North Carolina lawsuit cites virus to stop touch-screen voting

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The threat of hand-to-hand contamination from the new coronavirus while voting entered arguments in a lawsuit seeking to stop the use of touch-screen ballot-marking machines in North Carolina.

Lawyers for North Carolina voters and the state NAACP largely cited constitutional concerns Wednesday in their lawsuit demanding the machines from Election Systems & Software be barred from future elections.

The plaintiffs also say the touch-screen machines are inherently hazardous to use during the COVID-19 crisis because screens are smudged with fingers and hands.

The litigation comes as states figure how to conduct high-stakes elections this fall should the new coronavirus persist.