A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Scotland County Election Department in North Carolina on February 5, 2025. The request was made by South North Carolina News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The records requested under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., were primarily related to the upcoming election candidates. We asked for a list of all candidates running in the forthcoming election, with specific details including:
– Candidate’s first name
– Candidate’s middle name
– Candidate’s last name
– The office they are running for
– Jurisdiction of the office
– Party affiliation of the candidate
In addition to these details, we also requested contact information for each candidate. This included their address, phone number, and email address.
As a media organization, South North Carolina News believes in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Access to public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await a response from the Scotland County Election Department regarding this request.
