The GOP candidate in a disputed North Carolina congressional race said in an interview aired Friday that it was his decision to hire an operative who is now a person of interest in an investigation into how absentee ballots were handled. According to Harris, Dowless told him there was an absentee ballot program as well as a get-out-the-vote program he ran. Harris said Dowless told him he hired people who canvassed neighborhoods trying to encourage people to get involved by filling out an absentee ballot request form. Those workers would knock on the door and offer assistance with the ballot, including witnessing the ballot, he said. The state elections board has declined to certify the 9th District results this year in light of mail-in absentee ballot irregularities in Bladen County and other issues in Robeson County.

Source: ABC News December 15, 2018 02:03 UTC