See how BOE works to protect integrity of NC elections
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- If someone wanted to manipulate the election in North Carolina, that would require an exceptional amount of cooperation and resources.
Amidst a growing chorus of allegations from Republicans on voting fraud, ABC11 took an all-access tour of the Wake County Elections Board's offices and inspected the checks and balances in place to protect the integrity and fairness of the election.
"This is our career, this is our life," director Gary Sims told ABC11. "These are our votes, too, so we care just as much about the election as anyone.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections governs the election processes throughout the state, which are administered by the individual counties. Each county has its own bipartisan elections board made up of three members - one Democrat, one Republican, and one appointed from the governor's party (Pat McCrory is Republican, therefore there are now two members of election boards that are Republican.
CLICK HERE FOR EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS IN YOUR COUNTY
Sims added that in Wake County alone, more than 2,300 trained staff will serve as election officials at the county's 202 precincts. Voters will personally take their ballot upon check in and personally submit it into the ballot box. The ballot box sends unofficial, real-time polling information via direct modem to news organizations to help report preliminary results.
CLICK HERE FOR EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS IN WAKE COUNTY
A full, official count - which must be certified - takes place in the succeeding days.
"This is the same process for every election - presidential to city primary," Sims said.
The U.S. Justice Department is also asserting its role in protecting the fairness of elections. In an online video released Wednesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch explained that her department is sending "hundreds of personnel" across the country to "carefully monitor the election process" - and that's been the process for many years.
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOTING IN NORTH CAROLINA
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT VOTING IN WAKE COUNTY, INCLUDING TO BE AN ELECTION DAY VOLUNTEER.
