Voters found on both N.C., S.C. rolls

Miscount, fraud possible as election officials not cross-checking lists

SCOTT DODD AND TED MELLNIK
Staff Writers

As many as 60,000 voters may be registered to cast ballots in both Carolinas -- and officials aren't checking.

That's one of the flaws discovered by a Charlotte Observer/WCNC 6News investigation of voter registration records in both states that could lead to miscounting or even voter fraud.

After the razor-tight 2000 election that was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, both presidential campaigns are keeping a close watch for voting irregularities this year.

The parties have poised teams of lawyers across the country to contest any problems with confusing ballots, intimidation or voting machines.

In the Carolinas, both parties will have hundreds of lawyers and volunteer observers at polling places, especially in the largest and most-contested precincts. After Florida, voters are familiar with butterfly ballots and hanging chads. But in some cases, observers will be watching whether the people who show up at the polls are really who they say they are, and eligible to vote.

'North Carolina has not faced the problems that we've seen in other states, but we can't take it for granted,' said Hampton Dellinger, former legal counsel to Gov. Mike Easley, who is helping coordinate the legal effort for the Democrats.

Elections are an inherently messy system, said UNC Charlotte political scientist Ted Arrington, but the kind of flaws that exist in every election will be hyper-scrutinized this year because everyone's on the lookout for problems.

Election officials in the Carolinas acknowledge the potential pitfalls but say they go to great lengths to prevent cheating.

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