Editorial: Lack of competitive districts hurts representative, responsive legislature

A critical element of a representative democracy is that elected representatives are accountable to their constituents at the ballot box. Voters who like what their legislators do can go to the polls in November and express their approval. Likewise, voters who are unhappy can express themselves by voting for someone else.

That's the theory anyway. But that isn't how it works in North Carolina.

In the state Senate, the primary backer of the bill was Republican Buck Newton from Wilson County who isn't seeking re-election to his seat, but is running statewide for attorney general. The Senate's GOP leadership gave Newton a highly visible role -- providing some major exposure and material for fall campaign propaganda.

When 81 percent of voting legislators can favor a bill that, according to recent statewide survey North Carolinians are evenly divided on, is not a reflection of the representative government that builds trust or comes close to expressing the will of the people.

Here is a list of the unopposed and retiring legislators, who voted for HB2: