About one in five name change requests in Alexander County come from inmates.

Longtime Superior Court Clerk Seth Chapman told Dome that he gets between 10 and 20 requests from inmates of the Alexander Correctional Institute out of about 50 a year.

The reasons given vary: Some say they never used their birth name, others cite religious reasons.

Chapman said that he already turns down a substantial number of the requests based on the state law that requires petitioners be "of good character." Often, other inmates are given as character references.

"The simple fact that you're in prison speaks to me about your character," he said.

He said he considers felony convictions for murder, rape and robbery more serious when considering name changes than driving while intoxicated.

Chapman supports a bill from Rep. Ray Warren that would shift the burden of proof to the prisoner away from the clerk.

A bill would make it harder for prisoners to change their names.

Rep. Ray Warren, an Alexander County Democrat, said he filed the bill after hearing from several Superior Court clerks about problems with inmates changing their names.

"It creates a problem with tracking, with paperwork and with record-keeping," he said. "This bill is meant to curtail that somewhat."

The bill would not ban name changes outright, but it would "reverse the burden of proof" from the clerk to the prisoner, Warren said. Prisoners who wanted to change their name for religious reasons, for example, could still do so if they showed a good reason.

He said the problem is particularly pronounced in counties with large prisons. 

Three of Warren's co-sponsors, Reps. Pat Hurley, Shirley Randleman and Timothy Spear, are former Superior Court clerks. 

Under state law, sex offenders are already barred from changing their names. 

Recent House bills of note:

H.B. 661: City Managers on School Boards, Rep. Ray Warren

H.B. 677: Require a "First in Flight" Background, Reps. Lucy Allen, Lorene Coates, Nelson Cole and Becky Carney

H.B. 691: State Contracts/Slavery Profits, Reps. Larry Womble, Earl Jones, Annie Mobley and Earline Parmon

H.B. 708: Furlough of State Employees, Reps. Ray Rapp, Rick Glazier and Margaret Dickson

H.B. 711: Sales Tax Fairness Act, Reps. Winkie Wilkins and Dale Folwell

H.B. 724: Open Records Attorneys' Fees, Reps. George Cleveland and Curtis Blackwood

Ray Warren was a young Republican lawyer from Matthews who was swept into a seat in the state House as part of the Reagan landslide of 1984.

Warren eventually became House minority leader and, in 1996, outpolled all North Carolina Republicans in his losing bid for a seat on the state Supreme Court. He came out of the closet in 1998 and left the Republican Party a year later, reports Jim Morrill.

Now, in the latest chapter of a long odyssey, he's a tax assessor's attorney in suburban Washington. Here are his observations about the election:

Election night in Washington was surreal. My partner and I watched the returns at Nellie's, a nominally gay sports bar packed with a racially diverse gay and straight crowd. Each time a state fell into the blue column the bar - and bars up and down the U Street corridor - erupted in cheers.

There were hundreds in the bar -- men and women of all races. When CNN announced that Obama was elected at 11:00 pandemonium broke out. We jumped shouted and hugged perfect strangers. It was like the end of World War II or some other great unifying event.

A bit later, when Obama gave his speech in Chicago I, like many others, was in tears. All the years of Jesse Helms, hate and division had been defeated. Not only the nation, but my home state and native state (Virginia and North Carolina) had been part of the redemption.

It was an unexpected and powerful emotional moment that overwhelmed me. Seeing my tears, a young black woman silently reached over and took my arm as if to say "it will be OK". I was struck by the immense irony of that act of simple kindness. On the most important night of the nation's history to African Americans, a young black woman was comforting me, an old white southern man, overcome with the emotion of the moment.

As we left to catch a cab back to Virginia, the street was alive with impromptu celebrations. Horns honked, people danced in the street and there were shouts of joy. A friend texted me to say that he and hundreds were gathered in front of the White House shouting 'yes we can'. And for once, it was true. We can.

Which House Democrats are in Republican-leaning districts?

According to the N.C. Partisan Index, 10 Democratic representatives are in districts that lean Republican.

The index was created by the conservative Civitas Institute, using results from the 2004 elections. Ratings were based on how the district voted in Council of State races when compared to state as a whole.

Five of the blue fish in red ponds are on House Republican's wish list.

Below, the representatives and their district ratings, from most Republican to least. 

Rep. Ray Warren (R+11), Rep. Alice Graham Underhill (R+6), Rep. Bob England (R+6), Rep. Walter Church Sr. (R+4), Rep. Jim Harrell III (R+4), Rep. Cullie Tarleton (R+3), Rep. Ty Harrell (R+2), Rep. Arthur Williams (R+1), Rep. R. Van Braxton (R+1) House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman (R+1).

In addition, one Republican is in a Democratic-leaning district. Rep. Bill Daughtridge, who is running for state treasurer, is from a D+3 district.

His seat is on the Democrat's wish list. 

Earlier: Blue fish, red pond, Senate edition 

Republicans have five seats in their sights so far.

Based on filings with the State Board of Elections, Michael Luthy of the N.C. Republican House Majority Fund singled out five districts where he thinks the GOP has a good chance:

3rd: Norman Sanderson of Arapahoe and Craven County Commissioner Renee Sisk face off in the Republican primary to run against Democratic Rep. Alice Graham Underhill.

41st: Apex Councilman Bryan Gossage, owner of Peak Media Group, squares off against first-term Democratic Rep. Ty Harrell.

86th: Valdese attorney Hugh Blackwell faces Democratic Rep. Walt Church Sr. in a rematch of the 2006 race.

88th: Former state Rep. Mark Hollo of Taylorsville faces Democratic Rep. Ray Warren in a rematch of the 2006 race.

90th: Mount Airy attorney Sarah Stevens squares off against Rep. Jim Harrell III.

Luthy said that he was excited about several other races, but did not want to talk about them until the candidates have filed.

Jim Neal is not the first openly gay man to seek the U.S. Senate from North Carolina.

In 2001, former Superior Court Judge Ray Warren ran for the Democratic nomination for the open seat now held by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

He later dropped out and ran for the nomination for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes.

Warren, a former intern for U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms and two-term state legislator, was once a rising star in the Republican Party. In 1998, he announced he was gay, and shortly afterward he switched to the Democratic Party.

Warren now lives in Virginia, where he advocates for the reform of marijuana laws and against a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

If he won the nomination and the race, Neal would be the first openly gay U.S. senator, however.