BOONE — It has recently come to the attention of the Watauga County Board of Elections that modems were removed from ballot-counting machines used in county elections, the board announced in a Dec. 9 press release.
Before being removed, these modems had never been used. Given the importance of a fair and transparent election process, the board stated it wished, with this announcement, to make relevant information promptly available to the public.
Since 2002, the Board has used M100 ballot scanners to count ballots. The Board voted unanimously to purchase this equipment. The scanners were purchased from Printelect, a North Carolina company.
The Board owns 31 M100 ballot scanners. They have been used in every election since their initial purchase.
On Nov. 9, Karen Brinson Bell, the Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, hosted a Microsoft Teams meeting with election staff from the six counties that still use M100 ballot scanners. In addition to Watauga, these counties include Graham, Macon, Moore, Montgomery and Swain. Director Bell informed them that Printelect would be undertaking annual preventative maintenance and would remove any modems found in the machines.
This was the first time that Watauga Director of Elections Matthew Snyder was apprised of the presence of modems in the M100 ballot scanners.
On Nov. 16 Printelect technicians came to Watauga County and removed 29 modems from the M100 ballot scanners.
Director Snyder informed Board members from both parties of these developments.
The Board emphasized in the release that the modems on the M100 ballot scanners have never been used during the tenure of current Board members or current Board staff. Using them would not only require that they be connected to the internet, but would also require software that is not in the Board’s possession. Moreover, modem technology is currently largely outdated. Like current Board staff, current Board members were previously unaware of the presence of modems in the M100 ballot scanners.
The Board also emphasized that the M100 ballot scanners are kept in secure locations. Activation of M100 ballot scanners and most interactions with them typically occur in the presence and under the scrutiny of bipartisan teams.
The Board stated it appreciates the transparency and forthrightness with which Director Snyder handled this matter.
“As we enter a new election cycle, the Board remains as committed as ever to a fair and transparent election process,” the board stated in the release.
It was signed by Michael Behrent (chair), Eric Eller, James Hill, Matthew Walpole and Marv Williamson.
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Thanks to modern technologies, you and more people are reading the Watauga Democrat than ever before. Freedom of the press is essential to preserving democracy: But a free press isn't free. It takes significant resources for Mountain Times Publications' 8 full-time journalists and editors to provide credible, fact-based and ethical journalism in the High Country. So, we are asking you to join our advertisers and print subscribers in supporting local journalism with your dollar. Your financial support will help sustain these services that you use to inform your decisions and engage with your community.
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Better clean up your act because the Supreme Court of the United States is going to hear- North Carolina Voter ID Law Case-I believe you might be covering your tracks! Case
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