For Immediate Release
Monday, June 29, 2026
Patriotic Millionaires’ statement on Columbus County Board of Election vote on early voting sites
“While we are relieved that members of the Columbus County Board of Election had the necessary change of heart needed to vote on record to keep at least four voting locations open, the fact remains that we should not be in this position to begin with.”
WHITEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA—Tonight, a majority of the Columbus County Board of Elections voted to keep four out of five early voting sites open, a departure from the Board’s original plan to close all but one of the sites in Whiteville. However, with two Board members voting to keep all five sites open, the Board was unable to come to a unanimous decision and the final decision now goes to state officials pursuant to a state statute.
Following the Board’s vote, Patriotic Millionaires North Carolina Director Jacob Brooks released the following statement:
“Today, the Columbus County Board of Elections could not make a unanimous decision regarding its early voting sites. Now the power rests in the hands of the State Board of Elections. While we are relieved that members of the Columbus County Board of Election had the necessary change of heart needed to vote on record to keep at least four voting locations open, the fact remains that we should not be in this position to begin with.
“The Board of Elections attempted to suppress thousands of voters in one of the most influential counties in North Carolina and got caught. That is because people in our communities showed up to meetings, knocked doors, made phone calls, and applied the necessary pressure to force the Board’s hand and abandon their original plan to close four, then two, and now just one of the five sites. This compromise is not guaranteed, however, as the State Board of Elections now gets to determine from Raleigh what will happen in Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Whiteville, Tabor City, and Riegelwood.
“While this isn’t the desired outcome, we celebrate all of the folks in our communities who chose to stand up for our shared democracy. We will continue to pay close attention about what they may consider next in their attempts to subvert the democratic process.”
For interview requests with Jacob Brooks or other members of the Patriotic Millionaires, please contact Jenna Grande at jenna@patrioticmillionaires.org or Emily McCloskey at emily@patrioticmillionaires.org.
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