This article in the Winston Salem Journal highlights the determination of number of early voting sites to reduce the high costs of operating multiple sites in low turnout elections. More sites = More costs and less money for election day. Trying to reduce the cost of elections in a tough economy and tight budget is not exactly evidence of racial discrimination.
During a teleconference Wednesday, the N.C. State Board of
Elections voted unanimously to deny Fleming El-Amin’s appeal to open two
additional early voting sites for the Winston-Salem primary election. Low voter turnout at previous Winston-Salem primary elections was
a key theme in the discussion by the five members of the state board,
which has a Republican majority.…Paul Foley, a Republican from Winston-Salem who serves on the state
board, said he attended the Forsyth County Board of Elections meeting
and had a good perspective on the request. He said only 297 voters
showed up for early voting at the 2009 municipal primary election, with
overall voter turnout at 3.66 percent.
…State board member Joshua Malcolm, a Democrat from Robeson County,
said the Forsyth County Board of Elections would not be out any money if
it offered additional sites since the city is responsible for the
election costs.“Wasting taxpayer money is wasting taxpayer money, regardless of where it’s coming from,” Foley argued….