NC Republicans retake control of State Board of Elections
Republican Auditor Dave Boliek tapped three Republicans to assume control of the State Board of Elections within hours of a new law taking effect on Thursday.
A three-judge panel on the North Carolina Court of Appeals allowed Republican Auditor Dave Boliek to oversee the State Board of Elections starting on Thursday.
Within hours of Boliek’s new appointment authority, the state Republican Party sent Boliek a list of four nominees. Boliek renewed the term of GOP elections board member Stacy Eggers. He also tapped former Civitas Institute president Francis De Luca and former GOP Sen. Bob Rucho to join the NCSBE. The lone nominee not chosen: NCSBE member Kevin Lewis of Nash County.
“Managing our elections is no small task,” Boliek said in a statement. “It takes time, dedication, and professionalism. We need full confidence in our elections, and I'd like to thank these individuals for their willingness to serve."
The NCSBE has long been controlled by Democrats, and North Carolina’s governor had long been able to appoint elections officials.
Both the state Republican Party and Democratic Party each get two members. Prior to Wednesday’s Court of Appeals order, Democratic Gov. Josh Stein was able to appoint a fifth member, thus giving the state elections board a 3-2 Democratic advantage.
Starting Thursday, however, Boliek was enabled to fill that tie-breaking fifth slot, thus giving the GOP a 3-2 advantage. And all 100 county elections boards could see a similar political shift toward conservatives starting June 25.
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