Trump DOJ sues North Carolina over ‘inaccurate’ voter registration rolls
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina State Board of Elections for allegedly failing to maintain an accurate voter list. The Trump administration claims that North Carolina is in violation of the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) due to a voter registration form that did not clearly indicate whether an applicant must provide a driver’s license number, the last four digits of their social security number, or a special identifying number if they have neither.
According to the lawsuit, a significant number of North Carolina voters were registered without providing the required information, and the defendants took limited actions to prevent further violations. The DOJ argues that accurate voter registration rolls are essential to ensure fair and fraud-free elections and will not hesitate to take legal action against jurisdictions that do not comply with federal voting laws.
The lawsuit also references President Donald Trump’s executive order on elections to prevent illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and errors. It highlights a previous issue raised by a voter in late 2023, where the board acknowledged the problem but failed to contact voters who had registered without the necessary information in time for the 2024 elections.
The DOJ is seeking a court order for the state to develop a plan to contact voters with incomplete records, obtain the required identifying information, and update the electronic voter list within 30 days. The lawsuit also mentions a previous legal challenge by the state and national GOP, estimating that around 225,000 registrants may have been affected by the lack of identifying numbers.
Following Election Day, formal protests were filed by a Republican candidate for the state Supreme Court, challenging approximately 65,500 ballots. The state election board confirmed that at least half of the challenged voters did provide identifying numbers, but the issue raised concerns about the handling of registration records.
Ultimately, Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs was certified as the winner over the Republican challenger by 734 votes. The composition of the state election board has since changed to reflect a new law approved by the GOP legislature, shifting the appointment powers to a Republican majority.
The new board appears open to addressing the DOJ’s concerns and bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law. Executive Director Sam Hayes has indicated a commitment to rectifying the failure to collect the required information under HAVA.
As local elections approach in September, the outcome of the DOJ’s lawsuit could have significant implications for voter registration and election procedures in North Carolina. The DOJ’s efforts to enforce federal voting laws and ensure the integrity of the electoral process will continue to be closely monitored.
