AP:

A  reconstituted North Carolina elections board received a private preview Thursday of what investigators uncovered in their probe of absentee ballot irregularities in the country’s last unresolved congressional race.

Chairman Bob Cordle said the new five-member State Board of Elections received a “full briefing” on findings in the 9th Congressional District race. The members met behind closed doors with attorneys and investigators for nearly four hours.

Cordle said the findings will be released publicly at a hearing Feb. 18. He said the board will vote at the hearing’s close on whether to certify the 9th District results, order a new election or take some other step….

Whatever decision the board makes could be superseded by the U.S. House, where Democrats in the charge of the chamber have suggested they may review the election no matter what action the state board takes. The U.S. Constitution says the House is the judge of the elections and qualifications of its members.