A North Carolina county is banning Coca-Cola vending machines from its office buildings due to the company's politics.
Surry County commissioners sent a letter to Coca-Cola saying they were banning the machines in county-owned buildings due to the Atlanta-based company’s criticism of Georgia's new voting laws.
The commissioners voted 3-2 to ban the machines, according to WRAL.
"Millions of Americans believe that the last presidential election was not held in a fair manner and that more voter fraud will occur in the future if elections are not more closely monitored and regulated," wrote Eddie Harris, Surry County's longest-serving commissioner.
Harris, saying it was time someone spoke out against left-wing politics, told WXII 12 he hoped Surry County’s action will spread across North Carolina. He added the problem goes beyond Coke.
"Yes, we are trying to cancel Coca-Cola," Harris told WRAL. "To use their tactics against them."
Harris told WRAL the ban was a way to take a stand against "cancel culture," and the idea that progressives are trying to silence conservative voices.
In his letter, written under Surry County letterhead, Harris wrote the electoral process was "such a mess," which is why the country needs better election security and voter ID laws to make sure "the right people" are voting.
Harris told WRAL he accepted Joe Biden as president, but believed conservatives "have a right to know what goes on in their elections."
Harris said the response to the Coke boycott mostly has been positive.
At the moment, the Coke vending machines remain in Surry County office buildings. A spokesman for Coca-Cola Consolidated, a bottling company separate from Coca-Cola, said the company had reached out to commissioners in hopes of setting up a meeting to discuss the situation.
The New York Post reported it was not clear how many vending machines were in official Surry County buildings. The county has roughly 73,000 residents.
Surry County is located in the northwest section of North Carolina and borders Virginia.
In early April, eight Georgia Republican lawmakers said they wanted Coca-Cola products removed from their offices after the corporation spoke out against the state's new election law.
"Given Coke's choice to cave to the pressure of an out of control cancel culture, we respectfully request all Coca-Cola Company products be removed from our office suite immediately," the Republicans wrote in a letter to In a letter to the president of the Georgia Beverage Association.
"Should Coke choose to read the bill, share its true intentions and accept their role in the dissemination of mistruths, we would welcome a conversation to rebuild a working relationship."
Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey publicly attacked Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., for signing into law voting legislation Quincey declared as "unacceptable" and "a step backwards."
The legislation expands early voting opportunities, weekend early voting, and extends deadlines for absentee ballot requests. It also creates a state-wide voter ID absentee voting requirement, and restricts ballot drop box usage.
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