Democrats and Republicans have nominated members for a reconstituted North Carolina elections board tasked with resolving the nation’s last undecided congressional election.
The new board will decide if Republican Mark Harris won the 9th Congressional District race in November or could order a new election because of absentee ballot irregularities in the district. Harris leads Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes.
The state parties’ leaders this week each provided four board nominees to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who makes appointments from those slates. There will be three Democrats and two Republicans on the board.
A new law created the five-member board, which begins Jan. 31. It succeeds a nine-member board that was struck down by a court as unconstitutional and ceased to exist in late December.
Missing from the Democrats’ nominees is Josh Malcolm, the chairman of the previous board. Malcolm said Thursday he decided it was best for the board and for him that he not serve. Malcolm was vice chairman in November when he made the motion not to certify 9th District results, citing the investigation. The Republican Party has been criticizing Malcolm since.
“I think I’ve done good work on the state board of elections and positioned them well to protect the ballot box,” Malcolm told The Charlotte Observer. He didn’t return a phone message Thursday from The Associated Press.
The Democrats’ slate of nominees includes previous members of the recent nine-member board in Stella Anderson, Bob Cordle and Valerie Johnson, along with former Wake County election board member Greg Flynn.
Republicans offered previous board member Stacy “Four” Eggers, along with Buck Newton, Francis De Luca and Eddie Woodhouse. Woodhouse also previously served on the Wake County board. Newton was the Republicans’ 2016 nominee for attorney general. De Luca used to lead the conservative-leaning Civitas Institute in Raleigh.
The state Democratic Party questioned Thursday whether the nominations of three Republicans — all but Eggers — complied with new state laws limiting some recent political activity by board members. State GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse wrote in a text he believed all four met the law’s requirement. The Woodhouses are cousins.
Cooper is reviewing the nominees and their eligibility, spokesman Ford Porter said.
A state judge this week refused to certify Harris the winner without a board present, saying the new board was best positioned to decide on the outcome. No date has been set on any investigatory hearing by the new board to consider evidence and question witnesses.
Related Stories
‹
Four-Term North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a Leader in Education Reform, Dies at 88Former Gov. Jim Hunt, a towering figure in North Carolina politics in the late 20th century who helped leaders from both major parties strive for public education reform, died Thursday at the age of 88.
Chapel Hill Educator, Historian and UNC Statistician Freddie Kiger Inducted Into Order of Longleaf PineMembers of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club surprised Freddie Kiger with his induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during its holiday party on Dec. 5.
North Carolina Gov. Stein Cancels Medicaid Rate Cuts Amid Legal and Legislative BattlesNorth Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein is canceling Medicaid reimbursement rate reductions he initiated over two months ago, preserving in the short term access to care for vulnerable patients.
French Manufacturer Shares Plans to Relocate U.S. Operations to HillsboroughGov. Josh Stein’s office shared the French manufacturing company CITEL is planning on relocating its U.S. business to Hillsborough and will invest $12.5 million in the project.
Federal Judges Uphold Several North Carolina US House Districts Drawn by RepublicansWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal judges on Thursday upheld several U.S. House districts that North Carolina Republicans drew in 2023 that helped the GOP gain additional seats the following year. They rejected accusations the lines unlawfully fractured and packed Black voters to weaken their voting power. The order by three judges — […]
On the Porch: Dr. Jim Crawford - October News RoundupThis Week:
Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Dr. Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from the University of North Carolina, he taught US and World History at several universities in the piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate.
North Carolina Adopts New Trump-Backed US House Districts Aimed at Gaining a Republican SeatWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders completed their remapping of the state’s U.S. House districts on Wednesday, intent on picking up one more seat to help President Donald Trump’s efforts to retain GOP control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections. The new boundaries approved by the […]
Democrats Look to Long Term as North Carolina GOP Redistricting Plan Seeks Another Seat for TrumpDemocrats rallied Tuesday against a new U.S. House map proposed by North Carolina Republicans that would likely reap another GOP seat.
North Carolina GOP’s Proposed Map Seeks to Thwart Democratic Incumbent’s ReelectionNorth Carolina's Republican legislators are offering a redrawn U.S. House district map to help the GOP retain control of Congress.
North Carolina Court: GOP Can Narrow Governor’s Appointment Powers on Some BoardsWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Decade-long political quarrels over legislative and executive powers in North Carolina advanced Wednesday as a state appeals court permitted the Republican-controlled General Assembly to chip away at the Democratic governor’s appointment authority for several key commissions. The judges also said lawmakers went too far remaking other boards. A […]
›
