The North Carolina State Board of Elections has significantly updated its efforts in maintaining a secure and efficient electoral system since Sam Hayes took the helm as Executive Director six months ago. According to a recent press release by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Hayes' tenure has already yielded a number of critical improvements to the state's election-related operations, from voter registration to technology modernization and agency restructuring.
One significant move under Hayes was the launch of the Registration Repair Project on July 17, designed to collect necessary identification numbers from registered voters who might be missing this information in the statewide database. "We are very proud of the accomplishments we have worked towards achieving in these first six months and we look ahead to the next six months with great enthusiasm. We have many projects to tackle," Hayes optimistically stated in the press release by the North Carolina State Board of Election. Notably, during this initiative, no voters were forcibly to be stricken from the rolls.
Also of note is the legal settlement that occurred on September 9 in the case United States of America v. North Carolina State Board of Elections. The settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledged the Registration Repair Project as the state's compliance method with federal and state voter registration laws while aiming to minimize voter inconvenience, as indicated by the State Board, which unanimously approved the project in June.
The SEIMS system, an outdated tool instrumental for diverse election aspects such as registration, is finally on track for a revamp. The Board issued a request for input, understood to ultimately lead to a new, supported system that will replace the current outdated one by 2027. To further the reach of civic engagement, they also set up a special webpage at ncsbe.gov/rfi, where the public can make their opinions known up until November 30. This step is seen as pivotal in ensuring that the technologies used in managing North Carolina’s elections are robust and reliable.
The efficacy of these upgrades was put to the test during the recent municipal elections on November 4, with no major incidents reported for the 88 counties and 447 municipalities that participated. Voter turnout was energetic, with a more than 19% participation rate out of the eligible voters.
On the agency's internal side, Hayes and Chief of Staff Brian LiVecchi have kicked off a reorganization aimed at streamlining workflow and reinforcing leadership structures. This reorganization includes key leadership appointments and promotions in several pivotal areas such as General Counsel, Communications, Elections Administration, Campaign Finance, and Legislative Affairs.
