
North Carolina’s State Board of Elections has purged 747,000 voters from its registration rolls, a move that could impact the upcoming 2024 presidential and gubernatorial elections. According to officials, the majority of those removed were deemed ineligible due to failing to update their address or because they were marked as inactive after missing the last two federal elections.
North Carolina is a key battleground state where President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will compete for votes, and this large-scale voter roll clean-up comes after Republicans sued the state, accusing it of failing to address ineligible voters on its lists. While Democrats had initially dismissed the lawsuits as political maneuvering, the removal of nearly 750,000 voters now stands as a victory for those pushing for stricter voter roll maintenance.
The state board also cited other reasons for the removals, including felony convictions, deaths, and residents moving out of state. A separate lawsuit in Wake County brought attention to missing information on voter registration forms, such as driver’s license and Social Security numbers, raising further concerns about election integrity.
With a current voter count of around 7.7 million, North Carolina’s ability to maintain accurate voter rolls will be scrutinized as the 2024 elections draw closer. This recent purge is expected to intensify debates around voter eligibility and the role of election officials in ensuring fair and transparent voting processes.