Voters will begin casting ballots Thursday throughout North Carolina. At stake: primaries for hundreds of local, state and federal offices – and a make-or-break vote on a proposed marriage amendment to the state constitution. Check out the voter's guide and get a list of early polling places.
--The lascivious details Wednesday in the sexual harassment case involving party leadership magnified the spectacle embarrassing the state Democratic Party in an election year and came just days before President Barack Obama is expected to visit North Carolina. Read story here.
--In what sounded like a preview of his own acceptance speech, Republican Mitt Romney came to Charlotte on Wednesday to make a case against President Barack Obama as a failed leader whose policies have made the economy worse. Read more here.
--The Democratic gubernatorial candidates pledged if elected to veto any bill requiring photo identification to vote. Wednesday evening’s discussion was the third and final televised debate held on three consecutive nights leading up to the May 8 primary election. Read story here and get the pundits take on the debate.
--A state Senate committee approves a measure to legalize tracking ahead of the May legislative session. Read story here.
--The judge overseeing John Edwards' criminal trial on Wednesday recused herself from considering whether to quash a subpoena issued to a former speech writer for the two-time presidential candidate, AP reports.
--The state Industrial Commission will be taking a tough line next month against uninsured employers it has ordered to settle claims with injured workers: Pay up or go to jail. The efforts follow a News & Observer investigation earlier this year.
--Columnist Barry Saunders writes "regardless of which candidate you love or loathe – or even if you don’t want either one – isn’t it a good feeling for North Carolina to be courted by the candidates and have them make promises and googly eyes at us?
