(The Center Square) – New leadership is in place for the North Carolina State Board of Elections, with Republican Francis DeLuca voted chairman and Sam Hayes its executive director.
The board’s new membership of Republicans Stacy Eggers, Bob Rucho and DeLuca and Democrats Siobhan Millen and Jeff Carmon met for the first time Wednesday morning in Raleigh. A majority of the party not connected to the governor is a change through enactment of a 2024 law tied to Hurricane Helene relief, changing appointment authority to the state auditor.
First-term Republican Dave Boliek, after litigation decisions, announced members of the board last week. Judge Jeff Carpenter opened the meeting by administering oaths.
DeLuca said he was grateful for the opportunity. He said the board would follow the law and “make sure there is trust in the election system.”
DeLuca is former president of the Civitas Institute, retired as a colonel from the U.S. Marines, and is a former member of the State Ethics Commission.
Eggars was elected secretary.
The board went into closed session minutes after electing the two internal leadership positions. The purpose was for personnel – a new executive director was expected to be named replacing Karen Brinson Bell – and to discuss lawsuits. According to information provided by the board, 28 lawsuits are considered current.
The board was in closed session for 57 minutes. When it emerged, it new of the concession of Judge Jefferson Griffin to Judge Allison Riggs in the state Supreme Court race.
Its only action was to name Hayes the executive director succeeding Karen Brinson Bell. The term is for two years. The vote was party line 3-2.
Disaster Relief-3/Budget/Various Law Changes, known also as Senate Bill 382 in the 2023-24 Legislature, was controversial. The 132-page document included 13 pages on Hurricane Helene relief worth $252 million, and the rest dove into authority changes including moving elections board appointment authority from the governor to the auditor.
An override of then-Gov. Roy Cooper was successful in both chambers.
Litigation ensued. A three-judge panel from the state Court of Appeals unanimously blocked a lower court’s ruling that favored Democratic Gov. Josh Stein retaining the appointment authority. Boliek followed a day later with the choices.
