Press release
from Progress NC
Progress North Carolina will join Western North Carolina citizens and Board of Elections officials tomorrow to speak out against legislative moves to restrict Early Voting, such as H451 “Elections Omnibus” aka “The Longer Lines to Vote Bill.” By cutting the Early Voting period by more than a week and eliminating Sunday voting, state lawmakers risk long lines at the voting booth. Voting should be fair, accessible and convenient.
Progress NC will also release new poll results that shows 78% of North Carolina voters support early voting.
We don’t want to be Florida. After the State of Florida enacted similar restrictions on Early Voting, voters faced endless lines and waits of up to six hours to vote. North Carolina state government can and should do better. If Gov. McCrory truly wants state government to take a customer-service approach, then six hour waits are unacceptable. The voters, who hire politicians, should be treated as Customer #1.
***UPDATE: New bills this week cut early voting from 17 days to 6 (S721) and make it harder for college students to register and vote (S667). These bills will also be discussed at the press conference.
WHO: Gerrick Brenner, Progress NC
Josh Fernandez, UNCA student
Guillo Rodriguez, Buncombe County unaffiliated voter
Oral Yates, Chair, Haywood Co. Board of Elections
WHAT: Press conference
WHERE: North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, NC
WHEN: Friday, April 5, 12:30 PM
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