RightCount North Carolina Chair Pat McCrory Champions Election Integrity on First Day of Early Voting

RightCount North Carolina Chair and former Governor Pat McCrory recently spoke to students and community members at East Carolina University, delivering a strong message of confidence in the state’s election systems on the first day of early voting.

Featured in a recent article by The Reflector, McCrory joined the “Elections, Trust & Public Confidence” forum hosted by the ECU Center for Survey Research. Drawing on his own experience during the razor-thin 2016 gubernatorial race, McCrory explained why voters can trust the ballot-counting process and must reject the cynicism that threatens the foundation of the republic.

Here are a few key takeaways from Governor McCrory’s remarks:

• The Vote Count is Secure: Addressing concerns about election manipulation, McCrory was clear: “The elections are not rigged by the way we count the votes.” He noted that processes like mail-in voting have improved significantly over the last decade, and pointed out that North Carolina has taken strong legislative action to prohibit and penalize “ballot harvesting.”

• Trust the System: Reflecting on his 2016 defeat, which went to a recount before he ultimately conceded, McCrory likened the political process to football. A bad call at the end of the game doesn't mean the game is rigged. “Don’t put yourself in a position where you’ll lose because of one imperfection, because we’re an imperfect nation and always will be,” he said, noting that he conceded his race because the recount process had been carried out correctly.

• A Call for Civic Education: McCrory stressed that restoring public trust starts with education. Noting that a vast majority of the public, and even many political candidates, do not fully understand election mechanics, he suggested that every fifth-grade and senior class should visit their local elections board to see firsthand how the system works.

• Cynicism is the Enemy of Democracy: Echoing McCrory's sentiments, ECU professor and research center director Peter Francia reminded the audience of what is at stake: “Cynicism will destroy a democracy. If everybody doesn't trust the system and believed it was rigged, nobody would have a reason to vote.”

McCrory also urged the young audience to run for local offices like school boards and demanded greater transparency in political spending, noting the massive influx of hidden money in modern campaigns. He reminded attendees that the U.S. Constitution, while just words on paper, remains our strongest defense, but only if citizens actively participate in and defend the voting process.

Click here to read the full story from The Reflector.