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The elections process in Bladen County is getting close scrutiny after complaints and issues were submitted to the State Board of Elections in Raleigh regarding concerns over irregularities with absentee ballots, board minutes and how the absentee ballots are processed, among other things.
The State Board of Elections in Raleigh is looking into allegations regarding absentee ballots in Bladen County after complaints were filed. There are concerns of absentee ballots that appear to have similar or the same handwriting and are being investigated.
In a related matter, the State Board of Elections has informed the local Board they must move forward with the opening of absentee ballots after questions arose during the first absentee ballot meeting. Bladen County Board of Elections Director Cynthia Shaw said in the first meeting, absentee ballots were opened and fed into the machine per normal BOE procedure. Shaw said in the second absentee ballot meeting, the board did not open any mail absentee ballots, instead choosing to seal them and asked Raleigh for guidance regarding the processing of the ballots. The State Board of Elections said the local board must move forward with processing the absentee ballots per normal county procedures.
There was also a complaint made regarding a lack of curtains in voting booths at polling locations. Shaw said, “It was done to hold down voter fraud. We’ve not had curtains up at polling locations for some time.”
She siad the lack of curtains allows poll workers to know which voting booths are occupied and which ones are open, among other things.
BladenOnline has also learned that a voter took a photograph of the interior of a One Stop polling location depicting the lack of curtains in the voting booths. Shaw said she understands that incident did take place after speaking with another media outlet but said she has not actually seen the photograph that is alleged to have been taken.
In NC, state law expressly prohibits photography inside the polling place. NC General Statute 163-166.3 (b) reads, “Photographing Voters Prohibited. – No person shall photograph, videotape, or otherwise record the image of any voter within the voting enclosure, except with the permission of both the voter and the chief judge of the precinct. If the voter is a candidate, only the permission of the voter is required. This subsection shall also apply to one-stop sites under G.S. 163-227.2. This subsection does not apply to cameras used as a regular part of the security of the facility that is a voting place or one-stop site.
(c) Photographing Voted Ballot Prohibited. – No person shall photograph, videotape, or otherwise record the image of a voted official ballot for any purpose not otherwise permitted under law. (2001-460, s. 3; 2005-428, s. 1(b); 2007-391, s. 23; 2008-187, s. 33(a).)”
There have also been allegations that some voters have gone to cast their ballots and been informed they have already voted. Shaw said she is aware of only three incidents but they were quickly resolved.
“It’s just like any other election. Someone looked up someone and it could have been a Jr. or a Sr. They (poll workers) have been trained to be very careful when they look someone up,” said Shaw.
She said occasionally you will get someone who shares a date of birth or they are a Jr. and Sr. and the poll workers try to be careful and ensure they give them the correct ballot.
Shaw said the removal of the Voter ID law has made it a little more difficult to verify identities. “Photo ID helped with making sure the person was who they said they are,” said Shaw.
She said with the removal of the Voter ID law, the poll workers can only ask for someone’s name and address to look them up unless they are a new registration or an inactive voter and the poll workers are trying to verify their identity.
The State Board of Elections also encouraged the Bladen County Board of Elections to come to an agreement on the recording of Bladen County Board of Elections minutes and to keep accurate minutes of all meetings. Al Daniels serves as the Secretary of the Bladen County Board of Elections. BladenOnline has made repeated requests for copies of Board of Elections meeting minutes. Daniels has referred Bladen Online to the Board of Elections office. BladenOnline has not received the copies of the minutes requested.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections in Raleigh is investigating these incidents. There is no time line as to when the investigation will be completed.
“If everyone would work with us instead of against us it would run smoother,” said Shaw of the election process. “I want Bladen County to shine.”
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