New congressional election is ordered in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s elections board Thursday ordered a new election in the nation’s last undecided congressional race after reviewing evidence that November’s vote was tainted by ballot fraud.
The State Board of Elections voted 5 to 0 in favor of a do-over in the 9th Congressional District but did not set a date. Board Chairman Bob Cordle cited “the corruption, the absolute mess with the absentee ballots.”
The board action came after Republican candidate Mark Harris, in a surprising turn, dropped his bid to be declared the winner and instead called for a new election.
He reversed course on the fourth day of a 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. “It’s become clear to me that the public’s confidence in the 9th District seat general election has been undermined to an extent that a new election is warranted.”
At the same time, Harris denied any knowledge of the illegal practices used by those working on his behalf.
Harris left the hearing room without answering questions. It was not clear whether he intended to run in a new election.
The Democrat in the race, Dan McCready, praised the board’s decision as “a great step forward for democracy in North Carolina.”
“From the moment the first vote was stolen in North Carolina, from the moment the first voice was silenced by election fraud, the people have deserved justice,” said McCready, a founder of a solar energy company.
The decision could leave the congressional seat empty for months, perhaps until the fall, board attorney Josh Lawson said. New primaries will be held in addition to a new general election, with the dates set by the elections board.
Harris’ reversal and the board’s decision averted the possibility of a drawn-out court battle. The move also spared the new Democratic leadership of the House from having to intervene.
Harris led McCready by 905 votes out of about 280,000 cast last fall.
But the state refused to certify the outcome as allegations surfaced that Harris political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless may have tampered with mail-in absentee ballots.
According to testimony and other findings detailed at the hearing, Dowless conducted an illegal “ballot harvesting” operation.
He and his assistants gathered up absentee ballots from voters by offering to put them in the mail.
Dowless’ workers testified that they were directed to collect blank or incomplete ballots, forge signatures on them and fill in votes for local candidates.