RALEIGH
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling yesterday giving businesses and unions more ability to influence federal elections also stands to increase their sway in North Carolina for state and legislative elections.
North Carolina has a law similar to a federal one that had barred corporations and unions from using money from their general treasuries to produce and run campaign ads to endorse or oppose a candidate.
The state law, which also applies to insurance companies, now appears unenforceable, given that a majority of the justices struck down the federal law on grounds of protecting political speech, said Gary Bartlett, the executive director of the State Board of Elections.
"It will take several readings and meetings with different people to try to understand the full meaning of the decision," Bartlett said, but "it will certainly change the landscape in terms of who gives and the impact."
Now unions and corporations will have fewer restrictions on spending for politics and more choices than employee-funded political-action committees or alternative organizations to make political statements.
Dana Cope, the executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, said he welcomed the change and expected to spend more in primary elections for legislative races. The association now will have more options.
"It's going to allow us to be free to spend more resources," Cope said.
Bartlett said he expected more businesses and unions to make "independent expenditures" by spending money to run commercials that directly support or oppose a candidate.
State laws remain intact that ban corporations and unions from giving directly to candidates and require disclosure of who is paying for independent expenditures and how the money is spent.
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