A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Rowan County Election Department on October 30, 2024. The request, made by Rowan News, sought access to records related to pre-election testing of voting machines.
As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at Rowan News are seeking this information under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1. Specifically, we requested the pre-election test reports for election voting machines in an electronic format, preferably PDF.
The fields we are interested in include the test date, machine manufacture, machine model number, and machine status – whether it passed or failed. This information is crucial in ensuring transparency and accountability regarding the integrity of voting machines used in elections.
As a media outlet engaged in gathering and reporting news to the public, we believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have also requested a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await a response from the Rowan County Election Department and will continue our efforts to bring clarity and transparency about local government affairs to our readers.
