Michael McElroy is Cardinal & Pine’s political correspondent. He is an adjunct instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and a former editor at The New York Times.
Michael McElroy
Latest from Michael McElroy
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Duke Energy’s plan to delay vital carbon emissions goal is accepted
Duke Energy, one of the worst contributors to climate change in the country, successfully convinced the North Carolina Utilities Commission to let it push a key 2030 deadline to at least 2032, but environmental advocates warn that there’s little time left to run out the clock on this urgent issue.
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Griffin’s attempt to invalidate 60,000 votes in NC Supreme Court Race ‘simply cannot be tolerated,’ elections official says
Most of the challenges are of voters whose driver’s license or partial social security number information aren’t included in a state registration database. But there are many reasons that those details could be missing from the database, and the vast majority of voters disenfranchised by such a culling would be lawfully registered voters.
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NC House Republicans override Cooper’s veto of bill that takes power from newly-elected Democrats
The NC Senate passed the override earlier this month and so now the bill will become law. But it is likely to face legal challenges next year.
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Recount confirms Riggs victory in NC Supreme Court Race, as focus shifts to 60,000 challenged ballots
The North Carolina State Board of Elections will hold a hearing on Wednesday to consider challenges to more than 60,000 votes the losing candidate Jefferson Griffin says should not have been counted. Most of those challenges are of voters who are missing some registration information, but there are many valid reasons those details could be…
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Carrboro sues Duke Energy Corporation, accusing it of ignoring the climate crisis
The suit, which Carrboro leaders say is the first case of a small town suing an electric company over climate change, accuses the country’s third-largest contributor to global warming of a decades-long “deception campaign.” The Town of Carrboro sued Duke Energy Corporation this week, accusing it of lying about the threats posed by climate change…
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‘I feel powerless’: The NC Supreme Court race could hinge on whether thousands of likely legal ballots are thrown out
A recount has confirmed Democratic Justice Allison Riggs’ victory over Republican Jefferson Griffin, but Griffin has filed official challenges against 60,000 ballots, including those of Riggs’ parents and a prominent doctor. UPDATE: This post has been changed to add the news that North Carolina Democrats have filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the 60,000 votes…
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VIDEO: Why it matters that the NC Republican supermajority is over
Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy explains why the end of the Republican supermajority in the NC General Assembly isn’t just a big deal for political insiders. It could have a big impact on your life.
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NC Supreme Court update: Riggs declares victory as her opponent challenges 60,000 votes
The margin between Riggs and Griffin is .02 percentage points, well below the threshold for being able to seek a recount. Griffin asked for and was granted the recount this week, a process which should be done by Nov. 27, election officials say. Griffin has also submitted some 300 pages of documents challenging the validity…
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Democrat Allison Riggs moves closer to victory in NC Supreme Court race
A recount has been ordered, but the 625-vote margin is likely too big for Republican Jefferson Griffin to make up. At the official end of the state’s vote-counting process, Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs, a Democrat, leads her Republican opponent Jefferson Griffin by 625 votes, a margin small enough to qualify for a recount but…
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Weeks before they lose their supermajority, NC Republicans vote to take power from Democrats who won in November
The Republican-controlled General Assembly is using a hurricane relief bill as cover to propose several unrelated provisions that take power away from the governor, attorney general, and other offices Democrats won control of in this month’s elections. UPDATE: The NC Senate passed the bill on Wednesday afternoon on party lines, 30 to 19. The legislation…



















