Wake County officials prepare for election changes, showcase process during tour
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- With 56 days remaining until the November midterm elections, election officials in Wake County are preparing for a busy voting season while working to educate voters about recent rule changes and the voting process.
On Tuesday, the Wake County Board of Elections hosted a tour for advocacy group RightCount North Carolina, including former Gov. Pat McCrory and former Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison, as part of an effort to increase transparency and public confidence in elections.
"We want to make sure that our community feels engaged with the voting process and making sure that they can see this," said Wake County Elections Director Olivia McCall.
The tour highlighted how ballots are processed, counted and secured in Wake County, which has the most registered voters in North Carolina.
"This education and transparency is very much needed to regain and gain the confidence of voters to protect our democracy," McCrory said. "Our goal was also to increase the number of people voting and to make sure that their lack of confidence in the system doesn't dissuade them from actually being involved in the process themselves."
Former Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said his experience as both a candidate and elected official gave him confidence in the local system.
"I've won, and I've lost, and I've been satisfied with the way they've gone here in Wake County," Harrison said.
"I think the misconceptions are, first of all, due to a lack of education and information. And frankly, it all goes back to civics, going back to high school, even where we just don't understand the basic role of government. A very important role of government is how the elections actually work, and right now, everyone's in their own little (bubble). They're only hearing what they want to hear to justify their position," added McCrory.
Election officials are also adapting to changes approved by the State Board of Elections, including new requirements governing absentee ballots and who may return those ballots on behalf of a voter.
In the 2022 midterm election, more than 36,000 Wake County voters cast absentee ballots.
For voters planning to vote by mail this year, McCall encouraged them to monitor the status of their ballots through state tracking tools.
"There's BallotTrax, which is a state-supported software that the state puts out, so (voters) can track to see where their ballot is," McCall said. "Once it gets back to us, you will see a change status on that. If you go to the voter lookup tool on the State Board (of Elections) website and you look it up, you can see if your ballot has been received."
Election administrators are also monitoring developments at the federal level. An executive order issued by President Donald Trump that seeks to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting is currently blocked by a federal judge while the administration seeks review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
McCall said county officials remain focused on implementing current election procedures while awaiting guidance from the state.
"The State Board of Elections has let us know that they are working with their partners," McCall said. "They are getting a plan together, so on their end, when or if something does happen, they would be able to communicate that back to all 100 counties and have a plan of this is what you need to do and steps and processes in place."
McCrory acknowledged that changes to election rules can create uncertainty for voters.
"There's confusion, based upon the changes," he said. "But changes have always occurred in the election process. I happen to be one, and I think Right Count also agrees, and (Harrison) agrees that the election should be run by local and state governments, the county and the state. However, there is a federal role, and we need to respect that role as it goes through the courts."
Election officials also emphasized the extensive training required for the thousands of poll workers who staff voting sites and assist with ballot processing.
"We're trained by people who have been in the field for 10, 12, 15 years," said James Hardaway, a poll worker and Community organizer with Trusted Neighbors North Carolina. "They send you through half a day of training if you're new, to walk through all the various scenarios."
As absentee voting begins, McCall stressed that voters choosing to vote by mail should remain mindful of deadlines.
"Make sure you request early, (and) make sure that once you get your ballot in the mail, go ahead and vote. Go ahead and expedite that process because it does have to come back either by mail or you can drop it off in person. The biggest thing it has to be in our office by 7:30 (p.m., at the) close of polls," said McCall.
