Kim Westbrook Strach will take over as director of the State Board of Elections on May 15. Josh Howard, a member from Wake County, will chair the board.

Gov. Pat McCroy has appointed two new members of the N.C. Utilities Commission and a new director for the commission's Public Staff.

The five new members of the State Board of Elections will have decisions to make about who will head the board's staff and whether a recently opened campaign finance investigation connected to top state leaders should continue.

The five new members of the State Board of Elections will have to make decisions about a campaign finance investigation involving donations to the governor by businesses in the video sweepstakes industry.