Incumbent GOP governor Pat McCrory conceded to Roy Cooper this week, almost a month after the November 8 election. Cooper's win, made possible by Democrats abroad votes, is an important victory for the Democratic Party
“There is no doubt that overseas votes helped put Cooper over the top,” said Katie Solon, International Chair of Democrats Abroad. “He won by roughly 10,000 votes, fewer than the 11,000 civilian votes we helped send back to North Carolina.”
Democrats Abroad conducted effective outreach to all of its Tar Heel members, informing them of the deadlines and processes necessary to cast their ballots from overseas. Social media advertising delivered our GOTV message to North Carolinians around the world, so that they could make their voice count in what was a close and divisive gubernatorial race.
North Carolina has attracted national attention in recent years for its conservative legislation. This includes its House Bill 2, which limits LGBT rights and denies transgender people access to bathrooms, and a 2013 voter identification law that was struck down this year by a federal appeals court for its “discriminatory intent.”
Cooper’s victory is a positive indication for needed political change in North Carolina. It also demonstrates the importance of the overseas vote in effecting the balance of power.