Trump urges North Carolina supporters to vote twice, which is a felony, as is urging someone to vote twice
Impeached and increasingly erratic U.S. President Donald Trump urged residents in the politically hot state of North Carolina to attempt to vote twice in the November 3 election, once by mail and then a second time, in person.
"Let them send it in and let them go vote," Trump said during an interview Wednesday with WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina.
"And if the system is as good as they say it is then obviously they won't be able to vote" in person.
Trump's statement, which was of course followed by similar craziness on Twitter, caused widespread outrage and responses from state officials, because he appears to be inciting an act of voter fraud.
Trump again urged his supporters to vote early by mail and then follow up by attempting to vote in person, however.
....after you Vote, which it should not, that Ballot will not be used or counted in that your vote has already been cast & tabulated. YOU ARE NOW ASSURED THAT YOUR PRECIOUS VOTE HAS BEEN COUNTED, it hasn't been "lost, thrown out, or in any way destroyed". GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020
Here is the content of the tweets, in case they're removed.
Based on the massive number of Unsolicited & Solicited Ballots that will be sent to potential Voters for the upcoming 2020 Election, & in order for you to MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS & IS COUNTED, SIGN & MAIL IN your Ballot as EARLY as possible. On Election Day, or Early Voting,..
....go to your Polling Place to see whether or not your Mail In Vote has been Tabulated (Counted). If it has you will not be able to Vote & the Mail In System worked properly. If it has not been Counted, VOTE (which is a citizen's right to do). If your Mail In Ballot arrives....
....after you Vote, which it should not, that Ballot will not be used or counted in that your vote has already been cast & tabulated. YOU ARE NOW ASSURED THAT YOUR PRECIOUS VOTE HAS BEEN COUNTED, it hasn't been "lost, thrown out, or in any way destroyed". GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
North Carolina lawmakers responded on Twitter. Here is NC Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat.
Today, President Trump outrageously encouraged NCians to break the law in order to help him sow chaos in our election. Make sure you vote, but do NOT vote twice! I will do everything in my power to make sure the will of the people is upheld in November.
- Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) September 2, 2020
Voting twice is a felony in North Carolina.
When a President urges voters to vote twice? That is also a felony.
From Reuters:
Trump has repeatedly asserted, without evidence, that mail-in voting - expanded by some states because of the coronavirus pandemic - would increase fraud and disrupt the November election, although experts say voter fraud of any kind is extremely rare in the United States.
Voting more than once in an election is illegal and in some states, including North Carolina, it is a felony not only to vote more than once but also to induce another to do so.
More at Reuters: Trump encourages supporters to try to vote twice, sparking uproar