RALEIGH – The following is a statement from Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause NC, as the State Board of Elections prepares to meet Friday on certifying voting machines for use in the 2020 election.

“With the pivotal 2020 election approaching and North Carolina likely a battleground state, it’s crucial that the people of North Carolina have complete confidence in the transparency and security of our elections. All voting machines used in our state should ensure that voters are able to clearly verify who they voted for and be fully assured that their ballot is accurately counted. We urge the State Board of Elections to put transparency, accessibility and voter confidence in the integrity of our elections at the forefront of deciding which voting machines to certify for 2020 and beyond. In our view, hand-marked paper ballots are best able to meet those goals.”

Common Cause NC is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy.