GREENSBORO, N.C. — (Editor's Note: The attached story is from a previous story.)
The upcoming elections are just around the corner and November 3 will be here before you know it! With many calling this the most important election in years, WFMY is getting you prepared to hit the polls.
Election security is always a big concern in elections and even more so this go-round in the midst of a global pandemic with some people trying alternative methods for voting for the very first time.
Below are 10 facts you should know about election security in North Carolina!
- No evidence of a successful attack: North Carolina elections officials have no evidence that any election system or voting system in the state has ever been the target of a successful cyberattack.
- Partnerships: Elections officials are in regular contact and have strong and growing relationships with partners in federal and state governments, who assist with cyber and physical security, share information, plan for election events and respond to incidents.
- Paper ballots: Under state law, all voting systems used in North Carolina must use paper ballots, producing a paper trail that can be recounted and audited. In 2020, all 100 counties will use paper ballots. By federal law, ballot marking devices must be available at every polling place for any voter who needs or wishes to use one to mark a ballot.
- Certified voting systems: All voting machines used in North Carolina are certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission after testing by certified laboratories. They are also certified by the State Board of Elections after additional testing. All systems certified in North Carolina are certified, used and audited in other states.
- No Internet: By state law, voting machines may not be connected to the internet, limiting the possibility of cyber interference.
- Logic and accuracy testing: Before every election, county boards of elections conduct logic and accuracy tests on every voting machine that will be used to ensure proper coding of ballots and counting of votes for every contest on the ballot.
- Bipartisan, trained officials: Every polling place is staffed with bipartisan, trained officials from the local community who take an oath to uphold state elections laws and work together to ensure election security. Bipartisan State and County Boards of Elections oversee all aspects of elections.
- Audits: After every election and before results are certified, the State and County Boards of Elections conduct audits designed to detect irregularities, such as equipment tampering, ballot stuffing and voting machine or tabulation errors.
- Investigations Division: North Carolina is one of few states with a dedicated Investigations Division, which investigates reports of fraud and other irregularities and refers cases to prosecutors when warranted by evidence.
- Informed voters: Every voter can help promote election security by voting, checking their ballot before casting it, reporting problems with the voting process to poll workers and volunteering to work in elections. Also, voters should get information on elections from trusted sources, particularly elections officials, and verify information about elections before sharing it on social media.
Make sure to remember that you can find Election Day results on WFMY News 2!
