A sample ballot circulating at early vote sites identifies which candidates are military veterans (or first responders, in one case) but only endorses them if they are Republicans.
A yellow “Conservative & Veterans Sample Ballot” which identifies as being paid for by the “Lee County Conservative Ballot PAC” endorses multiple non-veteran Republican candidates for office over Democrats or Libertarians who did serve.
Democrat Pete Glidewell, for example, who is seeking a seat in Congress currently held by Mark Walker, is identified as a combat veteran on the ballot. Walker, a non-veteran, still earned the committee’s endorsement.
Likewise, current School Board Chairman Lynn Smith, a Democrat, is identified as a veteran on the ballot, although voters are urged to instead support two Republican veterans and two Republican non-veterans (voters can choose up to four candidates in that race). Also, veteran Lon Cecil, running for governor on the Libertarian ticket, failed to earn the committee’s nod, which – in a shocking turn of events – went to Republican Pat McCrory.
It was unknown what logic the forces behind the ballot were following when they decided it was important to have a veterans ballot that favors non-veteran candidates over veteran candidates if partisan affiliation deems it necessary. Only 15 more days until election season is over!