Mythbuster Archive

Listen to Reality, Not Rumors

The State Board of Elections started a series of social media posts focused on debunking popular myths in North Carolina elections and elections at large. Misinformation can lead to confusion and damage the public’s trust in elections. Through these posts, the State Board aims to educate the public and serve as a trusted source of election information.

The posts below start with the most recent and will be updated as new posts are published each Monday. To view our mythbusting posts and much more, follow the State Board on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Have a question you’d like answered or a myth you want to see debunked? Email the State Board at misinformation@ncsbe.gov.

For more detail regarding the effort to stop the spread of mis- and disinformation, visit Combating Misinformation.

16. April 12, 2021

💯 Reality: If you leave a contest blank on your ballot, a vote will not be recorded for that contest ONLY.
😈 Rumor: If I don’t vote in each contest, my ballot won’t be counted.#ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC #TrustedInfo pic.twitter.com/AA12Axd9Ys

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) April 12, 2021

15. April 5, 2021

💯Reality: By North Carolina law, in-person early voting is "absentee" voting, as you voted "absent" of Election Day.
😈Rumor: I voted early in person, but it's wrongly showing up as absentee on my voter record. #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC #TrustedInfo pic.twitter.com/F59fgQBf8D

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) April 5, 2021

14. March 29, 2021 

💯Reality: Under state law, voting equipment may not be connected to the internet or use wireless access, limiting the possibility of outside interference. Learn more: https://t.co/urIcVb13jU
😈Rumor: Voting systems are vulnerable and easy to hack. #YourVoteCountsNC #TrustedInfo

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) March 29, 2021

13. March 22, 2021

Reality: When you are convicted of a misdemeanor in NC, you do not lose your right to vote, even if you are incarcerated. Incarcerated voters who committed a misdemeanor may cast an absentee ballot.
Rumor: If you are arrested for a misdemeanor, you lose your right to vote. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/THVIgF6sdP

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) March 22, 2021

12. March 15, 2021

Reality: You can only file for one office for an election. For more information, visit: https://t.co/gBAIx0meed
Rumor: You can file for more than one office for a single election. #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC #TrustedInfo pic.twitter.com/OcsLSm80k2

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) March 15, 2021

11. March 8, 2021

💯 Reality: The Investigations Division at @NCSBE investigates potential election law violations and refers cases to prosecutors when warranted by evidence.
😈 Rumor: There’s no way to detect or investigate voter fraud. #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC #TrustedInfo

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) March 8, 2021

10. March 1, 2021

💯 Reality: Election night, vote counting stops when there are no more votes to count. By-mail ballots that arrive after Election Day and provisional ballots are counted over the next few days.
😈 Rumor: Counting stops on election night when the results are disliked. #ncpol

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) March 1, 2021

9. Feb. 22, 2021

Reality: After each census and sometimes after court orders, redistricting changes voters' election districts. For updated districts, visit: https://t.co/fn7XBtTzXo

Rumor: I was wrongfully assigned a new district or representative, but I didn’t move.#ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC pic.twitter.com/rO9Vyevr36

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) February 22, 2021

8. Feb. 15, 2021

💯 Reality: Voter registration data is available publicly through https://t.co/7B1ttFJbJV. This data does not include who you voted for, your date of birth, etc.

😈 Rumor: Someone possessing or posting voter registration data means voter registration databases have been hacked.

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) February 15, 2021

7. Feb. 8, 2021

Reality: NC registrants weren't required to provide their date of birth until the 90s. As a result, election officials would issue a temporary placeholder when the birth date was unknown (1/1/1900 or 1/1/1901.)

Rumor: Votes are fraudulently being cast by 120-year-olds.#ncpol pic.twitter.com/pypZtLU1Mb

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) February 8, 2021

6. Feb. 1, 2021

😈 Rumor: My vote doesn’t matter.
💯 Reality: Your vote does matter. Elections are decided by those who show up. Municipal elections, which can be decided by one vote, take place this fall throughout NC.

Register now: https://t.co/KKX15Eq1xj#YourVoteCountsNC #ncpol

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) February 1, 2021

5. Jan. 25, 2021

Rumor: If election night results change over the ensuing days, the process is hacked or compromised, so I can’t trust the results.

Reality: Provisional ballots and absentee ballots received after Election Day but postmarked by Election Day may be added later.#ncpol pic.twitter.com/0ZJ697rK4S

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) January 25, 2021

4. Jan. 4, 2021

Rumor: My Election Day vote didn't count because it's not showing up on my voter history.

Reality: As soon as you put your ballot in the tabulator, your vote was counted. The uploading of voter history data can take weeks but is now complete. #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC pic.twitter.com/CZQT3AJ7fA

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) January 4, 2021

3. Dec. 14, 2020

Rumor: North Carolina's voting machines are connected to the internet.

Reality: By state law, voting machines may not be connected to the internet, limiting the possibility of cyber interference. #MythbusterMonday #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC pic.twitter.com/Pc38YZzN8U

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) December 14, 2020

2. Dec. 7, 2020

👿 Rumor: Absentee votes are only counted if a race is close.
💯 Reality: In the U.S. all votes are counted, regardless of method – no matter how close the race.#MythbusterMonday #ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) December 7, 2020

1. Nov. 30, 2020

Rumor: In-person early voting is incorrectly showing up on my voter record as “absentee.”

Reality: In NC, ballots cast during the early voting period are considered “absentee in person.” Learn more about your voter record: https://t.co/YzCSmKIhnZ#ncpol #YourVoteCountsNC pic.twitter.com/vASqjgtQvb

— NCSBE (@NCSBE) November 30, 2020