North Carolina’s State Board of Elections has made a significant move by removing 747,000 voters from its rolls over the past 20 months. The announcement came in a press release on Thursday, drawing attention from both sides of the political spectrum as the state gears up for pivotal elections.
The board cited multiple reasons for the removals, including people moving within the state and not updating their address, not voting in the last two federal elections (which can trigger an inactive status), as well as deaths, felony convictions, out-of-state relocations, and personal requests to be removed from the voter list.
This massive voter roll clean-up arrives just weeks after North Carolina Republicans filed a lawsuit claiming the state had failed to address complaints about ineligible voters. A resident from Wake County raised concerns that voter registration forms didn’t include necessary information like driver’s license and Social Security numbers. The GOP lawsuit argued that this lapse put the integrity of the state’s elections at risk.
North Carolina, one of the critical swing states, could play a major role in the 2024 presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. While only Barack Obama managed to turn the state blue in 2008, recent polls show Harris is neck and neck with Trump.
The state is also a battleground for the governor’s office, with Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson facing off against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein. Both parties are keenly watching the voter roll changes, as every vote could be crucial in such a tight race.
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