WS Chronicle

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The North Carolina NAACP has now received reports from N.C. NAACP membership in at least five counties that, in some instances, electronic voting machines may be malfunctioning and improperly identifying a voters’ selected choice as a choice for a different candidate.

Voters report that they have experienced this problem voting on ballot items that include, but are not limited to, the Presidential ballot.

In all instances of which we are currently aware, voters were able to fix the problem by reviewing their choices and fixing the error before submitting their electronic ballots.

“Throughout the early voting period and on Election Day itself, on behalf of our membership, the N.C. NAACP and our partners will be investigating all complaints received by our members, and by voters our members are assisting across the state,” said the Rev. Dr. William Barber II, president. “We are gravely serious at this time about protecting the voting rights of North Carolinians. No voter should feel intimidated in this election or concerned that your vote will not count. Your voice is urgently needed and, in this year, in the wake of our historic voting rights victory in NC NAACP v. McCrory, we will not allow any rumors, confusion, or misguided forces of voter suppression to turn us around.”

Today, in an abundance of caution, the N.C. NAACP is asking any voter who experiences a problem with a voting machine, or other problems that leave you worried about whether your vote has been correctly counted to immediately call the national voter protection hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE . You can also text your information directly to the NC NAACP at 1-919-308-9085.

The African American Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party (AAC-NCDP) also is warning about the voting machines.

The group says early voting is only two days (2) old, but it has come to the attention of the AAC-NCDP that some computer voting machines in North Carolina are malfunction-ing and are automatically checking Donald Trump although voters are checking Hillary Clinton.

Check your machines: Be especially careful if the name is Ivotronic.

(The Chronicle has found out that Forsyth County does have Ivotronics machines, and they’re being used in early voting, but as of press time, there are no reports of the machines malfunctioning.)

All voters should DOUBLE CHECK the list of candidates chosen on the voter receipt before pressing to cast their final vote.

If a candidate other than the one you voted for is checked, you must IMMEDIATELY take the pen that is attached to the machine and uncheck Donald Trump and redo your vote for Hillary Clinton.

Inform the assistants at the polling place of the malfunction of your machine. After you finish correcting and casting your vote, report the problem to the State Board of Elections. Also, contact the AAC-NCDP with your voter concerns. Please also contact the Trouble Voting hotline at the phone number above or 1-888-our-vote to report it.