The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) for failing to maintain accurate voter lists, alleging violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The lawsuit claims that the state used a voter registration form that did not require essential identification, such as a driver's license or Social Security number, leading to numerous voters being added to the rolls without this information.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon emphasized the importance of accurate voter registration rolls to ensure fair elections, stating, "The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws" as reported by ABC11.
The lawsuit follows previous concerns about the accuracy of voter registrations in North Carolina. In response, Sam Hayes, the executive director of NCSBE, acknowledged the failure to collect required information and committed to bringing the state into compliance with federal law. Hayes stated, "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."
The lawsuit is part of broader efforts to ensure election integrity and address past shortcomings in voter registration processes in the state. The DOJ seeks a court order requiring North Carolina to develop a plan to update voter records with the necessary identifying information as detailed by Fox News. The case has been assigned to District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan, and the NCSBE is reviewing the complaint.