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ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – The NAACP Onslow County Branch is speaking out after a proposed bill that would change how Jacksonville elects its city council was put on hold today.
A state House committee decided not to move forward with House Bill 1038, which would have Jacksonville voters elect all six city council members instead of choosing representatives from specific districts.
Lawmakers said they paused the bill due to concerns raised by committee members to take a closer look at how it could affect representation in Jacksonville.
The NAACP says Councilmembers Jerome Willingham, Angelia Washington, and Mickey Smith oppose the bill, saying it could reduce minority representation and reverse progress made in the city’s diverse wards.
“While we see this as a positive sign that our concerns are being heard, we must remain focused,” said M. Kenyatta Euring Sr., branch president of the NAACP Onslow County Branch. “In legislative terms, ‘displaced’ means the bill is sidelined, not dead. It can be brought back to the floor at any time. Our branch remains committed to protecting the voting rights and representative voice of every citizen in Onslow County.”
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