The fat lady still hasn't sung in two races in NC, due to voting machine incompetence. Democratic Commissioner of Agriculture incumbent Britt Cobb is 2500 votes behind, but the race is in doubt because of 4532 "lost" ballots due to a voting machine
error. The Unilect machine had the wrong setting, and it sent the votes to the bit bucket.
See more below for how you can help, and why this is important. Thanks for your help and your recommend
Britt's website is
here.
A fresh news article on the debacle is here.
NC election law says that the State Board of Elections may order new elections if eligible voters in sufficient number to change the
election results were improperly denied their vote. The Republican candidate has filed an election protest petitioning the county Board of
Elections to either contact OR SUBPOENA the voters and have them recast their ballots. Voters have NEVER been subpoenaed to my knowledge, and
it seems thuggish to treat voters like criminals.
The law doesn't provide for subpoenaing a small group. It provides for a new election in the entire jurisdiction: maybe just the county, maybe
statewide. In either case, a special election would probably hold this seat for the Democrats.
Why is this important? This is an election machine malfunction that will cost a Republican an election, if the law is followed, so the R's are
trying to bend the rules. The Republicans need to understand our fear and loathing of unverified electronic voting.
Putting pressure on the Board of Elections to hold a new election in the entire jurisdiction will be a signal lesson for all concerned about voting machine security, and how bits in a memory chip just don't cut it.
The action item is to put pressure on the Board of Elections to do the right thing and follow the law, and hold a new election. You can contact them through their site here,
or contact the Executive Directory here:
Mr. Gary Bartlett
Executive Director
North Carolina State Board of Elections
506 North Harrington Street
Raleigh, NC 27603.