Voters in North Carolina have been flooding election officials with complaints about a wave of unsolicited text messages related to voting, according to the State Board of Elections. These messages, which have been prompting recipients to vote because someone at their address may not have, are causing confusion just weeks before Election Day on Nov. 5. It's become clear that people are being targeted by groups, not the State Board, with efforts likely designed to boost voter turnout, as these texts link to the Board's Early Voting Site Search. But to set the record straight, the State Board of Elections does not send out mass texts.
With the increase in election-related communication, there's a need to critically assess the information's validity. Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections, has urged voters to seek out trusted information about voting, firmly stating, "While we know these communications may be annoying or confusing, the purpose of most of them is to encourage voters to exercise their right to vote," as she told North Carolina State Board of Elections. The official site remains the prime source of accurate data on elections and should be voters' first stop for inquiries.
Political organizations and advocacy groups often utilize phone numbers sourced from public or private lists to send out these texts, which might include inaccurate or outdated information. For instance, a voter might receive a message claiming they haven't voted when in fact, they have already cast their ballot. Such incidents underscore the importance of confirming the authenticity of election-related communications and reporting any messages that seem fraudulent or contain misleading details to the State Board of Elections using their official email address, [email protected].
One essential clarification for voters who've already participated in the election: do not try to vote again if you get a text message incorrectly saying you haven't. Bell emphasized in her statement the importance of relying on trusted sources for information and cautioned that voting twice is a crime. To combat these potentially misleading texts, voters are encouraged to verify their participation through official channels. Additionally, for those seeking to address political texts and robocalls, guidelines from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provide insight into how to file a complaint.
Early voting is currently available in North Carolina, offering voters the flexibility to cast their ballots ahead of the scheduled Election Day. Prospective voters can also register to vote at any early voting site throughout the state. Up-to-date locations and hours are listed on the State Board's Early Voting Site Search for easy reference.
