Federal Monitors to Watch Tight North Carolina House Races

Federal election monitors are set to observe polling places in two competitive North Carolina House districts on Tuesday.

The State Board of Elections informed county officials on Friday that observers will be present in congressional districts 1 and 11. These monitors are expected to be trained staff members from the U.S. House of Representatives. They will be sent by members of a House committee that has jurisdiction over federal elections. Both districts feature close races for the U.S. House.

In the 1st District, incumbent Democrat Don Davis is running against Republican Laurie Buckhout. In the 11th District, Democrat Jamie Ager is challenging Republican state representative Jennifer Balkcom. Balkcom is the Republican nominee after incumbent Chuck Edwards withdrew from the race following a House Ethics Committee investigation.

The state board told local officials that federal law grants these observers broad access to election sites. This access includes any area where ballots are cast, processed, scanned, tabulated, canvassed, recounted, audited, or certified. It also covers pre and post election procedures. The number of House observers on the ground is not yet known.

The Department of Justice is also deploying its own monitors. These federal agents will work in Mecklenburg, Wake, and Alamance counties. This deployment is part of a plan to send 1,000 monitors nationwide. In Mecklenburg County, at least two DOJ observers may be stationed outside any of the 195 polling places. In Wake County, five monitors are expected. The specific locations for these agents have not been fully detailed.

Brooks Fuller, policy director for Common Cause North Carolina, said his group plans to watch the federal observers. He noted that the state has guidance stating that DOJ observers cannot be armed and that the federal government has no role at the polls. He expressed concern about potential voter intimidation, particularly given the recent presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the state.

Wisconsin Representative Bryan Steil, chairman of the Committee on House Administration, said Republicans are deploying dozens of staff nationwide. He stated that the balance of power in the House is at stake and that the committee wants eyes and ears on the ground in close races. The committee has a program that oversees districts with tight contests.

The DOJ has sent federal employees to observe voting sites since the 1970s. They are allowed to ask voters about their experience but cannot prevent anyone from voting or direct election officials. Voters may decline to answer questions from these monitors. The Election Protection Hotline is tracking any questionable behavior by federal observers.