Editing Columbus County, North Carolina (section)

==Government and politics==
=== Government ===
Columbus County is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners.<ref name= nagem1>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Shift to the GOP clouds local races in this rural NC county – especially for sheriff| newspaper = Border Belt Independent | date = November 3, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-nc-shift-to-gop/| access-date = November 7, 2022}}</ref> The county is represented in the North Carolina Senate in [[North Carolina's 8th Senate district|district 8]] and in the North Carolina House of Representatives in [[North Carolina's 46th House district|district 46]].<ref name= nagem2/> The county is a member of the regional [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Cape Fear Council of Governments]], where it participates in area planning on a variety of issues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://capefearcog.org/ |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=Cape Fear Council of Governments |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Judicial system and law enforcement===
Columbus County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 15th Prosecutorial District, the 13A [[North Carolina Superior Court|Superior Court]] District, and the 13th District Court District.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/columbus-county| title = Columbus County| publisher = North Carolina Judicial Branch| access-date = January 12, 2023}}</ref> The Columbus County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for the county as well as operating the Columbus County Detention Center.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CCSO |title=Columbus County Sheriff's Office - Dedicated To Serve |url=https://columbussheriff.com/ |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=Columbus County Sheriff's Office |language=en-US}}</ref> 

There are two state prisons within Columbus County:<ref>{{cite web |title=North Carolina Division of Prisons |url=http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304115828/http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/index.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |access-date=March 15, 2018 |website=doc.state.nc.us}}</ref>

* [[Columbus Correctional Institution]] in [[Brunswick, North Carolina|Brunswick]]

* [[Tabor City Correctional Institution]] in [[Tabor City, North Carolina|Tabor City]]

=== 2022 Columbus County Sheriff controversy ===
In November 2022, Sheriff Jody Greene was re-elected to office after resigning several weeks prior due to allegations of obstructing justice and racism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McAdams |first=Ann |title=Sheriff: "I'm sick of these Black bastards.... Every Black that I know, you need to fire him..." |url=https://www.wect.com/2022/09/28/sheriff-im-sick-these-black-bastards-every-black-that-i-know-you-need-fire-him/ |access-date=November 13, 2022 |website=www.wect.com |date=September 28, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Immediately after his re-election, District Attorney Jon David filed a new petition for Greene's removal from office, including a request to permanently disqualify him from elected office in Columbus County.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Solon |first=Zach |title=District Attorney plans to file new petition to remove Columbus County sheriff-elect |url=https://www.wect.com/2022/11/09/district-attorney-plans-file-new-petition-remove-columbus-county-sheriff-elect/ |access-date=November 13, 2022 |website=www.wect.com |date=November 9, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Greene would later resign from office for the second time in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WECT Staff |title=Columbus County Sheriff resigns for the second time; District Attorney holds news conference on the announcement |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/01/04/columbus-county-sheriff-resign-second-time/ |access-date=January 14, 2023 |website=www.wect.com |date=January 4, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> As of January 2024, a federal investigation into the actions of Sheriff Jody Greene and the Columbus County Sheriff's Office was pending.

=== Politics ===
{| role="presentation"
|
|-
| {{PresHead|place=Columbus County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1=<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 15, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|17,592|8,648|162|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|16,832|9,446|168|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|14,272|9,063|397|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|12,941|11,050|252|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|12,994|11,076|212|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|10,773|10,343|75|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|8,342|9,986|97|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|6,017|9,019|1,244|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|5,462|11,469|1,985|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|6,659|9,172|51|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|9,150|8,728|26|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|5,522|10,212|206|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,184|11,148|69|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|8,468|3,305|214|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|3,881|4,243|6,693|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|4,471|9,004|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,655|10,455|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,300|7,805|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|3,001|6,941|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,105|5,511|753|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,552|5,717|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|934|5,900|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,214|6,359|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|739|5,098|53|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,533|2,854|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,629|2,757|26|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,783|3,111|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,327|2,143|2|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|155|1,668|892|North Carolina}}
|}
After the [[Reconstruction era]], Columbus County's politics fell under the domination of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. Through much of the 20th century, local primaries were the preeminent political contests, marked by intense intraparty competition. General elections often displayed low turnout.<ref name= whiteallen>{{cite news| last1 = White| first1 = Katherine| last2 = Allen| first2 = Ken| title = Politically, Columbus Is A County With A Past| newspaper = The Charlotte Observer| pages = 1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117137459/the-charlotte-observer/ 3A]| date = August 17, 1982| url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117137137/the-charlotte-observer/ }}</ref> Throughout much of the 2000s, the county electorate regularly supported [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] presidential candidates and Democratic local and state candidates. Following the election of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] as U.S. president in 2008, Republicans' performance in local races markedly improved.<ref name= nagem1/> As of 2022, the county hosts about 36,200 registered voters, comprising about 15,344 registered Democrats, 10,100 registered Republicans and 10,700 unaffiliated.<ref name= nagem2>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Columbus County voters will go to the polls in May. Here are some primary races to watch| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = April 20, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-2022-primary-election-candidates/| access-date = July 21, 2022}}</ref> Despite Democrats' registration advantage, only one unopposed Democrat was elected to a county office in the 2022 local general elections.<ref name= schofield/> In 2024, Republican presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]] won the county with 67 percent of its vote.<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>