North Carolina

Election Observers Caused Few Disturbances in North Carolina – Chapelboro.com

Published

2 years ago

November 13, 2022

Election Observers Caused Few Disturbances in North Carolina – Chapelboro.com

Written by HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

After widespread worries of unruly election observers led a number of North Carolina counties to ramp up safety on the polls, the State Board of Elections obtained eight stories involving party-appointed observers – one on Election Day and 7 throughout early voting.

Total, the state board obtained stories of 21 conduct violations, involving each observers and campaigners, in the course of the 2022 common election — 16 in the course of the early voting interval from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5, and 5 on Election Day.

The stories included 12 cases of alleged voter intimidation, one occasion of potential voter interference and eight cases of alleged election official intimidation, as categorized by the board. There could also be further incidents that haven’t but been reported, mentioned board spokesperson Patrick Gannon.

Campaigners, additionally referred to within the stories as electioneers, had been the commonest perpetrators of misconduct on Election Day, based on knowledge obtained by The Related Press.

“One incident of voter or election official intimidation is just too many, and we’ll proceed to do every part we are able to to guard voters and election officers,” Gannon advised the AP, noting that the overwhelming majority of voters solid their ballots with out problem.

Karen Brinson Bell, govt director of the state board, advised reporters Monday that every one incidents can be reviewed by the board’s investigations division, which is able to decide whether or not the complaints needs to be elevated to legislation enforcement, a neighborhood district legal professional or the U.S. Division of Justice.

Election Day incidents concerned an observer in Halifax County who allegedly photographed curbside voters, and an election employee in Wake County who reported being adopted by automobile from a voting web site. A campaigner in Rutherford County allegedly advised a voter to not enter a polling web site with out a photograph ID — which isn’t required to vote in North Carolina — and falsely claimed legislation enforcement was “arresting individuals on web site.”

In Rowan County, a campaigner allegedly refused to maintain correct distance from curbside voters, known as the chief choose a derogatory time period and grabbed and threw the choose’s cellphone. The identical particular person reportedly took photographs of one other election official’s automobile, then “taunted and threatened her.”

And in Granville County, a campaigner was cited for “aggressively pushing candidates to curbside voters,” leaning into their automobiles and ignoring voters’ requests to be left alone.

Whereas observers weren’t concerned in most Election Day incidents, some had been reported throughout early voting for yelling at voters, refusing to maneuver out of restricted areas, photographing curbside voters and standing too near individuals whereas they stuffed out ballots.

In Columbus County, a male observer allegedly adopted a feminine ballot employee residence from an early voting web site. The case has been referred to native legislation enforcement.

Former President Donald Trump’s debunked declare that the 2020 presidential election outcomes had been fraudulent motivated hundreds of his supporters to register as observers and scrutinize elections operations nationwide, intensifying considerations that observers would possibly trigger disruptions this yr.

The state board’s Democratic majority voted in August to tighten the principles governing ballot observers in response to greater than a dozen reported conduct violations in the course of the Might main. However the state’s guidelines evaluation panel, appointed by the Republican-controlled Basic Meeting, blocked the brand new rules later that month, leaving election officers with out further instruments to handle conduct in the course of the common election.

Gannon mentioned the state board is unable to match the numbers of observer-related incidents with these from earlier years.

“We now have not tracked these incidents up to now as we’ve this yr, primarily as a result of there has by no means been such a deal with observer conduct, nor have we had many reported incidents up to now,” he mentioned.

The board obtained the few notices as voters solid ballots at over 2,650 polling locations on Election Day and at about 360 early voting websites. It stories that shut to three.75 million ballots have been solid within the fall elections, or 50.5% of the state’s 7.41 million registered voters. Statewide turnout for the 2018 common election was 53%.

Turnout will creep up barely as county boards obtain absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day earlier than upcoming deadlines. These boards are also analyzing whether or not provisional ballots needs to be counted.

Associated

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North Carolina

North Carolina governor says Harris 'has a lot of great options' for running mate

Published

50 mins ago

July 31, 2024

Press Room

North Carolina governor says Harris 'has a lot of great options' for running mate

SUPPLY, N.C. — A day after confirming he wouldn’t be a candidate for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday at a public event that he’s excited that Democrats “have a lot of great options for her to choose from.”

Speaking in coastal Brunswick County with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to celebrate federal funding for land conservation, Cooper reiterated his Monday message by saying “this was not the right time for our state or for me to potentially be on a national ticket.”

Cooper, barred by term limits from seeking reelection this year, had been among roughly a dozen potential contenders that Harris’ team was initially looking at for a vice presidential pick. He’s been a surrogate for President Joe Biden’s reelection bid and now for Harris.

“I am going to work every day to see that she is elected,” Cooper told WECT-TV. “I believe that she will win, and I look forward to this campaign because she has the right message and she is the right person for this country.”

In making his decision, Cooper confirmed Tuesday that he was concerned in part about what Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson could do if he left the state to campaign as part of the Democratic ticket. The state constitution says that “during the absence of the Governor from the State … the Lieutenant Governor shall be Acting Governor.” Robinson is running for governor this fall.

“We had concerns that he would try to seize the limelight because there would be a lot, if I were the vice presidential candidate, on him, and that would be a real distraction to the presidential campaign,” Cooper said.

Cooper pointed to when he traveled to Japan last fall on an economic development trip. As acting governor at the time, Robinson held a news conference during his absence to announce he had issued a “NC Solidarity with Israel Week” proclamation after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack inside the country.

Cooper also said Tuesday that he informed Harris’ campaign “early in the process” that he would not be a candidate, but that he didn’t reveal publicly that decision at first so as not to dampen enthusiasm for Harris within the party.

“My name had already been prominently put into the media and so I did not want to cause any problems for her or to slow her great momentum,” he told WRAL-TV while in Supply, located about 160 miles (258 kilometers) south of Raleigh. Cooper said he announced his decision when “there had begun to be a lot of speculation about the fact that I was not going to be in the pool of candidates, and in order to avoid the distraction of the speculation.”

Tuesday’s event at Green Swamp Preserve celebrated a $421 million grant for projects in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland to reduce climate pollution. The money will be used to preserve, enhance or restore coastal habitats, forests and farmland, Cooper’s office said.

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North Carolina

Josh Heupel Explains Important of North Carolina To Tennessee Vols

Published

8 hours ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

Josh Heupel Explains Important of North Carolina To Tennessee Vols

The state of North Carolina is uber-important to the Tennessee Volunteers on the recruiting trail and should only get more important in the coming years.

The Tennessee Volunteers are currently on a hot streak on the recruiting trail. They added commitments from Toombs County safety Lagonza Hayward and Derby High School tight end Da’Saahn Brame over the weekend, putting them at the No. 8 overall class in the 2025 cycle. They still have several important announcements in the near future, several from the state of North Carolina.

The Vols have been adamant about successfully recruiting the state of North Carolina for years, and as more blue-chip talent continues to come from the Tarheel state, the more Tennessee will spend its time within that footprint. They’re firmly in the race for Providence Day School offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., who ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the 2025 class. He announces his decision on August 17th, and the North Carolina native is quite high on the Vols.

Additionally, Grimsley High School quarterback Faizon Brandon decides between Alabama, LSU, North Carolina State, and Tennessee this weekend. The No. 9 prospect in the 2026 class also hails from North Carolina and is Tennessee’s top target at the quarterback position.

There are plenty of examples of future standouts coming from the state and past ones who’ve made an impact at the University of Tennessee – the school’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015 was North Carolina native Jaylen Wright, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel met with the media ahead of fall camp and discussed why they continue investing so much in the state.

“It is a border state,” Heupel explained to media on Tuesday. “For us, we believe and look at it and view it as part of our footprint. We are intentional in how we recruit that state.”

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North Carolina

Kamala Harris sparks excitement for Asian Americans in North Carolina • NC Newsline

Published

15 hours ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

Kamala Harris sparks excitement for Asian Americans in North Carolina • NC Newsline

Enthusiasm is growing among Asian Americans in North Carolina.

With Kamala Harris stepping into the race and the potential for the country’s first president of Asian American heritage, it’s ignited excitement in the community.

Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri (Photo: ncleg.gov)

“I’ve already participated in a half dozen Zoom calls about ways members of the Asian American community can help and turn out the vote,” said Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, a Democrat representing portions of Wake County.

Harris marked many “firsts” when she became vice president after the 2020 election: she was the first woman, first Black person, and first Asian American in that position. Her father is Jamaican and her mother is Indian.

Now she has the opportunity to become the first Asian American presidential candidate if she secures the Democratic Party’s nomination.

Jimmy Patel-Nguyen (Photo: NC Asian Americans Together)

“What people are excited about is recognizing the historical significance of it, that her lived experiences as an Asian American and Black woman really bring a different, inclusive level of representation to the highest level of government,” North Carolina Asian Americans Together communications director Jimmy Patel-Nguyen said.

The organization is focused on channeling that energy into voter outreach efforts, as well as raising awareness and education about key down ballot races.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander population in North Carolina has steadily increased in recent years.

It’s grown 63.3 percent since 2012 for a population size of about 456,655 in 2024, according to AAPIVote — a nonpartisan group dedicated to strengthening civic engagement for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

There are roughly 235,900 eligible Asian American and Pacific Islander voters in North Carolina, marking a 55.4 percent growth in voter eligibility from 2012 to 2022.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up 2.97 percent of the electorate in the swing state. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump narrowly won North Carolina by less than 75,000 votes.

“It’s really important for us to acknowledge that major campaigns cannot ignore us anymore,” Patel-Nguyen said. “We are too consequential to elections — every election, local, state, and federal, where we’re changing the political landscape in North Carolina.”

The population is concentrated around urban areas. Wake, Mecklenburg, Guilford, Durham, and Orange counties have the highest proportions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Nearly 60 percent of Asian American adults in North Carolina speak a language other than English at home, according to AAPIVote.

Along with low voter contact, language barriers have accounted for low voter turnout for Asian Americans.

“We do see the gaps when it comes to language access and communication,” Rep. Maria Cervania, a Democrat representing portions of Wake County, said. “We know that we need to continue that and more so now.”

That’s why groups like NCAAT work to make voting as accessible as possible. In the past, NCAAT has translated mailers into different languages and made an effort to reach out to voters in their native tongue.

Another issue is avoiding treating the Asian American community as a monolith. With so many different backgrounds and cultures, there’s a wide variety of views across the political spectrum.

“A majority of AAPI voters in North Carolina are registered unaffiliated,” Patel-Nguyen said. “We’re really independent thinkers who are voting on issues and not all party lines.”

Top issues vary for individual voters, but there are general themes.

Younger voters prioritize lowering the cost of living, protecting abortion access and reproductive rights, and making healthcare more affordable, according to a poll by NCAAT. Older voters are more concerned about crime and public safety, as well as the economy and job creation.

The Harris campaign has invested more money into more media than ever in order to reach Asian American voters, according to the campaign.

“In just the first week since Vice President Harris became the presumptive nominee of our party, we’ve seen a groundswell of support from AANHPI voters across North Carolina who are fired up to elect Kamala Harris as the first Asian American president in U.S. history,” according to Natalie Murdock, the campaign’s North Carolina political and coalitions director.

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