Amid rumors and widespread social media posts hinting that a poll worker writing on a ballot makes the submission invalid, the N.C. Board of Elections sent out an Aug. 2 release to clear up the misconception.
“In North Carolina, this is false,” reads a portion of the release. “These posts have been circulating for years and have resurfaced recently in many N.C. counties. They are still false.”
The announcement also broke down specific instances in which a poll worker might mark a ballot. Newer machines are more apt to catch lightly colored bubbles than ones that have been discontinued, but an individual might still see marks if:
* An identifying number is written down on the ballots of voters who vote by mail or during the in-person early voting period. This is a special number assigned to each ballot and voter.
This number allows the ballot to be retrieved and not counted if necessary due to a voter challenge, such as if the voter dies before Election Day or votes more than once. The number can also be used to retrieve ballots in the event of a successful election protest, such as if several voters are given the wrong ballot style and the margin for a contest is less than that number of voters. The ability to mark a ballot under these circumstances fall under G.S. 163-166.45.
* Voter precincts also must be written on ballots cast during early voting, so they can be sorted back into the proper precincts after the election for reporting and data purposes, also as required by law (G.S. 163-132.5G). Early voters may cast their ballot at any early voting site in their county, thus creating the need to sort ballots by precinct after each election.
Election Day ballots are not retrievable, but poll workers may need to write the precinct name on ballots for post-election sorting. They may also write notations on provisional ballots.
Typically, poll workers do not otherwise mark a ballot.
For details regarding the falsehoods, visit ncsbe.gov. The Graham County Board of Elections can be reached at 828-479-7969.
What remains true, however, is the amount of importance being placed on the 2024 general election, from localized races to the national campaign for presidency.
In Graham County, three seats are up for grabs on both the board of commissioners and board of elections. A new commissioner is guaranteed, as incumbent Keith Eller is not seeking re-election. Republican Commissioners Lynn Cody and Connie Orr will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, as will Meggan Smith. Democrat Machelle Crisp and unaffiliated Thomas Menard also join the fray.
School board Chair Rodney Nelson was the only incumbent in the mix to qualify for the general election, as Jonathan Allison and Pam Knott did not receive enough votes to remain. Instead, newcomers Eddie Howell and Corey Snider join Nelson as the Republican candidates; unaffiliated Robert Anderson will also be on the ballot.
Absentee ballots can be requested now and will be mailed beginning Friday, Sept. 6. One-stop (early) voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 16, through Saturday, Nov. 2.