The seemingly indiscriminate closure of an early voting site at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee prior to the March 3, 2026, Primary Election by the Republican-majority Jackson County Board of Elections has students of all political stripes up in arms and the university’s chancellor refusing to speak out on what critics of the proposal are calling voter suppression. 

As the federal shutdown drags on, Republicans accuse Democrats of prolonging it for political reasons, pointing to stalled votes that could reopen the government and fully restore programs like SNAP. But Democrats say what they’re holding out for isn’t politics — it’s protection. Specifically, protection for millions of Americans who rely on Affordable Care Act subsidies that will soon expire. 

To the Editor:

We are halfway through the 2025 municipal elections for Waynesville, Canton and Clyde, which will significantly influence the leadership of these towns. Unfortunately, low voter turnout continues to threaten these municipal elections.

As chair of the Henderson County Democratic Party, Leslie Carey has spent years helping to build the county’s progressive infrastructure and lead one of the most successful local party operations in the state. After her family received death threats, she says she can no longer continue in the role.

Hurricane Helene recovery czar Michael Whatley is blaming Democrats for the growing chorus of criticism over his job performance — but in heavily Republican Western North Carolina, it’s not just Democratic voices calling for Whatley to be replaced or step down. 

President Donald Trump recently cast the Democrats as “the party of hate, evil, and Satan.” This incendiary language serves a dual purpose: it presents an easy target for political scapegoating while deflecting attention away from critical issues afflicting the nation. This tactic of blaming an enemy — real or imagined — has become a hallmark of authoritarian regimes throughout history and is a dangerous practice that undermines democratic discourse. 

Dear friend,

We are living in tumultuous times, and I’m writing to say I am sorry. I know I’ve done and said things that hurt you, that made you furrow your brow in confusion, wondering if you ever knew me at all. I know you’ve rolled your eyes at something politically-slanted I’ve posted on social media. To be honest, your words and posts have conjured the same reactions for me. 

To the Editor:

Vice President J.D. Vance recently made a remark about protesters in Washington, D.C., calling them stupid white hippies who are in their nineties and need to go home and take a nap. In addition, he said they have never felt danger in their entire lives.

Weeks after a bitter dispute over a Democratic gala laid bare divisions in Western North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, the field is shifting again.

The political rift over an upcoming Democratic gala — an internal dust-up that sparked chatter across Western North Carolina political circles — was nowhere in sight on Aug. 12, as three NC-11 congressional hopefuls stepped to the podium in Waynesville alongside state party chair Anderson Clayton.