DOJ Accuses NC Election Board of Voting Law Violation \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Trump administration’s Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against North Carolina’s election board, alleging violations of federal law for failing to collect required identifying numbers from voter registration applicants. The DOJ seeks swift action ahead of the 2024 elections, citing concerns over election integrity and federal compliance.
Quick Looks
- DOJ sues NC election board over Help America Vote Act compliance.
- Allegation: Voter forms lacked clear instructions for ID numbers.
- Lawsuit seeks 30-day deadline to fix registration records.
- New Republican-led board more open to federal cooperation.
- GOP estimates over 225,000 records may be affected.
- Legal action follows Trump’s March executive order on election integrity.
- State previously declined to fix records ahead of 2024 election.
- Local elections in NC begin this September.
- Past court cases left questionable ballots in final counts.
Deep Look
In a significant escalation of federal oversight ahead of the 2024 election season, the Trump administration’s Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, alleging a long-standing failure to comply with federal voter registration laws.
At the heart of the dispute is the board’s alleged violation of the 2003 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) — a federal law designed to improve the integrity and accuracy of voter rolls. According to the lawsuit, the state failed to ensure that applicants for voter registration included essential identifying information, such as a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. For those without either, the state is required to assign a unique identifying number — a step the DOJ claims was not consistently followed.
The Justice Department argues that the issue stems from a flawed statewide voter registration form that did not clearly instruct applicants on these legal requirements. While the board revised the form in late 2023 following voter complaints, it declined to retroactively collect missing data from the roughly 225,000 potentially affected registrants — a decision that drew backlash from GOP officials and conservative legal groups.
“This failure to collect and maintain accurate identifying information undermines election security and federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. “Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud.”
The lawsuit calls on a federal judge to order immediate corrective action, including a 30-day window for the state to contact impacted voters, collect the required information, and update the statewide electronic voter registration system.
The litigation comes on the heels of a broader election integrity campaign launched by President Donald Trump, who in March issued an executive order aimed at “guarding against illegal voting, unlawful discrimination, and other forms of fraud, error, or suspicion.” This lawsuit is among the first major federal actions following that directive.
Notably, the state board acknowledged the issue in 2023 but declined to contact past registrants before the 2024 general election. Instead, board officials said they would collect identifying data on an ad hoc basis as voters showed up at polling places — a method the DOJ says is inadequate and noncompliant with federal mandates.
The state GOP and national Republican Party previously sued over the same issue, citing concerns it could impact more than 200,000 voter records. However, federal judges declined to impose changes close to the 2024 election. After Election Day, the matter was raised again in a high-profile legal challenge by Republican Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin, who argued that 60,000 ballots may have been cast by voters lacking proper identification records.
Although the election board later confirmed that roughly half of those voters had, in fact, provided the required information, the courts ultimately ruled that the ballots must be counted, and Griffin’s challenge was dismissed. Democrat Allison Riggs defeated Griffin by just 734 votes out of over 5.5 million cast — highlighting the razor-thin margins that have elevated procedural questions into high-stakes legal battles.
Adding further complexity, North Carolina’s election board composition changed this month, following a 2024 law passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly that shifted appointment powers from Democratic Governor Roy Cooper to Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek. The board, which had been led by a 3–2 Democratic majority, now holds a 3–2 Republican majority — a shift that could influence how the board responds to the DOJ’s legal demands.
Executive Director Sam Hayes, speaking on behalf of the new board, acknowledged the issue and signaled a more cooperative stance. “The failure to collect the information required by HAVA has been well documented. Rest assured that I am committed to bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law,” Hayes said.
Legal experts note that while the DOJ’s lawsuit is civil and not criminal, it places significant pressure on the state to act swiftly ahead of municipal elections set to begin in September. If a federal court grants the DOJ’s request for expedited action, North Carolina election officials could be tasked with rapidly contacting tens of thousands of voters to update registration records — a logistical and political challenge in a battleground state.
The broader implications of the case may extend beyond North Carolina, as the Trump administration continues to ramp up legal scrutiny of state-level election systems. It also reflects a shifting focus within the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, now aligned more closely with federal directives emphasizing voter roll integrity and fraud prevention.
For now, North Carolina faces mounting legal and administrative pressure to comply with federal election law — just months before voters return to the polls.
DOJ Accuses NC DOJ Accuses NC
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