NCGOP Opposes Proposed Expansion Of SBOE Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 20, 2020

Contact: Sasha Duncan
[email protected]
(919) 828-6423

RALEIGH, NC - Today, the North Carolina Republican Party filed public comments opposing an expansion of the  State Board of Elections authority because the Proposed Amendment is unnecessary, fails to follow proper administrative procedures, exceeds the statutory authority delegated to the Executive Director of the SBOE and is ambiguous.  Please see those comments here: https://www.nc.gop/sboe_opposition.    

As proposed, this Amendment would provide the unelected SBOE Executive Director with complete autonomy in deciding when a public health incident rises to such a level that he or she may exercise “emergency powers” to conduct an election outside the normal manner provided for by law. Of critical concern is the fact that these “emergency powers” are completely undefined. 

If changes to North Carolina’s election process are needed to accommodate health conditions and concerns going into the elections this fall, those changes should be addressed by the elected members of the General Assembly or by the State Board of Elections in a formal rulemaking process which utilizes proper notice and the opportunity for public input.   

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