McCrory’s Desperate Election Complaints Dismissed by GOP-Controlled Boards
After GOP-controlled boards of elections in several counties dismiss McCrory’s frivolous complaints, it’s time for McCrory to concede
RALEIGH — Progress NC Action released the following statement in response to the dismissal of Pat McCrory’s elections complaints in several counties on Friday, including Durham, Orange, Wake, Mecklenburg, and Halifax:
“Pat McCrory’s refusal to concede his loss to Roy Cooper is getting more desperate by the day,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress NC Action. “When even Republican-controlled boards of elections are finding McCrory’s frivolous complaints and bogus accusations to be without merit, it’s time for McCrory to admit he lost fair and square. North Carolinians need to know who their next governor is, and Pat McCrory should do the right thing and accept the election results. Nobody likes a sore loser.”
McCrory’s only legitimate chance of winning this election at this point would be through the dwindling number of uncounted provisional ballots and / or a recount. But voting history clearly shows that provisional ballots almost always favor Democrats, and they are doing so again in 2016. Just today, Cooper gained 2,000 votes by provisional ballots in Wake County alone.
A look at recent history of provisional ballots counted after election day across NC shows:
2012 Lieutenant Governor: Dan Forest v. Linda Coleman
Election night difference: Forest +11,200
Final difference: Forest +6,858
Shift with provisional / late absentee ballots: 4,342 more votes for Coleman, the Democrat.
2004 Supt. of Public Instruction: June Atkinson v. Bill Fletcher
Election night difference: Atkinson +5,586
Final difference: Atkinson +8,535
Shift with provisional / late absentee ballots: 2,949 more votes to Atkinson, the Democrat.
2004 Agriculture Commissioner: Britt Cobb v. Steve Troxler
Election night difference: Troxler +6,507
Final difference: Troxler +2,287
Shift with provisional / late absentee ballots: 4,220 more votes to Cobb, the Democrat.
As for full ballot recounts in North Carolina, the state has conducted three Congressional recounts since the advent of electronic voting machines, and they have resulted miniscule changes in vote count.
2012: McIntyre v. Rouzer – 168K total votes, and only one vote changed with recount.
2010: Etheridge v. Ellmers – 190K total votes, and only 6 votes changed with recount.
2006: Kissell v. Hayes – 121K total votes, and only 2 votes changed with recount.
