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State election officials are looking into reports that someone was outside an early voting site this morning in Goldsboro with a trailer displaying effigies of President Barack Obama and others, including a judge and law enforcement officials, hanging from a noose.
Rosemary Blizzard, Wayne County elections director, said she informed the State Board of Elections of the complaints. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department also was called.
The effigies were outside the Wayne County Public Library on Ash Street, an early voting site. Election workers have little jurisdiction beyond the buffer zone around voting sites.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s office confirmed that it had received a call about the incident, but its lead investigator, Maj. Tom Effler, said he referred the report to the State Board of Elections and that deputies did not respond to the call.
Gary Bartlett, state elections director, said his office is still trying to figure out what exactly happened.
“It’s intimidation and it’s uncalled for,” Bartlett said.
He said he has urged poll workers in Wayne County and around the state to report any questionable activities beyond the buffer zones.
