Harris says he'll accept new 9th District election if substantial fraud found

Democrat McCready withdraws concession in 9th District race

Harris reiterated what his campaign attorney has said in one of the few public statements released since the election was thrown into question: That he was "absolutely unaware of any wrongdoing" in the race, that he is cooperating fully with investigators and that he will continue to do so.

The State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement voted last week, in a bipartisan decision, to investigate absentee ballot issues in the race. Investigators have focused on a Bladen County man, McCrae Dowless, who worked for Harris' election effort and has been accused of sending people door to door collecting absentee ballots in his area.

That's illegal because of the possibility of tampering.

Woman who collected absentee ballots in 9th Congressional District race says she feels duped

High percentages of absentee ballots voters requested in Bladen County and neighboring Robeson County were never returned to election offices to be counted. Authorities are investigating what happened to them, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, whose office is running a criminal investigation, said this week.

State elections board officials named Dowless "a person of interest" in its case Friday afternoon.

Harris said in his video that he hopes the state's investigation wraps up by certifying his election and sending him to Congress.

"However, if this investigation finds proof of illegal activity on either side to such a level that it could have changed the outcome of the election, then I would wholeheartedly support a new election to ensure all voters have confidence in the results," Harris said.