As voters have turned out in record numbers in North Carolina for the early voting period, local NAACP officials see the high turnout as good news — but they still have concerns about ensuring that people can vote safely and their ballots will be counted.
Legal challenges surrounding ballots with errors and the cut-off date for mail-in ballots to be accepted still working their way through the courts, and fears of voter intimidation this year are higher than in recent memory.
NAACP Charlotte-Mecklenburg Branch president Corine Mack says to alleviate fears, members will accompany voters to the polls and they will have a presence at many early voting sites.
"We want to ensure that people felt safe at the polls," Mack said. "So we made a conscious decision to be at the polls to safeguard our rights and to make sure that people knew they were not alone."
Mack says they will have volunteers at several high schools and recreation and senior center voting sites — including Garinger and West Charlotte high schools — to ensure that voters do not feel intimidated at the polls.
She added that along with these “safe sites,” for the next two Sundays, the NAACP will hold rallies at 2 p.m. to encourage residents, especially younger people, to vote and register if they have not already.
North Carolina voters can still register at early voting sites and vote that same day through Oct. 31.
Tell us about your voting experience. Did it go smoothly? Were there any problems? How were the lines? Did you feel safe? If so, why or why not?
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