Activist plans to label voters with Hispanic names as suspicious

During a virtual meeting captured in a video obtained by CBS News, James Womack, the leader of an “election protection” activist group consisting of 1,800 volunteers in North Carolina, was recorded advising attendees to flag voters with “Hispanic-sounding last names” as one method to identify potentially suspicious registrations as they inspect voter rolls in preparation for the 2024 election.

Womack, who chairs the Republican Party in Lee County, North Carolina, emphasized the importance of scrutinizing registrations with Hispanic last names, stating that these could be indicative of suspicious voters, although he clarified that it does not automatically signify that they are illegal voters.

As the president and founder of the North Carolina Election Integrity Team, Womack leads a group primarily composed of retirees who work remotely from their computers to analyze public voting records. The team has compiled a list of various factors to recognize suspicious voters, a task they consider necessary due to perceived flaws in recent years’ voter information collection.

Contrary to Womack’s concerns, the North Carolina State Board of Elections asserts that their voter rolls adhere to federal and state regulations.

However, Womack contends that there are flaws in the voter lists, asserting the citizens’ right to access and analyze such information to identify potentially illegal or improperly registered individuals. His views align with former President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders who allege that significant numbers of undocumented immigrants are planning to cast ballots in the upcoming election, a claim contested by immigration advocates and election officials from various parties nationwide.

Juan Proaño, the CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, expressed skepticism regarding the notion that undocumented immigrants would risk registering and voting, dismissing it as a myth propagated to suppress and intimidate Latino voters.

Jeff Loperfido, chief counsel of voting rights at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, criticized the practice of singling out voters based on factors like Hispanic-sounding names, deeming it a tactic intended to sow fear and reduce voter turnout while creating chaos around election results.

Womack, on the other hand, maintains that his group operates within the bounds of the law, focusing on lawful investigation to ensure the integrity of legal citizens’ votes is preserved.

Womack’s organization in North Carolina is part of a broader national initiative named the Election Integrity Network, overseen by GOP election attorney Cleta Mitchell. Mitchell’s involvement in post-election activities in 2020, particularly the controversial phone call with Georgia’s secretary of state, stands out as a significant piece of the network’s background.

Despite facing criticism, Mitchell has continued to collaborate with activists like Womack to facilitate and coordinate activities such as poll monitoring, voter list analysis, and the challenging of individual voters.

In an email response to CBS, Mitchell commended Womack as a patriot and an exemplar of an American hero.

In the realm of legal battles surrounding election integrity, citizen activist groups, including Womack’s team, have lent support to numerous lawsuits challenging voter rolls across key states. Notably, the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, alleging the presence of potentially ineligible voters on the rolls due to missing mandatory registration information.

While the state board defends the maintenance of voter rolls and enables voters lacking specific information to vote with alternative identification, Loperfido’s analysis revealed that the RNC’s list of potentially ineligible voters disproportionately impacts Black and Brown individuals based on demographic data.

Carol Snow, a member of the NC Audit Force and self-described “election denier,” played a pivotal role in the RNC lawsuit by highlighting discrepancies in voter registrations. Snow’s efforts contributed to identifying voters missing crucial details like Social Security or driver’s license information, potentially rendering them ineligible under federal voting regulations.

Despite revelations linking Snow’s inquiries to the RNC’s lawsuit, she maintains that her interaction with the committee occurred after the lawsuit’s initiation, rejecting requests for further assistance. A recent ruling by a judge appointed by former President Trump dismissed a portion of the RNC’s claims, affirming compliance with federal election laws barring systematic voter removals within 90 days of an election.

Although state regulations prohibit mass removal of voters pre-election, election integrity activists are leveraging public voter records to identify individuals they consider “suspicious.” Womack’s group aims to compile lists of such voters who could be contested post-election but before certification.

Utilizing voter registration data, Womack outlined strategies for creating “suspicious voter lists” based on various criteria, not limited to Hispanic last names. The group’s preparations include thorough investigations into voters’ backgrounds, residency details, registration timelines, and absentee voter status.

While Womack assures that their focus is not solely on non-citizen voters, such factors contribute to evaluating vulnerabilities in registration lists. However, scrutinizing voters based on ethnicity or name characteristics raises ethical and legal concerns, as pointed out by Loperfido, who underscores the prohibition against racial targeting in state and federal laws.

Womack reiterated that his group’s actions adhere to legal protocols, indicating their willingness to challenge potentially ineligible voters through formal processes at county election boards across the state.

Despite pushback, Womack and his fellow activists remain steadfast in their pursuit of ensuring election integrity by identifying and addressing any irregularities they encounter, including discrepancies in voter information or registration status.

Given the ongoing legal battles and controversial methods employed by election integrity activists, the landscape surrounding the 2024 election in North Carolina continues to be fraught with tension and scrutiny, underscoring the significance of upholding transparency and fairness in the electoral process.