Politics

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NEWS 8/7/24 4:43pm

Attorney General campaigns for governor race at Burlington Dream Center

By Avery Sloan

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein emphasized improving the state’s public education system and urged people to vote — particularly in what Stein said will be a tough election. Stein, the Democratic candidate for governor, spoke Aug. 7 at CityGate Dream Center in Burlington. Stein told Elon News Network that college students specifically should elect him this November, as he is focusing on issues that will also matter in their future. Stein said his platforms include tackling the climate crisis, decreasing violent crime and protecting women’s reproductive rights.  Stein also said in this election, his vision is in competition with Republican governor candidate Mark Robinson’s campaign.

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NEWS 7/29/24 12:44pm

Elon community reacts to President Biden stepping down

By Nia Bedard

Just over a week ago, President Joe Biden announced that he would be stepping aside as the Democratic nominee just 107 days ahead of election day and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election. Since then, Harris has gained the endorsement of many high profile members of the Democratic Party. Now less than four months away from election day and a few weeks away from the Democratic National Convention, Elon professor of political science and policy studies Carrie Eaves said the final few months heading into this election will be unprecedented.

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NEWS 7/21/24 3:32pm

Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential election

By Nia Bedard

President Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election in a letter posted to X on July 21. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wrote in the letter. “While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” The last time an incumbent president declined to seek re-election was Lyndon B. Johnson in March 1968.

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NEWS 7/17/24 11:49am

Elon Town Council votes to close Aspen Avenue to vehicular traffic

By Nia Bedard

Following two years of discussion, Elon Town Council voted to close Aspen Avenue to vehicular traffic. Town Attorney Bob Hagemann explained that this includes automobiles, golf carts, low emission vehicles and other motorized vehicles – but will remain open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The council also discussed proposed changes to Elon’s town noise ordinance. The council aims to reclass a noise violation as a civil violation with a fine, as opposed  to the current ordinance which charges violators with a fine and a misdemeanor.

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NEWS 7/15/24 7:10pm

Elon University professors contextualize assassination attempt on Trump

By Ryan Kupperman

Less than 10 minutes after he took the stage at one of his political rallies, former President and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump was huddled away by secret service agents following multiple gun shots. According to Dillan Bono-Lunn, Elon professor of political science and policy studies, this incident is the most significant event of the election season so far. The attack came just days before the start of the Republican National Convention on July 15, where Trump announced Senator J.D. Vance as his vice president and running mate.

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NEWS 6/25/24 5:02pm

Elon Town Council explores re-opening Aspen Avenue to vehicles

By Nia Bedard

Elon’s Town Council met June 24 to a record turnout of citizen attendance to discuss the permanent closure of Aspen Avenue. The street is seven minutes away from Elon University in the Ashley Woods neighborhood and the closure borders between the town of Elon and the town of Gibsonville. The matter was reopened because the closure blocks a planned entrance into the Owen Parks subdivision, which is being built by property developer Matt Kirkpatrick. The council also made a proclamation declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month, approved capital funds and canceled two meetings in July.

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NEWS 4/29/24 9:36pm

Elon Town Council discusses fire inspectors, changes to fire lanes

By Miles Hayford

The Elon Town Council met on April 29 and focused on changes to the fire department and new policies the department will be enforcing. Previously, inspections were done by county inspectors at no cost. However, Elon is implementing a new method to directly hire inspectors. The council discussed how this change would force Elon citizens who own businesses to now need to pay for fire inspections out of their own pockets. Town of Elon Fire Chief Landon Massey said the town will be implementing a tiered system of charging inspections, which is currently being utilized by Durham’s fire departments. 

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NEWS 4/25/24 4:06pm

SGA aims to increase student awareness under Cote Administration

By Nia Bedard

After 20.4% of the student body voted in the 2024-25 student body elections — compared to the 29.9% that voted in the 2023-24 elections — junior Ella Kucera, vice president of communications, said she hopes to increase awareness of the function of Elon University’s Student Government Association. With the decrease in voter turnout for this past election, members of SGA, both current and former, said they hope they can increase voter turnout in future elections by educating the student body about what student government does and making itself more present on campus.

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NEWS 4/15/24 8:21pm

Elon Town Council discusses 2025 budget

By Miles Hayford

The Elon Town Council met on April 15 in a special work session to discuss Town Manager Rich Roedner’s proposed $10.9 million 2025 fiscal year budget. The council began the session by discussing the proposed fees for the 2025 budget. As a result of Burlington planning to raise their water fees by 4%, the council plans to match that raise. However, taxes would not be increased to cover these heightened fees.

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NEWS 4/9/24 10:18pm

Elon Town Council permanently extends social district boundaries

By Aidan Powley

Elon’s Town Council hosted their first meeting of April, where they unanimously decided on the permanent extension of the social district boundaries. The decision added North Holt Avenue and West College Avenue to the footprint of the social district, allowing patrons to utilize the Holt Avenue green space as a location to enjoy alcoholic beverages. It also opens the sidewalks up as a means of travel from North Holt Avenue to West College Avenue. The town council will meet next on Monday, April 15 to debate the 2025 proposed budget.

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NEWS 4/9/24 7:48pm

Elon Town Council to debate potential 7.4% increase for personnel on proposed 2025 budget

By Emilio Nunez

Rising personnel costs dominate Elon town manager’s proposed $10.9 million fiscal year 2025 budget, which the town council plans to debate during a work session April 15. Though the overall budget is up only 2% from last year, town manager Richard Roedner is proposing a 7.4% increase in personnel costs. Elon’s $2.4 million police personnel budget would stay flat under the proposal. The town’s total personnel budget would increase by $462,315 to $6.7 million. Mayor Emily Sharpe said one of the main topics for the council to discuss was opening new proposed positions for different departments.

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NEWS 3/20/24 5:52pm

First Lady visits Research Triangle to highlight women’s health

By Joseph Navin

First Lady Jill Biden made a brief stop March 20 at Durham’s Research Triangle Park, as part of an effort by the White House to promote the administration’s initiative on women’s health research. The event held roughly 50 attendees. This comes after President Joe Biden passed an Executive Order on March 18 addressing women’s health as part of this initiative. According to the White House, the order will direct federal agencies and departments, such as the Office of Management and Budget and the National Institutes of Health to prioritize women’s health research. 

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NEWS 3/19/24 11:46pm

SGA announces election results for 2024-25 academic year

By Liya Rike

With 1,308 voter ballots cast, this year's student government association election concludes.  Despite the relatively low voter turnout compared to last year, SGA announced the results of the 2024-25 student body elections with 11 positions unfilled out of 60 spots. As for senior commencement speakers, due to a tie, there are four finalists instead of three: Grace Ackermann, Ayesh Award, Garret Fitschen and Mike Sanderson. Junior Taylor Cote was the only candidate to apply for and was elected as student body president. Junior Amanda Jacobson was elected as executive vice president, which was a newly added position.

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NEWS 3/17/24 6:29pm

Student Government Association hosts spring 2024 elections: meet the candidates

By Elon News Network

After extending the deadline for applications to run for a Student Government Association race, 44 candidates applied across all 60 spots. The deadline was extended twice — as no one applied to run for student body president. Voting opens on PhoenixConnect at 8 a.m. Monday, March 18 and closes 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. Elon News Network asked each candidate what they hope to accomplish in their role if elected, as well as how they plan to accomplish it.

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NEWS 3/14/24 12:51pm

Stein holds campaign event in Burlington

By Joseph Navin

On the heels of winning the Democratic gubernatorial nomination on March 5, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein spoke at Persnickety Books in Burlington on March 14 as part of a  “Real Time with Stein” campaign event. This marked Stein’s first campaign visit to Alamance County since winning the primary election. Burlington’s Persnickety Books is no stranger to political events. In 2021, the store hosted an election night watch party for former-Burlington Mayor and Elon University alumnus Ian Baltutis.

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NEWS 3/12/24 11:27pm

Elon Town Council deliberates solutions for student concerns regarding noise citations

By Lauren Winslow

Elon Town Council discussed alternatives to criminal noise ordinance citations on March 12 following Elon University students raising concerns about the harsh penalties. Currently, issuing citations following a noise complaint is left to the discretion of the Town of Elon Police Department officer responding to the noise complaint. If a citation is issued, Elon considers this a criminal violation, not a civil one. In response to students voicing their concerns over receiving a criminal noise citation, Elon Police Chief Kelly Blackwelder compiled research on alternatives to issuing criminal citations. 

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NEWS 3/12/24 6:51pm

No students initially applied for student body president, application extended

By Avery Sloan

Despite Elon’s Student Government Association working to recruit members to run in elections, no student applied to run for student body president. The application closed at 5 p.m. March 11. The organization met for a special meeting March 12 to amend the bylaws and extended applications for all SGA positions until 10 a.m. March 13. SGA initially extended the deadline to 10 a.m. March 12, but according to SGA election bylaws, the organization was not technically allowed to extend it without an election amendment approved by the senate, and no applications were accepted by the second deadline. 

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NEWS 3/5/24 11:14pm

Alamance County primary elections results

By Ryan Kupperman

As of 10:12 p.m. on March 5, 39 out of 39 precincts in Alamance County have reported their votes for North Carolina’s primary elections. The North Carolina State Board of Elections will officially call the results on March 15. The following are each of North Carolina’s candidates after primary elections closed March 5. Most notably, gubernatorial candidates North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson will be facing off against each other in general elections in November with nearly opposite campaign platforms.

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NEWS 3/5/24 8:59pm

NC Democrats, Stein campaign prepare for election results in Raleigh

By Joseph Navin

With just under 2% of ballots cast in, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the Associated Press called the Democratic Gubernatorial race in favor of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. The Republican governor race was also called in favor of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. The two will face off in the general election in November. With primary election polls having closed at 7:30 p.m., NC Democrats hosted a watch party at the Maywood Hall & Garden in Raleigh to welcome the Democratic gubernatorial nominee to the general elections ballot.

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NEWS 3/5/24 8:36pm

Mark Robinson campaign prepares for election results in Greensboro

By Avery Sloan and Sophie Rosenthal

With just under 2% of ballots cast in according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the Associated Press called the Republican Gubernatorial race in favor of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. The Democratic governor race was also called in favor of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, and the two will face off in the general election in November. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and his supporters awaited primary election results at a watch party in the gubernatorial nominee’s hometown of Greensboro. The polls closed at 7:30 p.m.

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