Editing Scotland County, North Carolina (section)

==Law and government==
===Government===
Scotland County is governed by a county commission. The commission is funded by a two percent share of local [[sales tax]] revenue and the local property tax.<ref name= elder/> The county charges the highest property tax rate in the state, 0.99 percent.<ref>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Scotland County lowers property tax rate, but it's still the highest in North Carolina| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = July 7, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/scotland-county-nc-property-tax-rate/| access-date = July 20, 2022}}</ref> A third of the county's land is owned by the [[United States Forestry Service]] and the [[United States Armed Forces]], from whom no tax revenue is collected.<ref name= elder/> The armed forces operate the Luzon Drop Zone military airfield<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ray |first=Tina |title=Luzon Drop Zone undergoes improvements, repairs |url=https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/military/2016/07/07/luzon-drop-zone-undergoes-improvements/64892106007/ |access-date=December 20, 2022|newspaper=The Fayetteville Observer |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Camp Mackall]] in the county (the latter only partially).<ref>{{cite news| last = Barkin| first = Dan| title = Fort Bragg scoops solar power at a Scotland County lake| newspaper = Business North Carolina| date = June 6, 2022| url = https://businessnc.com/fort-bragg-scoops-solar-power-at-a-scotland-county-lake/| access-date = December 21, 2022}}</ref>

Scotland County is a member of the [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Lumber River Council of Governments]], a regional planning board representing five counties.<ref>{{cite news| title = Richardson explains role of LRCOG to Rotary Club| newspaper = [[The Laurinburg Exchange]]| date = January 28, 2020| url = https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/33084/richardson-explains-role-of-lrcog-to-rotary-club| access-date = July 21, 2022}}</ref> It is located entirely in [[North Carolina's 9th congressional district]]<ref name= Nagem1>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Here are races to watch as Scotland County voters go to the polls for May 17 primary| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = April 20, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/scotland-county-primary-election-2022/| access-date = July 21, 2022}}</ref> and is also included in the [[North Carolina Senate]]'s [[North Carolina's 24th Senate district|24th district]] and the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]]' [[North Carolina's 48th House district|48th]] district.<ref>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Here's who is on the ballot in Scotland County for Nov. 8 election| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = October 17, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/scotland-county-nc-election-2022/| access-date = December 19, 2022}}</ref> It is one of the four counties within the jurisdiction of the [[Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina]], and tribal members within the county elect some members of the tribal council.{{sfn|Lowery|2018|p=222}}<ref>{{cite news| title = Lumbee Tribal Council swear in new Scotland rep| newspaper = The Laurinburg Exchange| date = January 13, 2021| url = https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/45258/lumbee-tribal-council-swear-in-new-scotland-rep| access-date = December 18, 2022}}</ref>

Scotland County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 21st Prosecutorial District, the 16A [[North Carolina Superior Court|Superior Court]] District, and the 16A [[North Carolina District Courts|District Court]] District.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/scotland-county| title = Scotland County| publisher = North Carolina Judicial Branch| access-date = December 18, 2022}}</ref> County voters elect a sheriff. The sheriff's office provides law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of the county, maintains the Scotland County Detention Center, and provides security at the Scotland County Courthouse.<ref name= scso>{{cite web| url = https://scotlandcountysheriff.com/about-scso| title = About SCSO| publisher = Scotland County Sheriff's Office| access-date = December 18, 2022}}</ref>

===Politics===
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <strong>Historical presidential election returns</strong>
|-
| {{PresHead|place=Scotland County, North Carolina|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 17, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,767|6,754|105|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,473|7,186|116|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|6,256|7,319|353|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,831|8,215|110|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|6,005|8,151|61|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|5,141|6,386|20|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|3,740|5,627|36|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,858|4,870|571|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,980|5,175|1,205|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,199|3,865|20|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,077|4,028|12|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,133|4,446|203|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,932|4,430|22|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,485|1,938|49|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,717|2,252|2,016|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,229|3,844|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,279|3,643|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,171|3,042|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,590|2,912|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|359|1,957|503|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|303|2,372|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|250|2,981|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|314|3,183|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|208|2,608|6|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|588|1,761|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|205|1,469|11|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|306|1,705|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|137|938|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|9|751|75|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|85|714|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|65|646|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1900|Democratic|44|925|2|North Carolina}}
|}

As of 2024, 45 percent of registered voters in Scotland County are Democrats, 21 percent are registered Republicans and 32 percent are unaffiliated.<ref name= rappaportweaver>{{cite news| last1 = Rappaport| first1 = Ben| last2 = Weaver| first2 = Kerria| title = Rural Black voters, including those in Scotland County, are key for Democrats in NC| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = February 20, 2024| url = https://borderbelt.org/democrats-focus-black-voters-nc-scotland-county/| access-date = March 1, 2024}}</ref> While the county has historically voted for Democratic candidates, in recent years it has become a [[Swing (politics)|swing]] county.<ref name= charlotteobserver/>{{sfn|Cooper|2024|p=35}} Like other areas in the region, the county's voting patterns have trended more favorably to Republicans.<ref name= rappaport1/> Democratic voter registration shares declined from 58 percent of the county's registered voters in 2016 to 48 percent in 2022, while Republican and unaffiliated voter registration rates increased.<ref name= charlotteobserver>{{cite news| title = Anatomy of a swing state: What these 6 counties tell us about the upcoming NC election| newspaper = The Charlotte Observer| date = November 4, 2022| url = https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article267776257.html| access-date = November 4, 2022}}</ref> Democratic presidential candidates [[Barack Obama]] and [[Hillary Clinton]] won the county in 2008, 2012, and 2016. In 2020, both Republican presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]] and Democratic gubernatorial candidate [[Roy Cooper]] secured a majority of its votes.<ref name= rappaport1>{{cite news| last = Rappaport | first = Ben| title = In rural Scotland County, voters say candidates must show up to gain their support| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = April 25, 2024| url = https://borderbelt.org/in-rural-scotland-county-voters-say-candidates-must-show-up-to-gain-their-support/| access-date = May 1, 2024}}</ref> In the 2024 elections, Republican presidential nominee Trump and Democratic gubernatorial nominee [[Josh Stein]] both won the county,<ref>{{cite news| last = Rappaport| first = Ben| title = Rural southeastern NC gets more red, even as Democrats win key state races| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = November 6, 2024| url = https://borderbelt.org/rural-southeastern-nc-picks-republican-candidates/| access-date = November 10, 2024}}</ref> while Republicans won a majority of the seats on the county commission.<ref name= rappaport2/>