Raleigh, N.C. — Wake County Board of Elections employees are working extra days to process a record number of voter registration requests.
Officials said so far this month they have received 30,000 requests. In the past two days, workers have processed 7,000 new registration forms, officials said.
“I promise you, we’re working day and night to get this stuff in. You’re going to get your voter registration card,” Wake County Board of Elections deputy director Gary Sims said.
Sims expects even more requests to arrive on Monday and Tuesday from people who sent their requests on Friday – the last day to register to vote.
Those who didn't register by Friday still have the option of registering and voting at a one-stop voting site between Oct. 16 and Nov. 1. They must register and vote at the same time, however, and cannot vote on Election Day.
North Carolina added more than 600,000 registered voters to its rolls in the first nine months of the year, swamping election officials, who are scrambling to process the paperwork of those eager to cast a ballot.
Requests are being thoroughly reviewed and election officials said they have found 15 “suspicious” registrations. Sims said these cases started after a phone call from a woman questioning how her party affiliation had changed.
“We have a tracking system here where whenever anybody turned in more than 10 registrations, we actually identify these individuals that turn in these large numbers,” Sims said.
The suspicious forms were tied to the organization ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which represents low-income people. The group has offices in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte.
The forms were sent to the State Board of Elections for investigation.
State elections officials are already reviewing 80 applications submitted by ACORN to the Durham County Board of Elections. Officials in other states, from Ohio to Missouri to Nevada, also were examining some of the 1.3 million voter registrations completed by ACORN representatives nationwide.
Gary Bartlett, director of North Carolina's State Board of Elections, said Thursday he doesn't see any pattern of widespread fraud in the state.
Election officials say investigating “suspicious” registrations take up valuable time that could be used for, among other things, tracking down enough precinct workers.
Tiffany Holden, of the Wake County Board of the Elections, is looking for 400 more workers by Nov. 4.
“We’ve been working round the clock going to different recruiting events,” Holden said.
Alert
-
Breaking News: Cary police arrested a man Thursday night who allegedly tried to strike an officer with his vehicle in the parking lot of Buffalo Lanes bowling alley on High House Road. He missed the officer and struck a police vehicle, at which point, the officer fired one shot. The suspect was not hit.
Wake County processes voter registrations
- Reporter: Beau Minnick
- Photographer: Robert Meikle
- Web Editor: Kathy Hanrahan
RELATED TOPICS: Wake County, Durham County, ACORN, Durham, Raleigh, Raleigh Durham International Airport
Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
4 Comments
| MOST | Viewed | E-mailed | Discussed |
Most E-mailed Stories
Most E-mailed Videos | |||
| MOST | Viewed | E-mailed | Discussed |
Most Discussed Stories
Most Discussed Blog Posts | |||
Multimedia
Key dates in the investigation of Lance Armstrong on charges he used performance-enhancing drugs.
Key events in Iran's relations with the West.
An interactive look at the controversial decision and reversal of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to stop funding breast exams at Planned Parenthood.
Renaissance Park- Raleigh's Newest Urban Community
Bundle & Save! Get free delivery of a PODS® container - See how
New Townhomes in Chapel Hill - promo price










WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Really??? seems the GOP has had a long standing relationship with ACORN. McCain, Charlie Crist (Florida) are just a few that have attended rallies and Supported ACORN. Now it seems the GOP is concerned that the new voters do not seem to be for the GOP and thats a problem for them. Seems ACORN is only useful when they serve the GOP?
October 14, 2008 8:27 a.m.
October 14, 2008 7:35 a.m.
For times and locations call (919)733-7173.
In Wake County you can check www.wakevotesearly.com
October 13, 2008 8:52 a.m.
October 13, 2008 7:52 a.m.