Editorial: New 9th District election must prompt other much-needed reforms
Friday, Feb. 22, 2019 -- We're thankful for the persistence of the State Board of Elections staff - particularly amid the political manipulating by state legislative leaders that embroiled the agency in litigation - for its focus on its duty looking into allegations of election and ballot irregularities in the 9th Congressional District. This ordeal must open state lawmakers' eyes and prompt recognition that the hyper partisanship of today is a destructive force in a democracy. There are remedies that need to be taken seriously and acted upon.
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There is nothing more important in an election – no matter the outcome – than all voters having full confidence in the accuracy of the results.
It is unfortunate that for the last 104 days Republican candidate Mark Harris – and many in the state’s GOP establishment -- didn’t care about that for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District.
The testimony Harris and the rest of North Carolina heard this week was no different than the evidence and reports the state board’s investigators as well as news reporters had uncovered just a few weeks after the election.
Further, we hope and encourage U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon’s office to take a serious look at what happened here. It would be an opportunity to resurrect his office’s reputation after it failed to explore these problems when the state Board of Elections passed along worrisome findings two years ago.
We’re thankful for the persistence of the Board of Elections staff – particularly amid the political manipulating by state legislative leaders that embroiled the agency in litigation – for its focus on its duty.
This ordeal must open state lawmakers' eyes and prompt recognition that the hyper partisanship of today is a destructive force in a democracy.
There are remedies that need to be taken seriously and acted upon:
· Initiate a thorough examination of the rules and regulations concerning absentee voting, and other aspects of election administration.
The decision Thursday by the State Board of Elections isn’t a conclusion. But it is an opportunity to start much-needed reforms.
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