CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Trump is coming under scrutiny today over his latest comments on the election system, after insinuating his supporters should attempt to vote twice - by absentee and in-person - as a means of testing the system.
“Let them send it in, and let them go vote, and if their system’s as good as they say it is then obviously they won't be able to vote,” President Trump said.
The comment has received backlash from political experts and officials in the state.
“I think a lot of people are mystified by what the president was attempting to do, and what his actual intent was,” said Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College.
Bitzer said he believes the intent doesn’t matter.
“Honestly, it was an irresponsible statement that is only going to gen up further confusion among NC voters,” Bitzer said.
In North Carolina, attempting to vote twice is a felony.
“This can bring criminal charges,” Bitzer said.
Bitzer said if anyone does try election officials will know.
“There is a record of a voter having received the ballot, and then also returning the ballot," Bitzer said.
If a person also shows up to vote in person, Bitzer says poll workers will see they’ve already voted.
"After the election, they can see if there were any attempts by voters during the audit phase," Bitzer said.
Bitzer said if there is found to be intent to vote twice, you could lose your right to vote.
“If you are charged with a felony until you regain your citizenship rights of voting, you are disqualified from voting in North Carolina,” Bitzer said.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections sent out a tweet Thursday asserting to voters that not only is it illegal to vote twice, trying to convince someone to vote twice is illegal too.
North Carolina attorney general Josh Stein also condemned the president's suggestion.
"It was wrong for the president to tell people to do so," Stein said. "It's frankly incredibly discouraging the way he is trying to scare people away from vote by mail, which is an entirely legitimate way for people to cast a ballot."