The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) is facing a lawsuit from the Republican National Committee (RNC) over allegations of allowing non-citizens to vote by failing to require identification to prove citizenship. According to the lawsuit, approximately 225,000 voters did not provide the required identification information. The RNC and North Carolina Republican Party are accusing the NCSBE of violating the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and jeopardizing the integrity of the upcoming election. The RNC and NCGOP claim that the state board has a history of problems ensuring that voter rolls only include verified citizens.
The lawsuit alleges that election officials in North Carolina failed to take remedial action and did not reach out to the voters who did not provide the required identification information. Instead, they claim that the officials offered a “half-hearted promise” that those ineligible to register would filter themselves out of the voter rolls naturally. This alleged inaction has raised concerns among North Carolinians about the security of their elections. The lawsuit argues that the failure to follow the law and verify the eligibility of voters sends a message to qualified voters in the state that election officials are refusing to fulfill their responsibilities.
The RNC and NCGOP previously filed a lawsuit against the NCSBE for allegedly failing to check jury questionnaire responses to identify and remove non-citizens from the voter rolls. The complaint in that case states that despite legislation requiring state election officials to cross-check jury questionnaire responses to verify citizenship, officials have not started enforcing the law. The RNC and NCGOP have accused the state board of repeatedly failing to ensure the integrity of the election process and remove non-citizens from the voter rolls.
In a separate legal action, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has sued the North Carolina State Board of Elections for denying his request to remove his name from the state’s ballot before the upcoming election. Kennedy, who dropped out of the race and endorsed former President Trump, was unable to have his name removed from the ballot in North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The NCSBE decided to keep Kennedy’s name on the ballot in a 3-2 vote, citing the fact that nearly 2 million ballots had already been printed. Kennedy’s lawsuit adds to the challenges facing the NCSBE leading up to the election.
The RNC and NCGOP are committed to ensuring that the NCSBE follows the law, cleans the voter rolls, and protects the integrity of the vote in North Carolina. The ongoing legal challenges highlight concerns about the security of elections in the state and the importance of verifying the citizenship of voters. The lawsuits against the NCSBE come at a critical time, as North Carolina is set to begin mailing out ballots to eligible voters. The outcome of these legal actions could have significant implications for the upcoming election and the confidence of North Carolinians in the electoral process.
The lawsuits against the NCSBE reflect broader concerns about election integrity in North Carolina and across the country. With millions of voters relying on a fair and transparent electoral system, ensuring that only eligible citizens are allowed to participate in the voting process is critical. The legal battles between the RNC, NCGOP, and the NCSBE underscore the importance of upholding election laws, verifying the eligibility of voters, and protecting the fundamental principle that only Americans should decide American elections. As the legal proceedings unfold, the focus will remain on safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process in North Carolina and beyond.
