Thread by @bernstein_lynn

@Anna_M_Johnson Gary Sims doesn't want anyone to see how the sausage gets made.

ED blocks observing every chance he gets.

Wake is the only county that won't let the public observe on election night.

The secrecy must stop!
Demand transparency!

newsobserver.com/news/politics-…

I was an at large observer for Wake Dem party for the Primary. Gary threw a fit - very angry- yelled and threatened that if any observer so much as asks to see another zero tape ALL of us would be kicked out!

Zero tapes show that no electronic ballot stuffing has occurred. btw

March Primary - Observers weren't allowed to see zero tape at Chavis Comm. Center, so my neighbor went to view that poll tape when polls closed; any member of public can do that. The Chief Judge refused to allow him to see it & wouldn't tell him results; which is required by law

So me & my neighbor drove Wake BOE & asked to see that tape, early voting tapes & absentee tapes. Gary met us in parking lot flanked by security & Deputy ED. We were told to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!

WERE DENIED BEING SHOWN TAPES!
Made it clear he'd call the police if we didn't leave.

Later, I found out that there were 3 members of the Wake BOE in the warehouse at the time.

That's a quorum & public should've been let in.

Board later said they 'weren't conducting board business inside BOE on election night.'

Really? Were they there as members of the public?

I found out next day that Gary filed a formal complaint against me to SBE for either trying to illegally access a poll tape/poll location?

My records request to see what I was accused of has not been answered. I'ts been MONTHS! Who know, maybe I'm still under investigation...

When I had questions for Wake BOE, the Chair stalled for months, then sent questions to Gary who said he'd answer my questions... but... only if I came to his office.

I explained that due to covid, I wasn't comfortable coming in for something that could be done via phone.

We emailed back & forth for days, he wouldn't relent!

Seriously, what woman is dumb enough to go to a man's office when he's already made it clear he won't respect her boundaries?

My complaints to the Chair were useless. Flynn doubled down & backed this inappropriate behavior!

Chair subsequently responded to my unanswered questions by emailing me with vague responses that were sandwiched between long diatribes of veiled threats and disparaging personal attacks, but most questions remain unanswered.

I'm the Founder of Transparent Elections NC.
The secrecy in Wake county was a big reason I started TENC. We are a non-partisan group of grassroots volunteers - Help us #ValidateTheVote transparentelectionsnc.org/validatethevote

Take pictures of the poll tape(s) & submit to SeeSay2020.org

I went to observe Logic & Accuracy testing. Not allowed to take photos. Wasn't allowed to get close enough to see. Gary refused to answer questions, despite telling the Wake County Commissioners that everyone's welcome - said he'd even let the public help with the testing! hmpf

Transparency is a bi-partisan issue that Dems & Reps can agree on. We need evidence based elections - it's up to elections officials to provide EVIDENCE that they've found the true winners. Transparent, trackable & publicly verified elections. #NotBellarus georgetownlawtechreview.org/evidence-based…

After seeing how absentee ballots were being processed, we fought for transparency. The media hid it, elect officials hid it. Now, we can fully observe absentee ballot scanning

@WakeElections next Absentee Meeting is 10am October 20th. In person & remote. us02web.zoom.us/j/81294663052

Absentee Meetings = BOE approves/rejects ballots & staff opens envelopes & scans ballots.

This is the room where it happens.

BOE voted to REJECT ballot envelopes that are slightly ripped going through USPS. #YCMTSU

Watch 7min clip from Oct 1st. mtg.

No matter how much we "trust" elections officials, they won't always be the ones counting our votes.

Confidence in election outcomes aren't about trusting people, they're about a transparent, trackable & publicly verified process.

We must demand to see the rest of the process.

It's right there in the law, folks.
You can observe other processes.

Any person can watch poll workers boot up the machines that count our votes before the polls open.

We can also go inside when the polls close at 7:30pm to see machine count the votes and print the poll tape.

"08 NCAC 04 .0304 OPERATION AND MATTER OF VOTING ON VOTING SYSTEMS
(a) Prior to the opening of the polls, the precinct officials shall open the voting system and examine the ballot for
accuracy and examine the counters or other method to determine there is a zero balance....

... Any persons interested in viewing this procedure may observe but shall not interfere or impede the process."

We can't just assume that it happens
If no one else is in
The room where it happens.

We also have a right to observe at precincts once the last voter has left the enclosure & at the county BOE on election night!

§ 163-182.2. Initial counting of official ballots.
(3)Any member of the public wishing to witness the vote count at any level shall be allowed to do so

At the county BOE on election night. Only the chief judge brings back all election materials. The vote count in the form of USB sticks (digital vote totals) are uploaded to the county computer from precinct USBs, absentee USBs & early voting USBs. This is the digital vote count.

These are OUR elections & we have a right to see the receipts!

Ask to see
zero tape before opening of polls
end of night poll tape at precincts - election night
absentee poll tapes at county BOE - election night
early voting poll tapes at county BOE - election night
USB reports

My understanding is that vote totals are NOT TO BE SENT TO STATE until 7:30pm. Counties may tabulate & print paper poll tapes from early voting & absentee scanners earlier on election day at 2pm. Wake kicks everyone out after that happens & won't let anyone in until the canvass

Let's talk about audits.
NC only audits the top 1-2 races on ballot & only 2 precincts/county. Law says audit must be "statistically significant" & a statistician must be consulted. Who's the statistician that recommended that & where's the report?

doesn't pass the sniff test...

We must demand transparency!
We must demand better post-election tabulation audits.

Email SBE.
1. Public observers for zero tapes & end of night poll tapes.
2. Open BOE on election night.
3. NC needs risk-limiting audits now!
Nothing in our law prohibits this from being done.

"Government ought to be all outside and no inside... Everybody knows that corruption thrives in secret places, and avoids public places, and we believe it a fair presumption that secrecy means impropriety."
- Woodrow Wilson

Curious if Wake Poll Worker Manual lets the poll workers know that public has the right to see the boot-up of machines & zero tape before polls open & can come observe the tabulator counting & poll tape once polls close?
Anyone have a copy & would check that for everyone?

I've been asking Wake BOE to clarify this for months. No response. Wake BOE should take some ownership of this - they don't want transparency & put poll workers & observers in a tough spot because of their lack of clarification. SBE needs to issue a directive to CBEs.

*correction It's SeeSay2020.com
#SeeSay2020.com