State NAACP: Touch-Screen Voting Could Spread Virus

The North Carolina NAACP is asking a judge to bar the use of touch-screen voting machines in several counties for fear that they could contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

The group made the request to a Wake County judge this week, citing the pandemic as a reason to halt the use of the machines. They say the screens could be touched by many voters, which creates a risk of spreading the virus.

The Charlotte Observer reports that a state elections official says workers have been instructed about cleaning the devices.

In April, the NAACP filed a lawsuit against state and local elections directors seeking to stop the use of the touch-screen machines.

The civil rights organization says the machines have security risks that could make them vulnerable to hacking. They prefer hand-marked paper ballots instead.

The state's attorney general's office has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

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