Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against North Carolina Over Voter Registration Practices
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a federal lawsuit against the state of North Carolina and its State Board of Elections for allegedly maintaining inaccurate voter registration lists, violating the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, highlights concerns over the elections board’s voter registration forms, which do not mandate the inclusion of a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. This issue has previously sparked legal disputes, including Republican-led efforts in 2024 regarding a contentious state Supreme Court election.
“Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly,” stated Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. The Justice Department’s action underscores its commitment to enforcing federal laws intended to preserve voting integrity.
North Carolina’s State Board of Elections executive director, Sam Hayes, acknowledged the suit, emphasizing his commitment to bringing the board in line with federal requirements. The lawsuit cites a March executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at protecting election integrity against illegal voting and fraud.
Notably, the lawsuit targets the state, the elections board, and its five board members, including Hayes, who assumed his role recently following a shift in the board’s political composition from a Democratic to a Republican majority.
The legal challenge follows a previous complaint by the Republican National Committee regarding 225,000 voter registrations associated with the same flawed registration form, which had been dismissed by courts. Concerns regarding the validity of these registrations re-emerged during recent elections, resulting in attempts to contest the legitimacy of thousands of votes.
The case is now assigned to U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003.
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