A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Hyde County Election Department in North Carolina on October 30, 2024. The request, sent by Outer Banks Times, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought detailed information about pre-election testing of voting machines.
In line with the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., we requested access to the elections voting machines pre-election test report in an electronic format, preferably PDF. The specific fields we asked for included the test date, machine manufacture, machine model number, and machine status indicating whether each machine passed or failed its test.
As a media organization, our role involves gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to such public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
The request aligns with our ongoing commitment to provide thorough coverage of local government affairs and promote transparency in election processes. We will continue to update our readers as more information becomes available.
