Phil Rubin
@philrubinnc.bsky.social
98 followers 73 following 54 posts
Attorney, husband, and father to two amazing girls. Proud to represent District 40 in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Website: www.philrubin.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phil_rubin
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philrubinnc.bsky.social
Republicans are gerrymandering congressional districts again b/c they're TERRIFIED of accountability for their ruinous policies. Whether it's b/c they made NC last in US for healthcare costs or doubling peoples' insurance premiums, the last thing Republicans want is for voters to get a say. #ncpol
philrubinnc.bsky.social
I'm really enjoying it, @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social! You do such a great job of making the data and statistics really accessible. Thanks for it!
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Thanks for a wonderful discussion! Really enjoyed it.
philrubinnc.bsky.social
We’re not back in session until Aug. 26, and the bill sponsors say they’re open to more feedback. We'll have those conversations, and I'm grateful to all who came to the Judiciary 1 committee last week to advocate, and for everyone who reached out to legislators expressing concerns. More soon! [5/6]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Also, in the new HB 958, they're pushing a new requirement that voters give their full Social Security number to register to vote, despite federal law saying you can’t make someone provide do that to vote. And the bill still bans ranked choice voting without a chance for the public to decide. [4/6]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
The bad news: Republicans slipped parts of this bill into the mini-budget that passed last week, including *seven new exempt positions for partisan hires.* [3/6]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
They’ve also lengthened the time you can use an expired driver's license to vote, and they're relaxing the insane ballot-counting deadlines they imposed in December.

But there’s still plenty to be concerned about. [2/6]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Quick update on HB 958, the bad elections bill we’ve been watching closely here in NC.

Thanks to public advocacy, we’ve seen improvements. The provision banning election officials from encouraging voting is gone. The number of political hires at the State Board is cut from 25 to 5. [1/6]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
3. Spread the word! This bill is bad for all North Carolinians of any political view. Let's build a coalition around free and fair elections in NC.

See my previous posts for more info!
philrubinnc.bsky.social
2. Come to the committee meeting if you can. The time isn't specific: it'll be 15 minutes after the full House voting session ends. I expect the full House to begin meeting at 1pm, but not confirmed. And I can't predict when that session will end. Could be short, could run to the late afternoon.
philrubinnc.bsky.social
How can you help?

1. Reach out to members on Judiciary 1 and let them know how you feel about the bill. www.ncleg.gov/Committees/C...
Judiciary 1 House Standing Committee - North Carolina General Assembly
www.ncleg.gov
philrubinnc.bsky.social
HB 958 is a dangerous step backward for NC elections. It bans election officials from encouraging people to vote (really!), and it turns experienced, nonpartisan election staff into partisan political appointees who don’t have to be qualified.

It’s outrageous and not how we should run elections.
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Important update on free and fair elections in NC! HB 958 will be heard in the House Judiciary 1 committee on Wednesday, July 31.
philrubinnc.bsky.social
📍 What’s next?
The bill is now in the House Judiciary 1 Committee and may be heard when we return to Raleigh July 29–31. That gives us another shot to push back and demand better.

📬 Contact the Judiciary 1 members here:
🔗 www.ncleg.gov/Committees/C...

Stay tuned—more updates coming soon! [4/4]
Judiciary 1 House Standing Committee - North Carolina General Assembly
www.ncleg.gov
philrubinnc.bsky.social
🎥 Thanks to Maggie Segal, I’m also sharing a video of my amendment fight. It's too long for Bluesky to post, but you can find it here: www.instagram.com/p/DL28LyUBdgU/
[3/4]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Thanks to everyone who came to the June 26 committee hearing. The process was disgraceful: no public comment allowed, and Republicans blocked my amendment to strip the partisan appointments from the bill.

Here's some information on the bill and why it's so bad and unnecessary. [2/4]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
🚨 UPDATE: House Bill 958 – Politicizing Our Elections Board

HB 958 would let partisan political appointees—handpicked by Republicans—replace one-third of the nonpartisan, career staff on the NC State Board of Elections. This is a direct threat to free and fair elections in North Carolina. [1/4]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Accountability is the hallmark of democracy. Elected officials worry they will be voted out of office if they pass bad laws, act dishonorably, or disregard their constituents. When so many no longer have to worry about being held accountable, democracy breaks down and you get today's tragedy. [5/5]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Nationwide, Republicans gain a net of about 16 seats due to gerrymandering, and over 80% of House seats are considered "safe," meaning we confidently know which party will win even 16 months before election day. [4/5]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
It's worth recognizing that this kind of awful, unpopular legislation would never become law without the corruption that is partisan gerrymandering. North Carolina's gerrymandering is literally responsible for the margin of control in the U.S. House (3 seats). [3/5]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
They'll explode the national debt (which they claim they care about), and all of this is just to help billionaires have even more money. This will be painfully felt in our rural communities in North Carolina, and it will literally cost lives. [2/5]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
There's no democracy without accountability. Congressional Republicans just passed a massive and deeply unpopular bill that will gut Medicaid and throw 17 million people off their health insurance. [1/5]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
The sad irony is their strategy of tax cuts for the wealthy actually costs most people money--that's what happens when we're 50th in the country in healthcare affordability and $15 billion behind on roads. You're paying these costs, and you deserve an NCGA that invests in the future of NC. [3/3]
philrubinnc.bsky.social
Here in NC, our gerrymandered GOP majority has left us on the path to a *$3.5 billion deficit* in the next few years--even after they've ALREADY underinvested in the state for a decade and let everything from roads to schools to state services decay. [2/3]