Federal Lawsuit Targets North Carolina for Election Integrity Violations
In a significant move underscoring the importance of election integrity, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a federal lawsuit against North Carolina and its State Board of Elections (NCSBE) for failing to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. The lawsuit calls into question North Carolina’s handling of voter registration, particularly regarding the omission of essential identification numbers.
The suit contends that North Carolina’s voter registration process did not adhere to HAVA’s requirement for including the last four digits of Social Security numbers or driver’s license numbers for newly registered voters. Jay DeLancy, executive director of the Voter Integrity Project, expressed hope that the DOJ would compel the state to "follow the law" and address the significant number of registrations lacking essential identifying information.
The controversy erupted when Carol Snow filed a complaint after noticing that the state’s voter registration form inaccurately labeled the provision of HAVA-required information as optional. In a November 2023 meeting, NCSBE acknowledged this violation and agreed to revamp the form but declined to reach out to over 200,000 voters whose records were incomplete.
DeLancy pointed out that while the NCSBE admitted its errors, it continued to accept applications without proper identification, raising concerns over voter legitimacy. Reports suggest that nearly half a million registered voters in North Carolina lack the requisite identification information.
The legal action adds to ongoing disputes over voter integrity in North Carolina, including previous issues linked to fictional registrations from organizations such as ACORN. As the state navigates these challenges, policymakers and election officials face mounting pressure to enhance compliance and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
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