N.C. orders new vote in tainted House race

North Carolina’s elections board Thursday ordered a new election in the nation’s last undecided congressional race after the Republican candidate conceded that his apparent victory was tainted by evidence of ballot-tampering by political operatives workin

State’s elections board acts after GOP candidate concedes ballot-tampering was possible factor in his apparent victory.

What happened

The State Board of Election’s vote came after GOP candidate Mark Harris, in a surprising turn, dropped his bid to be declared the winner and instead said he believes a new election should be held in the 9th Congressional District.

He reversed course on the fourth day of an election board hearing at which investigators and witnesses detailed evidence of ballot fraud by operatives on his payroll.

“Through the testimony I’ve listened to over the past three days, I believe a new election should be called,” Harris said. At the same time, Harris denied any knowledge of the illegal practices allegedly used by his operatives.

Background

Harris led Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes out of about 280,000 cast last fall in a mostly rural district along the southern edge of the state.

But the state refused to certify the election as allegations surfaced that Harris political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless may have tampered with mail-in ballots.

North Carolina’s elections director said this week that Dowless conducted an illegal “ballot-harvesting” operation while working for Harris.

Dowless’ workers in rural Bladen County testified they were directed to forge signatures, collect blank or incomplete ballots from voters, and even fill in votes for local candidates.

What’s next

The elections board voted 5-0 in favor of a do-over in the district but did not immediately set a date.

Harris left the hearing room without answering questions. It was not immediately clear whether he intends to run in a new election.

The decision Thursday could leave the seat empty for months.

The elections board’s attorney plans to review the laws on scheduling new primaries and a new general election and propose dates to the elections board for its approval.

“There’s no way that anybody has contemplated what’s next,” said North Carolina Republican Party executive director Dallas Woodhouse.

TRAVIS LONG / POOL VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES Mark Harris, the Republican candidate for Congress in North Carolina whose campaign is at the center of a fraud inquiry, called for a new election.