Research Brief
Elections & Public Integrity
Elections & Public Integrity
We advocate for election and government integrity, investigate possible violations of election laws, and track threats to government integrity and to civilized public debate.
Elections & Public Integrity
Public comment on proposed absentee voting rules
The North Carolina State Board of Elections (SBE) has proposed a new section to absentee voting rules, specifically addressing how election officials should handle absentee ballots with deficiencies, such as…
Elections & Public Integrity
Performance audits and other additions reinforce elections bill
House Bill 958, Election Law Changes, appeared to be moving quickly through the General Assembly last year. It featured a host of election reforms, as seen in John Locke Foundation…
Elections & Public Integrity
Op-Ed: North Carolina and Virginia should declare a gerrymandering truce
This op-ed originally appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Greensboro News & Record. It is reprinted here with their permission. 2026 has become an unexpectedly fierce mid-decade continuation of…
Elections & Public Integrity
Public comment on proposed voter ID rules
The North Carolina State Board of Elections (SBE) has proposed changes to voter ID rules. I offered a public comment at an SBE hearing on June 9. The prepared text…
Elections & Public Integrity
Public comment on proposed election recount rules
The North Carolina State Board of Elections (SBE) has proposed changes to the recount process. I offered a public comment at an SBE hearing on June 8. The prepared text…
Elections & Public Integrity
Fixing the Jackson County early voting site problem
The Jackson County Board of Elections (BOE) failed to reach a unanimous agreement on early voting site locations for the 2026 general election. That means the North Carolina State Board…
Research Brief
Elections & Public Integrity
The General Assembly should consider leadership term limits
North Carolina’s General Assembly is unusually strong compared with the legislatures of other states. So, it is especially damaging when entrenched legislative leaders stymie legislation, including state budgets, as part…
Research Brief
Elections & Public Integrity
Make state and local governments more transparent
North Carolina has regressed on government transparency. The General Assembly has made itself functionally immune to the state’s public records law, and some local governments are skirting the open meetings…
Elections & Public Integrity
State Board of Elections proposes rules changes for absentee voting and voting sites
This is the second of a two-part series on proposed election rules changes. Part one covered proposed rules for recounts and voter ID. The North Carolina State Board of Elections…
Elections & Public Integrity
State Board of Elections proposes changes to recount, voter ID rules
This is the first of a two-part series on proposed election rules changes. Part two will cover proposed rules for absentee voting and voting sites. The North Carolina State Board…
Elections & Public Integrity
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice proposes judicial candidate speech reform
On May 5, I wrote how the North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct (CJC), as enforced by the Judicial Standards Commission, overly restricts the speech of judges and judicial candidates.…
Research Brief
Elections & Public Integrity
Let judicial candidates speak
State Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry, Wilkes) is challenging Justice Anita Earls for her seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Although the race will not determine control of the court…