North Carolina’s State Board of Elections ordered local election boards Monday night to dismiss any election protest from Gov. Pat McCrory (R) that “merely disputes the eligibility of a voter.”
The dismissal follows election protests filed in 52 counties by the McCrory campaign alleging that ballots were cast by dead people, felons or voters who cast ballots in multiple states (even though it’s unlikely voter fraud is the reason behind any irregularities).
McCrory officially filed for a statewide recount on Nov. 22, after hinting that he would do so earlier this month. His opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper (D), declared victory over McCrory on Nov. 9.
“This is a devastating blow to the McCrory campaign and further evidence that there is no path to victory for Governor McCrory,” said Trey Nix, the campaign manager for Cooper for NC, in a statement. “Roy Cooper’s lead has grown to over 9,000 votes as Republican claims of voter fraud have been routinely rejected by members of their own party. It’s time for Governor McCrory to respect the will of the voters.”
County boards must continue to investigate claims surrounding possible violations of election law and allegations that would affect enough votes to alter the outcome of the race. Cooper is ahead by 9,700 votes as of Monday night, according to state election counts.
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