By Tony Yon

It is primary season 2024 with early voting beginning Thursday, Feb. 15, and Primary Election Day on Tuesday, March 5. Many have asked why the county parties don’t get involved in endorsing candidates in the primary. Pursuant to the NC GOP Plan of Organization, we are unable to endorse and promote candidates as a party. Article 9, subsection F prohibits the county party from endorsing any candidate prior to the primary. 

The Republican Party believes in the voice of the people. It is you who chooses the candidates to go forward to the general election. Therefore, it is imperative that each voter research all the candidates running in their respective primaries. If you don’t know who they are, you can go to the NCSBE.gov website and use the Voter Search tool, look up your name and find your sample ballot. That will show you all the available candidates you can vote for. 

In your research of candidates, find the candidate that most fits your beliefs and values and can compete and win in the general election. That is why voting in the primary is a must do. Waiting until the general election to vote may result in your preferred candidate not even being on the ballot in November.

We, as your Republican County Party, do play a role in the primary. When our headquarters open Feb. 3, you will be able to find information and signs for candidates. We will also have volunteers on hand to help you validate your voter registration and help you find your voting locations. The only thing we cannot do is tell you for whom to vote. That doesn’t mean you won’t find us working personally with candidates, we are just not doing so on behalf of the Rowan County Republican Party.

In an effort to help you research candidates, you will see opportunities to meet and hear from candidates on our social media sites and our webpage. The following opportunities have already been set and are available to the public:

• Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. — Rowan County Board of Commissioners Forum, Rowan Public Library Stanback Auditorium. Free to the public.

• Friday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. — District 6 Congressional Forum by the Frederick Douglass Foundation of NC at First Community Center, Spencer. $20 admission.

• Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 6:45 p.m. — Candidate Forum including District 6 Congressional Candidates by High Point University College Republicans at High Point University. Free to the public.

• Saturday, Feb. 3 from noon-2 p.m. — Rowan County Republican Party Headquarters grand opening, 706 W. Jake Alexander Blvd., Salisbury. Free to public.

If you have any specific questions, please reach out to us at information@rowanrepublicans.com or by calling 980-643-1009. Thank you for your time and participation in the election process.

Tony Yon is chairman Rowan County Republican Party.