Cooper administration says half of GOP's State Board of Elections nominees invalid

The state Republican Party will name new nominees for the State Board of Elections after Gov. Roy Cooper's office said two of its four initial choices aren't eligible for the board.

Francis X. Deluca and former state Sen. E.S. "Buck" Newton had been too recently involved in political groups to fit requirements of the new state law governing appointments, Cooper's office said in a letter Friday. His in-house counsel had the same read of the law the North Carolina Democratic Party did earlier in the week.

North Carolina Republican Party Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse said late Friday that party Chairman Robin Hayes had told staff to comply with Cooper's request.

The governor asked for two new nominees by Monday. The new board is slated to go into effect next Thursday, and Cooper will appoint two of four Republican nominees and three of four Democratic ones.

Update: The state GOP announced two replacement nominees over the weekend: Ken Raymond, who was on the previous State Board, and David Black, the former chairman of the Cabarrus County Board of Elections.