North Carolina: “A new 9th District congressional election — if called — would be a full do-over”; and Bill Would Resolve Dispute over State Elections Board

News and Observer:

A proposal that would require another primary in the 9th Congressional District if suspected absentee ballot fraud results in a new election won legislative approval Wednesday.

The requirement for a complete do-over in the 9th District is part of wide-ranging legislation that restructures the State Board of Elections and keeps information about campaign finance investigations secret….

If there is a new election, the voter ID law that the legislature passed last week would not be used.

The legislation also requires the state elections board to report on efforts to identify and investigate instances of potential absentee ballot harvesting, and report absentee ballot data and trends for the past five election cycles.

The bill also splits the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement into two agencies, returning them to their pre-2017 condition. The change is meant to resolve a long-running dispute between the Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

The legislature tried to tinker with Cooper’s appointment powers and board membership, but Cooper prevailed in court. The board of elections now has nine members: four Republicans, four Democrats and an unaffiliated voter. Under the proposed law, the board would shrink to five members, with no more than three from one party. The governor would appoint all members from nominees submitted by the Democratic and Republican parties.

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