>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS DAMON CIRCOSTA THE CHAIR OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KAREN BRINSON BELL IN JUST A SECOND, BUT A FEW THINGS I WANT YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF.

>> ONE NORTH CAROLINA ELECTIONS ARE UNDERWAY AS WE SPEAK POLLS OPEN THIS MORNING AT 07:30AM AND WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THE ENTIRE STATE OVER 2500 PRECINCTS AND VOTING SEEMS TO BE GOING SMOOTHLY.

2 IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHO RUNS ELECTIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED STAFF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT INCLUDES REPUBLICANS.

DEMOCRATS IN A NON-PARTISAN UNAFFILIATED STAFF THAT DOES A WONDERFUL JOB MAKING SURE THAT YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

KAREN BRINSON BELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEADS THAT CAME IN SHE'LL BE HERE TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS THANK YOU.

>> IN CASE I MISHEARD I BELIEVE WE OPENED AT 06:30AM THIS MORNING.

I'M NOT SURE SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET THE OTHER WAY.

SO.

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE AND HAPPY 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA.

I'M KAREN BRINSON BELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

THANK YOU CHAIR, CIRCOSTA FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS.

WE APPRECIATE THE SERVICE OF OUR STATE AND COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION MEMBERS TO THE VOTERS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

TODAY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD IN THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY.

VOTERS WILL SELECT CANDIDATES FROM THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES TO APPEAR ON BALLOTS FOR THE NOVEMBER, 8 GENERAL ELECTION.

VOTERS IN APPROXIMATELY 30 MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE ALSO GOING TO THE POLLS TO ELECT MAYORS AND CITY AND TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THESE INCLUDE MUSIC CONTESTS IN CHARLOTTE, FAYETTEVILLE AND NEW BERN AMONG OTHERS.

TO PULL OFF SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS.

WE RELY ON OUR BIPARTISAN COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN ALL 100 COUNTIES AND THEY'RE TRAINED PROFESSIONAL STAFFS.

WE ALSO COUNT ON THOUSANDS OF TRAINED POLL WORKERS OF ALL POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS WHO WORK AT THE 2,660 ELECTION DAY VOTING PRECINCTS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

THESE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, FORMER TEACHERS BASKETBALL COACHES VETERANS, AND RELATIVES ALL FROM YOUR COMMUNITY.

AS YOU KNOW IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING ENDED SATURDAY ACROSS THE STATE, EVEN BEFORE TODAY OUR COUNTY BOARDS HAVE ALREADY SERVED NEARLY 600,000 VOTERS.

FAR ABOVE THE 295,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS WHO VOTED EARLY AND BY MAIL IN THE 2018 MIDTERMS.

IF YOU ARE REGISTERED VOTER AND HAVE NOT YET CAST YOUR BALLOT.

YOU STILL HAVE TIME.

POLLS ARE OPEN UNTIL 07:30PM THIS EVENING.

IF YOU'RE IN LINE BY 7.30 YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE.

UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS WILL BEGIN TO POST ALL THE STATE BOARD'S WEBSITE AFTER ALL POLLS ARE CLOSED.

AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST WE WANT TO REMIND VOTERS THAT WE HAVE COUNTLESS SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO HELP MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE IS COUNTED.

AND THAT THE FINAL RESULTS ARE ACCURATE.

WE DO THIS WORK EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR AND WE TAKE IT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

THERE IS NO THERE'S SO MUCH FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTIONS OUT THERE AND WE URGE YOU TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO ELECTION OFFICIALS AT THE STATE FORWARD OR YOUR COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ELECTIONS PROCESS.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF USEFUL INFORMATION ON OUR WEB SITE NCSBE.GOV.

AND NOW OPEN FOR QUESTIONS KEYS THAT THEY WILL GO TO THE PHONE LINES FIRST.

>> YEAH FOR REPORTERS ON THE LINE PRESS ONE AT THIS TIME TO ASK A QUESTION PRESS ONE TO ASK A QUESTION PLEASE.

FIRST QUESTION THIS MORNING WILL BE FROM COURTNEY AT WITN WELL COURTNEY GO AHEAD.

>> YES, MY QUESTION IS WITH ALL OF THE DOUBT THAT WE'VE HEARDAND SO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT ELECTION SECURITY ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME OK. AND WITH ALL OF THE DOUBT FOR ON ELECTION SECURITY WHAT DO YOU SAY TO REASSURE PEOPLE THAT WHENEVER THEY DO CAST THEIR BALLOT THAT IT IS COUNTED ACCURATELY.

>> AND THAT THERE IS THE PROPER SECURITY PROCESS REGARDING ELECTION PROCEDURE AND THE PROTECTION OF EVERYONE'S INDIVIDUAL VOTE.

>> REALLY GLAD YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND ARE METHODICAL IN WHAT WE DO AND HAVE BEEN FOR DECADES IN SECURING OUR ELECTIONS SINCE 2006 WE HAVE HAD STANDARDS IN PLACE REGARDING LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING THAT'S DONE ON EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF ELECTION EQUIPMENT AND BALLOT STYLE AND ALL THE COMPONENTS BEFORE THEY ARE DEPLOYED TO POLLING PLACES.

WE ALSO FOLLOWING EVERY ELECTION CONDUCT A POST-ELECTION AUDIT THAT INCLUDES A SAMPLE HAND I COUNT OF RANDOMLY SELECTED PRECINCTS IN VOTING SITE THAT RAIN OF SELECTION WILL HAPPEN ACTUALLY TOMORROW MORNING.

AT THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND IT WILL BE BIPARTISAN TEAMS THAT VERIFY THE ACCURACY OF THOSE MACHINES THROUGH THAT RANDOM SELECTION AND THEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL AUDITS THAT TAKE PLACE TO VERIFY AND VALIDATE THE ELECTIONS.

WE FURTHERMORE HAVE PUT IN PROCEDURES FOR CYBERSECURITY PROTECTION.

I'M WORKING WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS AS WELL AS OUR EXPERTS THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO MONITOR ANY ACTIVITY FROM CYBER INTERFERENCE WHICH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TO MITIGATE AND PREVENT AND AND THEN THERE'S JUST SO MANY PROCEDURES IN PLACE BY THOSE BIPARTISAN TEAMS THAT ARE ON THE SCENE CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS AT THE POLLING PLACE.

THEY FOLLOW CHAIN OF CUSTODY PROCEDURES.

UNIQUE SEALS FOR OUR MATERIALS.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE TO ENSURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE SECURE AND HAVE BEEN SECURE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE SO.

>> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM GEOFF MULVIHILL WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH FOR HOLDING THAT.

I'VE HEARD THAT THERE WAS SOME SERVE ISSUE WITH.

ONE OR MORE VOTING MACHINES IN MORGAN COUNTY AND THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST TO EXTEND VOTING TIME THERE AT THE MOST PRECINCTS.

I WONDERED IF THAT'S BEEN GRANTED AND IF THERE BEEN SIMILAR REQUEST AND WHERE ELSE IN THE STATE.

>> WE DID.

>> FIND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DELAYS AND OPENINGS IN A COUPLE OF COUNTIES THIS MORNING.

BUT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO CONFIRM WHETHER THAT.

PROHIBITED ANYONE FROM VOTING OR REQUIRES AN EXTENSION.

SO AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NOT.

WORKED WITH THE CHAIR OR THE STATE BOARD MEMBERS TO CALL A BOARD MEETING SAID THAT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED THAT THERE IS ANY REASON TO EXTEND VOTING AT THIS TIME.

>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM SAVANNAH RUDICEL WITH QUEEN CITY NEWS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH PERSONALLY FOR YOU MENTIONED TO ME ABOUT THE POST-ELECTION AUDIT STARTING TOMORROW FOR THE BIPARTISAN BOARD TO START HAND COUNTING.

I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW LONG AFTER THE ELECTION AND AUDIT PROCEDURES HAPPEN FROM THE STATE BOARD.

>> I BELIEVE I COULD UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

SO THE THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE IN PLACE ARE OUR BY STATUTE WE HAVE HAD THESE POST-ELECTION AUDIT.

TAKE PLACE SINCE 2006 WHEN WE CERTIFIED STATEWIDE VOTING EQUIPMENT.

THERE ARE THERE'S A PROCEDURE WE GO THROUGH TO RANDOMLY SELECT AND NOTIFY THE COUNTY'S OF THE SELECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THESE CAN BE ELECTION DAY PRECINCTS.

THEY CAN BE EARLY VOTING SITES OR THEY CAN BE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENTEE BY MAIL PRECINCT.

AND THEN AS PART OF THEIR CAMPUS PROCESS WHICH IS THE 10 DAY PERIOD FOLLOWING THE ELECTION WHEN THE COUNTY BOARDS.

RECONCILE AND CONDUCT THEIR AUDITS AND PROCEDURES TO.

CERTIFY THE ELECTION.

THAT'S WHEN THEY WILL CALL IN THEIR BIPARTISAN TEAMS DEPENDING ON WHICH SELECTIONS ARE MADE IT MAY BE A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS.

OR SOME HAVE FOUND THAT THEY WILL HAVE MULTIPLE DAYS OF COUNTING.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE LUCK OF THE DRAW.

>> REPORTERS MAY PRESS ONE ON THE PHONE KEY PAD AT THIS TIME IF THEY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU DIRECTOR BELL.

>> THANK YOU KEITH, I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE A QUESTION HERE IN THE ROOM.

THANK YOU FOR GOING TO THE MIC A LITTLE TOUGH FOR ME, BUT ANNA FROM ABC 11 SO WITH ALL OF THE DISTRUST THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WHAT OF ELECTIONS.

>> DO YOU FEEL THAT THE STAKES ARE EVEN HIGHER NOW TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS ACCURATE AND AND COMPLETELY PROTECTED FROM ANY TYPE OF FRAUD.

>> THE STAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HIGH AND TO HAVE WORKED IN ELECTION SINCE 2006.

I KNOW THE PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION OF THE COLLEAGUES THAT I HAVE AROUND THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

AND THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND BIPARTISAN TEAM MEMBERS.

WHEN I CAME ON AS STATE ELECTIONS DIRECTOR IN 2019 WE LAUNCHED OUR VOTER CONFIDENCE CAMPAIGN IN PART BECAUSE ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THAT DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT VOTERS KNOW THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS.

IN NORTH CAROLINA AND ALL THE PROCEDURES THAT WE FOLLOW IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT HAS NOT CHANGED WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT VOTERS KNOW THE STORY BEHIND WHAT HAPPENS IN ELECTIONS TO INCREASE OUR TRANSPARENCY.

THAT'S WHY NORTH CAROLINIANS WILL FIND THE MOST ROBUST DATA AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION ON OUR STATE BOARD WEBSITE AT ANY STATE ELECTIONS OFFICE IS MY UNDERSTANDING.

WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION AT NCSBE .GOV.

WE ALSO POST DAILY TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE FACTS BEHIND ELECTIONS AND WHAT IT TAKES TO TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

THE PROCEDURES THE METHODICAL AND SYSTEMATIC APPROACH THAT IT TAKES TO PUT TOGETHER AN ELECTION.

THE LOGISTICS THE TESTING THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES ON AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NORTH CAROLINIANS KNOW THAT AND WE THINK THAT THE TREMENDOUS TURNOUT THAT WE SAW IN 2020 THE TREMENDOUS TURNOUT THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS ELECTION WHICH IS GREATER THAN WHAT WE SAW IN 2018 THE TERMS IS INDICATIVE OF WHAT WE HOPE IS A NORTH CAROLINIANS THEIR FAITH AND TRUST IN ELECTION PROFESSIONALS CONDUCTING ELECTIONS FOR FOR THEM.

>> HELLO I'M JOSEPH HOLLOWAY CBS 17 COUPLE OF THINGS FIRST OF ALL WITH THE DELAYS AND OPENINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER DO WE KNOW WHICH COUNTIES THOSE WERE THE POTENTIALLY HAVE THOSE ISSUES.

>> THERE ARE 3 COUNTIES THAT WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A DELAY IN OPENING.

IT THOSE ARE GATES WARREN AND WILSON COUNTY.

>> GATES WARREN AND WHICH ONE WILSON OK GOT IT.

AND THEN IN TERMS OF JUST HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN RUNNING THIS MORNING.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THE LITTLE THINGS ARE TAKING CARE OF NOWADAYS WITH SO MUCH QUESTION ABOUT ELECTION SECURITY ENOUGH.

PEOPLE ARE ARE DELAYED ON GETTING INTO VOTES.

YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE WHO IMMEDIATELY JUMP THE GUN AND THINK OK I I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS ALL THE SUDDEN.

>> YOU KNOW WITH OVER 2600 POLLING PLACES OPENING THIS MORNING.

AND THE POSSIBILITY OF OF DELAYS AND 3 I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD BATTING AVERAGE.

BUT WE DO NOT DISMISS THAT AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING SURE TO DETERMINE WITH THOSE COUNTIES WHETHER THERE ARE ANY VOTERS TURNED AWAY WHETHER THEY MOVED TO EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE THAT WAS IN LINE TO VOTE WAS ABLE TO DO SO AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION THEN WE'LL WE'LL TURN TO OUR STATE BOARD AND TO ADVISE THEM WHETHER THERE WOULD BE NEED TO BE AN EXTENSION BUT AT THIS POINT WHAT I KNOW IS THAT THERE'S NOT A REASON FOR EXTENSION BAR STATE LAWS.

BUT YOU KNOW YOU RAISE A VERY GOOD POINT THERE ARE A LOT OF DOTTING OF THE I'S AND CROSSING OF THE T'S THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE PRINTED BALLOTS AT A TIME WHEN THERE'S A BALLOT OR PAPER SHORTAGE IN OUR COUNTRY.

BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO DO THAT AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE US A SUPPLY ISSUE WITH OUR BALLOTS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE POLL WORKERS AT MINIMUM 3 BUT IT OFTEN TAKES 10 TO 12, AT EVERY POLLING PLACE AND THOSE HAVE TO BE A BIPARTISAN TO HAVE TO BE PEOPLE OF NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY BUT OFTEN OF THAT PRECINCT DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR ROLE IS THAT'S OF CONCERTED EFFORT THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME IN PLANNING AND COORDINATION WITH THE POLITICAL PARTIES.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW OUR OUR COUNTY ELECTION DIRECTORS WERE SO MANY HATS THEY EVEN HAVE TO BE PROPERTY MANAGERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THOSE 2600 PLUS POLLING PLACES ARE AVAILABLE AND OPERATIONAL AND THAT THEIR ADA COMPLIANT.

IT IT IS A MAGNITUDE OF THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE CAN CAST THEIR BALLOT AND ENSURE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.

>> YOU BROUGHT UP SUCH A GOOD POINT I HAVE TO ASK ANOTHER QUESTION SO IN TERMS OF I'VE HEARD THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ESPECIALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

BEING SHORT ON POLL WORKERS.

WOULD YOU ADVISE PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY EVEN RUN INTO DELAYS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO TO THE TO THE VOTING BOOTH ARE GOING TO HAVE THOUGHT WOW IN THE EXTRA TIME.

>> I WISH I COULD SAY THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING LONG LINES TODAY BUT UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN WITH THE REALLY GOOD TURNOUT FOR A PRIMARY.

WE DON'T OFTEN SEE A TREMENDOUS TURNOUT AND PRIMARY SO I'M NOT ANTICIPATING LINES TODAY.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE.

>> IS ALWAYS A NEED FOR POLL WORKERS PEOPLE WILLING TO WORK.

THESE 14 PLUS HOUR DAYS, I'M NOT GOING TO.

HIDE THE DEMAND AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PRETTY DEMANDING POSITION.

BUT THE SERVICE THAT IT GIVES TO THE PEOPLE OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE IS TREMENDOUS AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE SAW IN 2020 WHEN MANY OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION HAVE BEEN OUR POLL WORKERS AND THEY WERE HESITANT TO SERVE.

WE LAUNCHED OUR DEMOCRACY HEROES CAMPAIGN AND THAT IS VERY PURPOSEFUL THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS WORK ARE HEROES AND THEY MADE IT HAPPEN.

AND MANY OF THOSE HAVE RETURNED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T YOU KNOW THEY ENJOYED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND AND TO GIVE THAT SERVICE AND THEY THEY ENJOYED THAT THEY WERE CARRYING ON A TRADITION THAT PERHAPS THEIR GRANDMOTHERS OR THERE THEIR UNCLES OR MOM AND DAD HAD HEAD.

STARTED SO MANY YEARS AGO AND NOW THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TO REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS.

LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED THERE IS A SIGN UP FORM ON NCSBE.GOV WHERE THEY CAN GO ALSO BUT I CAN I CAN SHARE FROM THE INTERACTION THAT I'VE HAD WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT POLL WORKERS THAT IS SOME OF THE MOST REWARDING WORK.

THAT THAT YOU COULD EVER DO.

YOU GET PAID A LITTLE BIT IT'S NEVER ENOUGH BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF PAY ASSOCIATED WITH IT BUT THE REAL REWARD IS THAT INTERACTION THAT THEY HAVE AND AND I ALSO WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW ELECTIONS WORK BEING RIGHT THERE IN THE THICK OF IT IS THE SURE FIRE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

KEITH I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM THE ROOM ARE THERE ANY MORE ON THE LINE.

>> REPORTERS ON THE LINE PRESS ONE IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION.

SEEING NOTHING FURTHER DIRECTOR.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME REMEMBER THE POLLS CLOSE AT 07:30PM BUT IF YOU ARE IN LINE AT THAT TIME THEN YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.

THANK YOU AND FOLLOW OUR HASHTAG #YOURVOTECOUNTSNC AND GET INFORMATION AT NCSBE.GOV.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.