President suggests voters should attempt to cast ballot twice in interview with WECT’s Jon Evans

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday during his visit to Wilmington that people who vote by absentee ballot should “check their vote” by attempting to vote in person as well.

Trump spoke with WECT’s Jon Evans shortly after he arrived at Wilmington International Airport to designate Wilmington as the nation’s first World War II Heritage City.

It is illegal to vote more than once in an election.

“They will vote and then they are going to have to check their vote by going to the poll and voting that way because if it tabulates then they won’t be able to do that. So, let them send it in and let them go vote,” Trump said.

North Carolina has a system to track a voter’s ballot from the moment it is requested to when it is received by the Board of Elections.

“And if the system is as good as they say it is, then they obviously won’t be able to vote (at the poll). If it isn’t tabulated, they will be able to vote. So that’s the way it is, and that’s what they should do,” Trump said.

In North Carolina’s voting system, a voter who mailed in his or her ballot would be recorded as having voted and would not be allowed to cast a ballot on Election Day.

“But send your ballots, send them in strong, whether it’s solicited or unsolicited. The absentees are fine. But go to vote and if they haven’t counted it, you can vote. That’s the way I view it,” Trump said.

EVANS: What makes today such a special event for you to make the trip?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “We’re honoring great heroes, including Congressional Medal of Honor winners. One of them, Woody, is 97 years and he’s sharp as a tack. I look at Woody—97 and he’s 100 percent...really amazing.”

Wilmington has done a good job preserving its World War II history. For it to be named the first World War II Heritage City is a big honor.

“It’s a big deal. It’s a big thing. It’s an honor. You have a lot of television, a lot of media there. I’m going, as you know, to the battleship. The great Battleship North Carolina. I saw a picture of it on the plane coming in. There are plenty of televisions on that plane. It was a picture of it sailing. They don’t build them like that anymore. I have to say that is one beautiful ship.”

What do you have to do to win North Carolina again in 2020?

“Well, I think we’re winning. For one thing, I have a granddaughter who was just named Carolina, which helps. I think we can say without question you had the best year you’ve ever had in the economy last year.

“We had to close it up. We saved millions of lives. We’re now back to a V. Everyone said it couldn’t be a V but it’s more than a V, it’s a super V.

“Jobs are coming back—nine million last quarter a record in the history of our country. It’s all coming back and this state in particular is doing very well.”

600,000 people could vote by absentee in this state. Are you confident in that system?

“They will vote and then they are going to have to check their vote by going to the poll and voting that way because if it tabulates then they won’t be able to do that. So let them send it in, and let them go vote. And if the system is as good as they say it is, then they obviously won’t be able to vote (at the poll). If it isn’t tabulated, they will be able to vote. So that’s the way it is, and that’s what they should do.

“I don’t like the idea of these unsolicited votes. I never did. It leads to a lot of problems. They’ve got 11 problems already on very small contests. I’m not happy about it. At the same time, we’re in court with a lot of it. We’re going to see if it can be stopped.

“But send your ballots, send them in strong, whether it’s solicited or unsolicited. The absentees are fine. But go to vote and if they haven’t counted it, you can vote. That’s the way I view it.”

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