Jim Ervin

I can't imagine why you'd want to bother the Class of '78 with me if they've been spared that sort of pain for the last decade.
And what's an election? I think I've vaguely heard of such things, but I don't know much about them.

At any rate, I'm still living in Morganton with my wife, Mary, and my youngest son, Michael, who is a high school senior this year. My older son, Jamie, is a junior at UNC-Asheville. After practicing law for a bit over 18 years, I was appointed to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by Governor Hunt in 1999 and reappointed to a second term by Governor Easley last year.

I've really enjoyed being on the Utilities Commission, since service on that body gave me a chance to work on many important issues of regulatory policy such as the proper way to implement telephone competition, the proper structure of
wholesale electric markets, and the best way to provide for adequate supplies of electric power in a world in a carbon-constrained world. During the time I was on the Utilities Commission, I had the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the Electricity Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and as a member of the NARUC Task Force on Climate Policy.

In spite of my deep interest in regulatory matters, I've long wanted to be an appellate judge. I did a lot of appellate work during the time that I was in private law practice, and thought that serving in the appellate judiciary would
give me a further opportunity to engage in public service. Appellate judges are elected officials in North Carolina, so the only way to get to be an appellate judge without being appointed to fill a vacancy by the Governor is to run for
the position in a statewide election. I filed for a seat on the Court of Appeals in late February, 2008, and spent most of the last year running in a multi-candidate nonpartisan race.

Although campaigning while trying to hold down a full time job is a pretty strenous undertaking and although I always felt a bit uncomfortable telling people that didn't know me how wonderful I am, the political process does give one a chance to become acquainted with what a large and diverse state North Carolina is. I made appearances at events as far west as Bryson City (which is at least an hour west of Asheville) and as far east as Elizabeth City (which is pretty close to Norfolk, Virginia). I still have mental pictures of things like the mist rising off the river at Roanoke Rapids early in the morning and the sun shining on the Plott Balsam mountains in October. I also met a lot of really interesting people and made a lot of new friends throughout the state. I particularly appreciate all the help I received from Davidsonians all over North Carolina and am more grateful than ever to be a Davidson alumnus.

I somehow managed to finish first in a four-candidate primary and to win the general election, so I'm in the process of taking office at the court. I really look forward to this new opportunity to serve the citizens of North Carolina and am grateful to the voters for giving an opportunity to realize one of my life's ambitions. If you're ever in Raleigh, look me up at the Court.



Jim