Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #10

Two days after the voting ended -- thank you is my first business on this last update of my first campaign.  You will see these updates resume when I begin my next campaign.

Thanks.  This is the first time in my life that I, Shawn Eckles, have to come up with ways to thank 22,151 Iredell County voters for supporting me in the voting booths in 2012.  I am so glad I was able to meet probably most of you in these last few weeks and months.  But your vote is one of your most precious possessions, and you saw fit to choose me.  Thank you over and over.

Why did I lose my bid to be on the District Board of Supervisors for Iredell County Soil and Water?

I told my team, the day the early voting began:  "Our only enemy and danger is the so called "conservative" list -- that skinny white sheet of paper all of you saw all over county, paid for and made by the Iredell County Republican Party.

"Whoa," we thought, "Hold it right there -- why is Shawn's rival's name on that list?  If public records show him a registered Democrat, why has the other party locked him in on their all important list telling who to vote for?"  Well, I refuse to say, much less think, that either my opponent or that dominant political party had something against me personally.  However, I do know that nobody from either camp came to ask me whether I am conservative or whether I am more conservative than that Democrat the Republicans decided to help against me.  And I, also, know that I lost my race by a similar margin as some of those Democrats who did not have their names on THE LIST.

THE LIST, in fact, was my opponent's total campaign.  He didn't come out to shake your hand or talk with you.  Before this year he had already "won your vote" in two or three previous elections -- when he did not even have an opponent or any other reason to come out and educate the voters about himself or anything he's done in all these years as an elected Supervisor.

That sort of trick move (THE LIST) against me is not the only lesson my first race taught me.  Mostly I am very happy with politicking in general, and especially the real value of meeting folks by the hundreds and talking with them, learning from them, synthesizing our different views.

So you do not have to worry about me quitting the field.  Shawn Eckles will have his name on your ballot in 2014, for sure.  I cannot say and will not guess which public service office I will fight for in two years, but I will choose carefully and fight hard to be your representative at some level of government.

Back to the "conservative" topic associated with THE LIST that defeated me.  Tell me this:  Is the true conservative the man who opposes or permits fracking in North Carolina?  I say that Shawn Eckles was, is and will be your conservative on matters of North Carolina soil and water, starting with the stands I have taken this year on fracking and defending and improving the environmental quality of our Lake Norman blessings, and every other acre of my home county and state.

As you know, I do not affiliate with either traditional political party, but I will share with you my concern about the North Carolina return to the 1800s by having Republicans control all three -- the N.C. Senate, N.C. House and our governor's mansion -- does this make anybody comfortable who looks our fields, hills, forests, beaches and mountains as blessings meant for something better than a quick natural gas or oil profit?

For now, my friends, I want you to stick with me and join my team as soon as we've chosen our next objective in the political arena.  For the next two years, I will be organizing and uplifting our team.  In January you will start to hear from me at ShawnEckles.com.  Right now, you can Google me in several directions, active or historical.  Along the lines of the Iredell County Talent Shows that I produced in May in Statesville and in November in Mooresville, you can count on me to bring people together at fun events in 2013 and 2014.

Once again, know my gratitude in my heart and my mind for your vote for Shawn Eckles this week.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #9

"Two days to go before the election," Shawn Eckles said, "and I'm confident I'm getting votes all over the county."

During the last 48 hours I have continued to be on site every minute the Iredell early voting polls have been open.  Friday I went by all four early vote locations, Statesville, Troutman and the two in Mooresville.  Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of voters who were standing outside in the good weather at 1:00 when the polls were to close.  Since the rules allow all to finish who are in line at that time, there were so many that I talked to voters another hour until they had all gone in the booth.

Saturday night, I produced and directed the Iredell County Talent Show.  The winner is Ms. Kierra Brown of Statesville, who sang a capella.  Second place, voted by audience approval, went to a 12-year-old girl who played keyboard all by herself and sang.  Third was awarded to a rock and roll band named Chosen Rejects, a group of three high school students.

Some of you will remember, my campaign sponsored a first Iredell County Talent Show in May at West Iredell High school;  the winner in May was a pair of brothers calling themselves DyNasty.

At last night's event in the auditorium at Mooresville Senior High School, we all had a good time, and I was able to talk with more voters.

Monday I will be contacting friends and campaign supporters so that we can have our presence at the polls on Election Day 2012.  My next update here in  this space will be Wednesday, hopefully all about my victory to become and Iredell Supervisor of the Soil and Water District.

 

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #8

Every day except Sunday I have greeted and answered question with the voters in Statesville, Mooresville and Troutman polling spots.  I have also had a few members of my team handing out the flyers and talking to voters.  From the number of people giving me positive responses before they voted and some after they voted, I think I'm getting plenty of votes.

Right now I'm 24 hours from the second campaign Iredell County Talent Show, this time at Mooresville Senior High School.  I'm confident the audience will enjoy themselves and the competitors will have a good time.

More and more people are expressing their approval of my clean environmental goals, as well as my plans to support and modernize the Board of Supervisors education activities for the public and the schools.

A woman told me Wednesday that "A lot of people down at Lake Norman are glad that someone is concerned about the environment."  Many lake residents told me of small and large problems they've seen with the quality of the water and the beach.

Several people have said they are glad that I oppose fracking in North Carolina.  Some of them had seen my protest video on the internet. 

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #7

People by the hundreds are already voting for me since early voting started last Thursday at the Iredell County Board of Elections in Statesville.  Some of them tell me they gave me their votes before they vote, and some of them when they come from voting, because, Iredell residents, I have been there from open to close all four days of Iredell voting so far.

I must report to you only great news about my success with the early voters and will share a few of their comments.  "I like your energy."  "I like the fact that you are young and in politics."  "You are the guy in the fracking protest video."  "You gave me your flyer at a gas station."  "If I had not met you, I probably would not have voted for you." 

Republican and Democrate poll workers have taken a shine to me, and really helped me get votes from both of their parties.  In person politics really works, and I don't mind putting in the hours.  I attended the Democrats' "debate party" last night.  And I marched Sunday with a voter registration drive.   Remember:  I am still a candidate registered as "unaffiliated."  I believe in "tripartisanship."

However, starting tomorrow I can't be in person everywhere Iredell is voting, so I will try to have some of my friends and colleagues speaking with folks at the multiple locations of early voting (Mooresville, Statesville, Troutman).

The previous weekend I spent three days helping my uncle put a new roof on his house.

Before voting began last week, I spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday campaigning in Mooresville and Statesville.  I walked through several apartment complexes, I met people outside Walmart and a few gas stations and a bar.

And, since I last spoke to you, I have done more work on that historical documentary film I am making for the people in Wilkesboro who want to maintain and make public their historic old Lincoln Heights School.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #6

Since the Democratic National Convention I have been very busy. I've campaigned in Mooresville, Statesville and Troutman and, also, worked out of county and outside North Carolina.

I had the great good luck to solve a mystery that dates back to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. For 47 years, nobody has known who the man was who is in the famous photograph holding Ms. Amelia Boynton Robinson, Matriarch of American Voting Rights. Using Facebook, I found him, Joe Jones of Selma, and Saturday afternoon September 22^nd Ms. Amelia and Joe were reunited at foot of the bridge where she was beaten unconscious and he helped her. We held a press conference in the museum by the bridge.

I have also been making several trips to neighboring Wilkes County, working on that documentary about the history of the Lincoln Heights School. In early September I interviewed quite a few surviving students at their annual reunion. I continue to find and incorporate the best photographs and memories of the School. I hope to have their documentary done before the end of the year.

Iredell residents can be proud that one of the most important principals at Lincoln Heights commuted from Statesville to the School.

The last two weeks I have made many appearances in residential and business areas of Mooresville, Statesville and Troutman. I have talked with voters about soil and water issues in Iredell County as well as our need for more connections between the public and officials.

I enjoyed a visit with the seniors' group on Bristol Road, Statesville. I was two nights ago mingling with fans and distributing my flyers at the West Iredell-Satesville football game.

And the organizing of the Iredell County Talent Show for Saturday, November 3, at Mooresville Senior High School is going well. As I work with various Iredell County artists and entertainers, I am making them aware of county soil and water issues with hopes it may influence their works.

Finally, of course I attended my third meeting of the Board of Supervisors that I am campaigning to join with your votes in November. I am glad to report that the officials, elected and otherwise, now all know my name and have shown some interest in my business ideas for improving the Soil and Water District's communications and funding.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #5

Good morning – it's been longer than usual since I updated you on my campaign. Though you know I'm running as an Iredell County “unaffiliated” candidate and for a nonpartisan office, nevertheless I was very busy with the Democratic National Convention, as you will now hear.

But first, I have just attended the September meeting of the Iredell County Soil and Water District Board of Supervisors. And I'm happy to say that the current supervisors and staff now know my name, and though I don't speak during the meetings, I had some good talk with folks before and after this third meeting I've attended.

It seems my education and experience in marketing and publicity will prove valuable to the Soil and Water District's goals and needs.

My busyness with the DNC was on one focus: organizing and doing everything to bring Ms. Amelia Boynton Robinson, Matriarch of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to the event. Four years ago this month I met and began working with her. I helped put together the Amelia Boynton Robinson Foundation and am at work on a major documentary tribute and memorial. Last week I brought her from Alabama; the Democrats had set her to introduce from the podium her fellow Marcher (and victim) of the Selma Marches Congressman John C. Lewis to open the final day of the convention. When Rep. Lewis changed his speaking time to the end of the afternoon, he led the audience in a standing ovation for Ms. Amelia, 101 years old, who had met with admirers and the media all day long.

Finally, I'm now launching promotion for my second Iredell County talent show during my campaign for November. This show will be the Saturday before Election Day at the auditorium at Mooresville Senior High School. This one will be bigger and better than the one in May in Statesville.

Again, I'll try to be back on my weekly schedule in this space. Until then, friends of Iredell County.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #4

Last week I attended Troutman's safety day at City Hall, where I spoke to several Iredell county residents concerning the change of landscape and population in Troutman. Among those in attendance was Troutman Mayor Mr. Elbert Richardson, who was excited about the turnout for the event.

Today I attended the Iredell County Soil & Water Conservation District meeting in the morning – the government panel I want your vote to put me on in November. They discussed issues concerning the Third Creek watershed project and also approved several budget items. Following the meeting concepts concerning landownership, mineral rights, surface pollution and service pollution were discussed with me. Because these concepts are used in reference to fracking, I thought about giving the members at the meeting a document on the social and economic issues with Fracking along with the dangers to the soil and water that Fracking causes. So over the next month I will prepare a document that I will give to the members at the next Iredell County Soil & Water Conservation District meeting.

Board meetings are open to the public and are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 9:00 a.m. at the District Office in the Agricultural Resources Center.

In my research on the Lincoln Heights project, I found that E.V. Dacons, the very last principal at Lincoln Heights in Wilkesboro, also taught at Unity High School in Iredell County, in Statesville.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to help with the campaign to elect Shawn Eckles, please, contact our office at 704 450 0214.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #3

I was so busy in the third week of my campaign that now I am releasing this third journal report on Monday.

I had to prepare and then "perform" for the first time in a live internet broadcast interview on the web "radio station" Groundbreaking Radio.  I spoke at length about fracking and the importance of protecting our drinking water resources.  I encouraged the audience to contact their elected government officials and to be sure to vote.  

And I agreed to work on a song with established area artist Brice Reese because  it will tout and promote political awareness.   That reminds me, I will be releasing a mixtape later during my campaign, and I'll be glad to hear from any artists who are interested in being on the mixtape with us;  please, contact me soon.  We only have 100 days until the election.

Lately I have spent a little time in Wilkes County, where that area's first black school in still standing and worth saving.  I met with the Lincoln Heights School board members, and they have engaged me to make a small documentary film to help them with their historical and preservation ideas.  

 

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012 Report #2

 Report #2



Hello again.  This is Shawn Eckles reporting on my campaign activities since reporting at this site the first time.


The weather cooled off, so I got more done:  research about the issues of the job I'm running for, new documentary film footage during Tuesday's primary election, distribution of some of my campaign literature, a "shocking" early internet response to my candidacy, and more interaction last night at the Inglewood Community Reunion in downtown Troutman.

I am running in the November election for the nonparty position of Supervisor on the Board of Supervisors for the Iredell County Soil and Water Conservation District.  So far, I do have an opponent, and, therefore, I ask for your vote.


"Shocking" is the word I put in quote marks because I have known for the ten years I have been planning this campaign that some folks around the County would remember my having trouble during my senior year at South.  Here is what the unsigned comment on YouTube said:  "Wow!  A convicted felon is running for public office."  Well, folks, you certainly will hear from the truth about that comment.  I was actually a victim who was charged with those crimes, as I will try to explain briefly.  I myself committed no crimes on that night in 1998.  

I was driving my own car, and the other guy in the front seat started shooting the bb gun out of my window;  bb's flew across my face.  I asked him to stop shooting but he continued.  I decided to drive him to his home.  Before getting there we were pulled over;  at the police station they confirmed that I had just gotten off from work and that the shooter and another guy in my back seat when we were pulled, those two had been shooting from my car at various locations in Troutman and Statesville .  I knew nothing about the earlier, shootings until the muzzle and the fired bb's came in front of my face while I was driving.  The police said they were charging me with some of the crimes because I did not put them out of my car instantly when they started shooting again.  

And why could no lawyer free me from these charges?  The court appointed lawyer  told me and my family that we should enter a plea agreement instead of fighting to prove me innocent:  at 17 years old, would any of you take the risk of 191 years or deal for zero years in jail?  How unfair the whole thing now looks to me -- I just turned 31 --  begins with how the law folks gave the two shooters the same plea as me, and those two guys both had criminal records before and after that night.  Shawn Eckles has never had a criminal record except from that night, when I committed no crimes.


Thanks for reading all that;  the other events of this past week I can describe more quickly.



I researched the current programs of the Iredell County Soil & Water Conservation District that were mentioned at the last meeting, which I attended.  The District documents speak of two currently important programs, CCAP and the Third Creek Watershed.  

On primary election Tuesday I recorded footage of Iredell residents' questions and concerns and opinions in Troutman, especially about fracking and clean water.  The same day I visited polling spots in Statesville, talked with other candidates and advocates as well as citizens.  By luck, I saw and videotaped several scenes of construction, especially some water drains that have signs on them: "Drain leads to river."


Tuesday and Thursday I also handed out to citizens some of my campaign information literature.

Finally, last night, I attended the Inglewood Reunion and spoke informally with several Iredell voters about clean water and the dangers of fracking in North Carolina.   

I will mention one other job I did this past week, though I'm not sure it will impact my campaign.  I had the pleasure of visiting the Lincoln Heights School and the public library in Wilkesboro.  Wilkes County people are wanting to make that school a historical landmark of use to local residents, and I was being consulted about producing a documentary film to assist their efforts.

Journal of Shawn Eckles' Campaign 2012

#1 Report, July 13, 2012

Hello. I am Shawn Eckles of Troutman and Iredell County, N.C. Last Saturday I made public my first campaign in politics: I am running to be elected Iredell Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.

Before I tell you what I have done this first week, and what I'm doing now, and what's next, here is how I have come to begin a career in public service. Two good things happened to me at South Iredell High School. First, I became very successful in the Future Business Leaders of America; as a sophomore I experienced our club taking no honors at the annual State Convention; then, as president, I lead us to Gold Seal Chapter recognition the next two years. Second, thanks to South Teacher Paula Cress and another teacher, I visited the N.C. Legislature, a prison, and other government institutions in Raleigh as a participant in Project Closeup. From that day, my business interests yielded to my personal interest in politics.

But I did not have the certainty that I belonged in politics, that I could serve my fellow citizens well and win, until the summer of 2002. I graduated South in 1999 and had begun Morehouse College in Atlanta when I came home for the summer and saw placards promoting Marvin Norman, candidate for Iredell County Commissioner. I had spent a day with him when he worked at Energy United, pursuing my business education. So, I asked to work on his campaign. Though I didn't do anything more important that distribute information, I saw and learned enough to think that some day I could win an election. Two years later, I worked as a leader – performing and directing many campaign activities – for a contest in Atlanta for City Council. Ever since then, I, Shawn Eckles, have been making plans and gaining skills to enter politics in Iredell County while completing my college degree in Political Science and earning two Masters degrees.

So that's why I am running today. I believe good government is crucial to living good lives in Iredell, the nation and the world. I like to see common sense and honesty helping from the foundation – health and education (life and liberty) – to the top penthouse.

What can be more basic to the basics than our Iredell soil and water resources? I am glad to be seeking a nonpartisan elected position because the Iredell quality of life is too important for party politics.

Here's how the campaign started last Saturday (July 7): I did two things. I kicked off my campaign by starting at the Depot downtown Troutman a documentary film that I will produce this Summer full of the opinions of Iredell residents, to be shown in the Fall. Second, I had become so angry at the dirty political trick in Raleigh on Tuesday of that week (7/3) that legalized fracking in North Carolina, that I wore a big red sign on my chest “Do Not Frack Iredell” all over downtown, helping a number of townspeople to understand the dangers of fracking to Iredell and Carolina Soil and Water.

My next steps – of course, I'm putting together a campaign staff and starting to seek financial support for my bringing myself and my ideas to the voters. Please, send me your opinions, worries and suggestions; I will read them. And look for Report #2 here in a week.