Nonpartisan National Election Organization Report Highlights Problems at NC State Board of Elections

Report shows significant issues undermining North Carolina voters’ confidence in elections.

The non-partisan public interest organization, The Fair Election Fund (FEF), released a detailed report highlighting several election administration issues with the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE), which undermines public confidence in election results.

Background: The Fair Election Fund first engaged in North Carolina election issues in June 2024, when the organization worked on behalf of the Justice for All party and Dr. Cornel West. The Democrat-controlled NCSBE initially denied ballot access, despite the Justice for All Party completing all the necessary requirements. The Fair Election Fund began advocating on behalf of this organization, which was denied access to the ballot, and a federal judge eventually overturned the decision.

Top-level overview

· The report relied on the criteria laid out in the Baker-Carter Commission of 2005 to address Americans' falling confidence in the election, which provided over 80 recommendations for sound elections.

• Overall, the FEF gave North Carolina a “C” overall grade in election administration. Here is how they ranked various aspects of North Carolina’s election administration in the report.

  • Impartial, Professional and Independent Election Administration: Grade C.

  • The Administration of Elections and Enforcement of Existing Laws: Grade D.

  • The Transparency of Electoral Process: Grade B-.

  • The Quality of Voter Registration Lists: Grade D-.

  • Leadership to Instill Confidence in Election Results: Grade B-.

Issues with North Carolina Elections highlighted in the report

• Several North Carolina candidates filed a consolidated election protest with the NCSBE that included thousands of invalid ballots, which the board ultimately dismissed and ignored. Examples include:

  • 60,273 ballots cast by registered voters whose voter registration database records contained neither a driver’s license number nor the last four digits of a Social Security number.

  • 266 ballots cast by overseas citizens who have not resided in North Carolina but whose parents or legal guardians were eligible North Carolina voters before leaving the United States

  • 240 ballots cast by voters who were serving a felony sentence as of Election Day

  • 156 ballots cast by voters who were deceased on Election Day

  • 572 ballots cast by voters whose registration was denied or removed.

• The Board failed to collect legally required information, like driver’s licenses or Social Security numbers, from more than 225,000 voters.

• North Carolina law requires that absentee ballots must be sealed in container-return envelopes, but in 2021, the NSBE issued guidance that suggested that absentee ballots did not need to be sealed in their container, but simply in an envelope.

• The report raised concerns about the exclusion of nonpartisan observers, highlighting that North Carolina law only allows for partisan observers.

• The report highlighted the NCSBE’s push for early voting plans while the second primary was underway. This shift in schedule was unprecedented compared to previous years.

• The report highlighted times when the State Senate raised questions about the organization’s leadership and the high amount of turnover among county-level election administrators.

Tim’s Take: This report shows the administrative challenge ahead for the newly appointed North Carolina Board of Elections. There are serious data issues that taint the results of North Carolina’s election that will require firm leadership from the Board of Elections to fix.