North Carolina Must Act NOW to Fix Our Election System Before 2026 Mid-Terms

Urgent Reforms Needed in NC's Election System

North Carolina faces a critical moment in its election administration. With absentee-by-mail ballots for the 2026 Mid-Term Election set to be mailed in just over three months, the state’s election system requires immediate and substantial improvements. The current system, inherited by State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes, struggles with long-standing structural problems that have persisted regardless of political leadership. Without urgent reforms, these weaknesses threaten the integrity and reliability of upcoming elections.

The election system in North Carolina has fundamental flaws that prevent it from guaranteeing that each eligible voter casts only one ballot. The state still relies heavily on the honor system, which leaves room for errors and potential abuses. Two major issues demand immediate attention:

• Double Voting: The system currently allows a voter to cast more than one ballot in a single election. This loophole undermines the principle of one person, one vote and raises concerns about election fairness.

• Voter History Audit Failures: The audit process, which is supposed to verify that the number of ballots cast matches the number of voters who participated, often remains incomplete before election certification. There is a persistent and unexplained gap between ballots cast and voter participation records. Additionally, recent election participation records are disappearing from publicly available history files without explanation, reducing transparency.

These problems are not new, but they have not been adequately addressed. The consequences of ignoring them could be severe, especially as the 2026 Mid-Term Election approaches.

Executive Director Hayes has proposed several constructive recommendations aimed at fixing these issues. His suggestions include improving audit procedures, tightening controls to prevent double voting, and enhancing transparency in voter participation records. Unfortunately, many of these recommendations have been postponed until after the upcoming election cycle.

Delaying these critical fixes means the system will continue to operate with the same vulnerabilities during the 2026 Mid-Terms. This delay is effectively the same as choosing not to act, putting the integrity of the election at risk.

Election administration requires timely and decisive action. When necessary reforms are delayed, the system remains vulnerable to errors and potential manipulation. This pattern of postponement is not unique to election reforms; it is also evident in other legislative efforts such as the SAVE Act.

For North Carolina, the time to act is now. The state must allocate resources, build political will, and commit to reforms that transcend party lines. Without this commitment, the election system will continue to face challenges that erode public trust and the fundamental democratic principle of one voter, one ballot.

To ensure a fair and reliable election in 2026, North Carolina must:

• Complete Voter History Audits Before Certification: Audits must be thorough and finished before election results are certified to confirm that ballots cast match voter participation.

• Close Loopholes Allowing Double Voting: Implement stronger safeguards and verification processes to prevent any individual from voting more than once in the same election.

• Restore Transparency in Voter Participation Records: Ensure that all election participation data is publicly available and preserved to maintain accountability.

• Provide Adequate Funding and Resources: Election offices need sufficient funding to implement these reforms effectively and train staff accordingly.

• Encourage Bipartisan Cooperation: Election integrity is a shared responsibility. Leaders from all political backgrounds must work together to prioritize reforms over partisan interests.

Every eligible voter deserves confidence that their vote counts and that the election system protects their rights. Without reforms, the risk of errors and irregularities increases, which can discourage voter participation and damage trust in democratic processes.

The 2026 Mid-Term Election is a critical test for North Carolina’s election system. The decisions made now will shape the state’s ability to conduct fair, transparent, and trustworthy elections for years to come.

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