The Democratic Party in the 11th Congressional District announced that all four women on the Council of State, joined by the party’s candidate for lieutenant governor, will come to western North Carolina for two rallies Saturday, Aug. 11.

The five, who are Democratic nominees on the November ballot, are incumbents Elaine Marshall, secretary of state; Beth Wood, state auditor; Janet Cowell, state treasurer; June Atkinson, state superintendent of public schools, and Linda Coleman, candidate for lieutenant governor

The first stop will be at 10:30 a.m. at the courthouse in Marion. The candidates will then travel to Sylva for rally activities at 3:30 p.m. at the historic Jackson County Courthouse.

After serving in the state Senate, Marshall in 1996 became the first woman elected to a statewide ...