N&R is as surprised and shocked as Mayor Nancy Vaughan over the less 4 percent turnout for Greensboro’s City Council primary.

The local paper of records grasps at a few straws, including—you guessed it—- HB 263—-noting that Vaughan and District 3 incumbent Justin Outling —also a big winner— support the city’s legal challenge to the bill.

Maybe— again, turnout for the November general election should be higher, but probably 10-12 percent at most. The larger philosophical and political debate over how much the General Assembly micromanages local governments is one thing, but my hunch is the vast majority of Gboro residents could care less whether or not their City Council is a 5-3-1 system or eight districts and a mayor.