N.C. State Board of Elections Appoints New Executive Director
Previous Director’s term plagued by constant controversy.
The newly appointed North Carolina State Board of Elections held its first meeting today and appointed Sam Hayes as the next Executive Director.
Hayes most recently served as the General Counsel to Speaker Destin Hall. He previously ran in the Republican Primary for Attorney General in 2022 and served in the State Treasurer’s office. Hayes graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law.
The previous Executive Director, Karen Brinson Bell’s term has been marked with constant controversy since she was first appointed in 2019.
In 2019, control of the State Board of Elections was seized by the Democrats, and they immediately fired the well-respected Executive Director in favor of Karen Brison Bell, who at the time worked for a ranked-choice voting advocacy group. Republican operatives have panned ranked choice voting as a scheme to elect Democrats in areas that favor Republicans.
In 2020, Karen Brinson Bell led the State Board into a collusive settlement with progressive groups, and then lied to the General Assembly about it.
In 2022, under her leadership the North Carolina State Board of Elections deniedballot access to progressive groups in a bid to help Democrat Cheri Beasly in her Senate campaign, in a move that was later overturned by a federal judge.
In 2024, the nonpartisan Fair Election Fund released a report that highlighted serious issues with election administration in North Carolina, especially in regard to voter registration list maintenance.
What they are saying:
Speaker Destin Hall said, “Sam Hayes will be an excellent Executive Director, who will follow the law as passed by the NC General Assembly. As General Counsel, Sam has demonstrated exceptional judgment, professionalism, and a deep commitment to public service. I am confident that his leadership will serve the citizens of our state with fairness and integrity.”
State Auditor Dave Boliek said, “Sam has the experience and integrity to properly manage the State Board of Elections. He’s worked across state agencies, and as an accomplished attorney, he brings a sharp legal mind to the table. With his background and dedication, I’m confident in his leadership capabilities to improve election management in North Carolina. This is a great hire.”
"The new State Board of Elections took swift action today and we look forward to working with the new leadership," said NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons. "Restoring confidence in the State Board of Elections will take time, but we are hopeful in the new direction that began today."
Tim’s Take: The controversy surrounding election administration in North Carolina will not stop with this new hire. Instead, legacy media outlets will go from secretly cheering on the progressives at the State Board of Elections to hyperbolic coverage of Republicans implementing administrative decisions that follow the law.