, just that they will be considered in a runoff if your 1st choice is not in the runoff.




Basically, you will have 3 columns, make sure your first choice is in the first column and in case there is a runoff, your next choice is in the 2nd column, etc.



Below is an article from Davidson county's The Dispatch, that covers the candidates for a little more clarity.







Here's the article in it's entirety: http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20101007/ARTICLES/101009789/1005?p=1&tc=pg



These are the GOP candidates in the "Instant Runoff" section:



Three GOP candidates in the so-called “baker's dozen race” of 13 candidates for a seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals also attended the meeting.



Chris Dillon of Raleigh, a UNC graduate who practiced law for 10 years before helping found a community bank there, said his law background was important but he brought more to the bench because of his “real world business experience.”



Daniel Garner of Rolesville, just outside Raleigh, holds undergraduate, M.B.A. and law degrees from UNC. He said his 28 years as an attorney, including time spent serving as counsel to the N.C. Commissioner of Banks, qualified him for the job.



Jewel Ann Farlow of Gibsonville, a Duke University graduate who graduated from the Wake Forest University School of Law, said her 22 years of private practice qualified her for the job. She noted the Davidson County Governmental Center and its “In God We Trust” sign on the front is on her website.



“I wanted to meet the backbone of Davidson County,” she said. “I am a conservative and I will be a conservative judge. I won't legislate from the bench.”



Vikki Broughton Hodges can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 214, or at vikki.hodges@the-dispatch.com.



Hope this helps,



Elizabeth A. Weidner