Earlier this month, longtime politician Sarah Stevens abruptly resigned her seat in the legislature, stating her desire to focus on her campaign to become the next justice on the N.C. Supreme Court.
Stevens’ abrupt departure from the seat her constituents elected her to serve out in its entirety came as she was facing increased scrutiny for her legislative record, history of accepting questionable donations, and lackluster polling against incumbent Justice Anita Earls.
On Stevens’ last day in office, dozens of protestors gathered in front of the legislature with a giant farewell card for her, titled “Good Riddance.”
“We’re celebrating her retirement today because she has spent 18 years in the legislature trying to disenfranchise voters across the state, rollback rights on women, and also make it harder for people to have access to things that they basically need, which is education, food, and housing,” said North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton.
Stevens’ move means she is no longer a sitting legislator – and no longer beholden to ethics rules that forbid her from accepting donations from lobbyists as she campaigns for her next job.
While Stevens may relish her ability to fundraise without pretense, she won’t be able to outrun her record in the legislature, where she repeatedly voted against the health, safety, and well-being of North Carolinians.
As a legislator, here are ten ways Sarah Stevens voted to make life worse for North Carolinians:
- Stevens voted against Medicaid Expansion, which prevented half a million working North Carolinians from getting healthcare.
- Stevens blocked bipartisan reforms proposed after the murder of an 8-year-old girl.
- Stevens voted to ban abortion after 12 weeks and to create increased barriers for reproductive healthcare.
- Stevens voted to siphon tax dollars away from public schools that serve everyone to unaccountable, wealthy private schools.
- Stevens voted to strip health insurance from retired state employees.
- Stevens voted for racially gerrymandered maps that the U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled as unconstitutional.
- Stevens voted to rewrite the rules so her political party could control the State Board of Elections.
- Stevens voted to make it easier to bring concealed guns into our schools and our churches.
- Stevens voted to make it easier for corporations to pollute our water.
- Stevens voted to make Supreme Court elections partisan, damaging our judiciary’s ability to be fair and impartial.
On the very day she resigned from the legislature, Stevens had one final act of injustice for North Carolinians – her sprawling voter suppression bill, HB 958, was heard in committee.
Stevens leaves her role with a voter suppression gift to voters, and before the Republican-led legislature passes a comprehensive state budget. Once again, Stevens proves that she is not fit for her role and not fit to sit on our state’s highest bench.
