Early Voting Special Report: Sign theft, irregularities, etc.
No. 96 — Oct. 27- Nov. 2, 2024
The Great Trump Sign Heist
Although I am up for covering more serious election integrity issues, I seem to have fallen into the beat of covering stolen Trump signs (keep 'em coming, folks).
It's hard to quantify exactly the scale of the theft and/or vandalism of signs promoting Trump and other Republican candidates, but my gut feel is that it is pretty widespread, and that it's worse than previous elections in recent history.
In addition to the vandalized signs reported on last week at the Cary Senior Center, I received an images of another Trump sign vandalized at the same location:
And I obviously can't mention the Cary Senior Center without including a link to my investigative piece this week on the identity of a man who was caught on video removing Trump signs:
I also was sent images of vandalism in Southwest Raleigh:
However, such acts do not always go unpunished; two Orange County Democrats were charged by the sheriff's department after a neighbor set up cameras covering the Trump signs. The citizen has also shared at least four videos of signs being removed in Durham. And, since the following article was published, she's also shared two more videos from her cameras of two additional individuals removing or knocking over Trump, Robinson, and Morrow signs.
I was also made aware this week of an incident in September, where Douglas Whelan of Chapel Hill was charged with Misdemeanor Larceny he was caught him on camera walking off with a Trump sign. (Misdemeanor Larceny is a Class 1 misdemeanor, as opposed to the less serious Class 3 misdemeanor specifically prohibiting the removal of political signs).
The citizen who uploaded the evidence also has a number of other videos on his YouTube channel with Chapel Hill residents stealing or taking issue with his Trump signs (mostly from four years ago).
In addition, as reported by WRAL, a Wake Forest woman was charged Friday with removing Trump signs on South Main Street.
Finally, News & Observer reports a volunteer for Republican District 2 Congressional Candidate Alan Swain has had to replace approximately 15 out of the 600 signs he's put up. "They’re being pulled up...Some of them are being shoved in the bushes. They’ve walked over them. About every day, they’ve been abused."
A two-edged sword?
One of the comments I have received repeatedly in response to my posts about these incidents is something along the lines of "Trump supporters would never do this." However, there is evidence of Trump supporters engaged in the exact same crime against Harris signs.
James Wesley Greenfield Jr. of Harnett County, a registered Republican, was arrested and charged after he was caught on video removing Harris-Walz signs in Moore County.
On Thursday, a man was spotted pulling up Harris-Walz signs at the Optimist Park early voting site in Wake County. When reached by WRAL, he said that he thought political signs in public places were "essentially litter", and that he was allowed to remove them. (In fact, North Carolina law allows for the signs to be placed in public right-of-ways starting 30 days before the first day of early voting until 10 days after the election).
In addition, I've come across at least three more reports on the left-leaning local subreddits of Harris signs being removed by passersby.
Raleigh Police warn of "election canvasser" promoting fraudulent voting by phone
In a statement issued on Friday, the Raleigh Police are warning of an individual who is going door to door passing out door hangers claiming that citizens can vote using their phone by scanning a QR code. The post by the department did not specify the location this was reported, or any indication whether the fraudster was targeting likely Republican or likely Democrat voters:
FRAUD ALERT
The RPD has received reports of a subject posing as an election canvasser and claiming that voting can be done using their phone.The subject leaves a door hanger with a QR code that leads to a fraudulent ballot. The subject is driving a dark blue Nissan sedan with California tags.
If you encounter a subject claiming that you can vote by phone, please report it by calling 919-829-1911.
— Raleigh Police Department (Facebook) November 1, 2024
Additional potential election integrity concerns
Franklin County voters notice wrong races on early ballots - WRAL
According to WRAL reporting, at least four Franklin County voters were given the wrong ballots at the Louisburg early voting site. One of the voters says she was "given a really hard time" after she noticed the error, and the issue wasn't taken seriously and escalated until another voter noticed the same issue as well.
Zebulon man says he was turned away from voting due to lack of ID - WRAL
A Wake County voter says it "left a bad taste in [his] mouth" when he was turned away from voting due to the fact that he left his picture ID at home. WRAL’s State Government Reporter Will Doran is quoted as saying: "If someone is telling you to leave because you don’t have an ID, they’re wrong. That’s not what state law says."
I do not believe WRAL is correct in this. North Carolina voter ID law contains provisions for a voter missing ID to sign an affidavit, they must also fill out a "Reasonable Impediment Declaration Form", which includes impediments such as a lost/stolen ID, religious objection to photographs, being a victim of a recent disaster, etc.
But, what does not appear to be covered as a "reasonable impediment" is merely leaving ones ID at home, as that impediment is fairly trivial to overcome.
Poll Volunteers Accuse NC Rep. Erin Paré and Husband Wayne of Intimidation at Early Voting Sites - INDY
Self-described "progressive" outlet INDY Week published a story this week based almost entirely on Democrat poll greeters accusing Wake County's sole Republican state representative Erin Paré (District 37) and her husband of "intimidation" at a Holly Springs voting site.
Even without the large grain of salt I would apply in reading a story like that, it appears that the most serious accusation of "intimidation" is that Wayne Paré "stood behind" a Democrat greeter on a crowded sidewalk.
Although I will freely acknowledge that it is possible to "intimidate" someone with your body language, I would suggest anyone making an accusation of repeated inappropriate behavior by a member of the opposite party in this highly charged environment should take the simple step of pulling out their phone camera, so that concerned members of the public can judge the evidence for themselves.
Durham Mayor appears to have voted at address he did not reside at
Orange County GOP enumerates election integrity concerns
A letter sent by the Orange County GOP Chair to the director of the Orange County Board of Elections on Monday lays out a number of concerns, including regarding the positioning of poll observers, same day registration handling, and inconsistent application of voter assistance rules.
The letter also includes the following "irregularities" noted at a single early voting site in Carrboro:
Ballots being left in the tabulator overnight
Ballots being emptied from the tabulator’s ballot box mid-day, placed into a cardboard box, and put in the kitchen area
The rover bag (containing voted ballots) being placed in the kitchen for overnight storage
Ballots being emptied from the tabulator’s ballot box and placed in the plastic bag, but no seal tape is placed on the bag nor is it signed/dated or otherwise marked
ATV count irregularities (ATV count not reconciled with tabulator count at shutdown; ballot count incrementing by one overnight after tabulator shutdown)
Follow-up
Bull City United discontinued: Durham County leaders terminate anti-violence program - WRAL
Durham police-alternative "violence interrupter" charged for helping murderer flee (No. 85 — Aug. 17, 2024)