Democratic-led Early Voting Site Plans Impose Burden on Rural Voters

Democratic-approved Early Voting Site Plans disenfranchise over 410,000 rural North Carolina voters.

During the June 4 meeting, which was held virtually, the 3 Democratic NCSBE members along with Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell and General Counsel Paul Cox refused to consider legal briefs and data analyzes shared with the five members about concerns over drive times for rural populations to Early Voting sites. 

"The State Board of Elections rebuffed allowing information about the burdens faced by rural voters to be considered," said NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons. "This is yet another consequence of their rushed process to approve sites months before historical precedent. The administration of elections in North Carolina should be done with transparency and consistency. This current leadership at the State Board values neither."

In the interest of providing this information to those concerned with the current plans, please see the following Google Drive link for memos and supporting information that the NCSBE, Director Karen Brinson Bell, and General Counsel Paul Cox did not place on their public comment portal. 

BOTTOM LINE: Early voting plans for 20 counties were approved despite the fact that 410,000 voters reside outside a 15-minute drive-time window to an early voting site. This constitutes an unacceptable burden on rural voters across North Carolina.