A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Surry County Election Department in North Carolina regarding the voting machines pre-election test report on October 30, 2024. The request was made by Yadkin Valley News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
In the request, we at Yadkin Valley News asked for records under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., preferably in electronic format. Specifically, we requested the elections voting machines pre-election test report in PDF format with specific fields including the test date, machine manufacture, machine model number, and machine status indicating whether it passed or failed.
As members of the media, we are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We will continue to provide updates on this matter as more information becomes available.
