Brunswick Beacon, 03.03.22
Voter intimidation, born of the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, has arrived in Brunswick County.
WECT News reported on the voter harassment of local, celebrated World War II veteran and centenarian John Sloan and his elderly wife, Eliza. Two white women identifying as “volunteers” checking “voter household records” were videoed on the Sloan’s Ring doorbell. The women interrogated Mrs. Sloan, demanded to see her husband, and intimidated their way inside. The Sloans, who are African-American, were deeply troubled by the confrontation.
The NC Board of Elections subsequently issued a press release confirming that election boards do not conduct door-to-door canvassing. However, voter vigilantes inspired by Trump have organized in 30 states, including NC, to engage in rogue canvassing efforts.
Enter Exhibit A, the Leland-based North Brunswick Republican Club. Their website features editorials by the Chairman of the Brunswick County Republican Party, and the club chairman recently posted on Facebook seeking canvassing volunteers. A post links to “NC America's Audit Force," part of a nationwide drive spearheaded by Mike Lindell.
Yes, local GOP officials are teaming up with the disgraced MyPillow guy, a Trump loyalist and rabid Big Lie promoter, to uncover phantom, massive voter fraud that every qualified government agency nationwide somehow missed. NC Audit Force touts their efforts to kick voters off the rolls and relitigate the last election.
The Justice Department warns that such vigilante canvassing can “cross the line and violate federal laws aimed at preventing voter intimidation."
The Brunswick County Democratic Party denounces these tactics and reminds citizens that they are not accountable to radicalized canvassers. Every American’s vote is private and sacred.
Although the Brunswick County Republican Party denies canvassing, officials in their ranks are doing just that. We call on Brunswick’s Republican Party to stop the GOP perpetrators of these misguided, unAmerican voter harassment efforts.
Shelley Allen
First Vice Chair
Brunswick County Democratic Party
Holden Beach