A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Pender County Election Department on October 30, 2024. The request, sent by SE North Carolina News, a media organization committed to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, asked for records under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1.
The request specifically sought pre-election test reports for election voting machines in PDF format. The requested fields in the report included the test date, machine manufacturer, machine model number, and machine status indicating whether it passed or failed.
As a media organization, we at SE North Carolina News are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
The Pender County Election Department has yet to respond to this FOIA request.
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