Election head dismisses Trump's advice to vote twice

WASHINGTON

Election officials in the state of North Carolina said Thursday it is against the law to vote more than once, a day after US President Donald Trump advised North Carolina residents to vote twice.

"It is illegal to vote twice in an election," head of North Carolina State Board of Elections Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement.

State law makes it a "Class I felony" for a voter "with intent to commit a fraud to register or vote at more than one precinct or more than one time ... in the same primary or election," according to the statement.

"Attempting to vote twice in an election or soliciting someone to do so also is a violation of North Carolina law," Brinson Bell said.

Trump asked supporters to test the mail-in voting system during an address in Wilmington.

"If you get the unsolicited ballots, send it in, and then go, make sure it counted. And if it doesn't tabulate, you vote. You just vote. And then if they tabulate it very late, which they shouldn't be doing, they'll see you voted, and so it won't count. So, send it in early, and then go and vote. And if it's not tabulated — you vote. And the vote is going to count," he said.

The president has repeatedly said that the mail-in voting system could pave the way for a "rigged" election and fraud.

"If a voter tries to check in who has already voted, they will be prevented from voting a regular ballot. A voter will be offered a provisional ballot if they insist on voting, and this ballot will be researched after Election Day to determine whether it should be counted," Brinson Bell said.

She warned that showing up Election Day at polls to check whether an absentee ballot is counted is not necessary and would lead to longer lines and the possibility of spreading the coronavirus.