North Carolina Finds 34,000 Dead Voters on Rolls Amid Election Oversight Shakeup

North Carolina’s voter rolls contained about 34,000 names of deceased individuals, the State Board of Elections (NCSBE) announced Monday. The discovery came during a routine cross-check with federal databases aimed at cleaning up voter registration records.

Sam Hayes, executive director of the NCSBE, acknowledged the number was higher than expected but framed the effort as an important step toward accurate voter rolls. “Our goal is to use every available and legal tool at our disposal to achieve the most accurate voter rolls possible,” Hayes said, emphasizing the “hard work” ahead to verify eligibility.

The process involves sending voters’ names, birthdates, and partial Social Security numbers to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which cross-references data with the Social Security Administration. The board stressed that finding deceased voters does not imply fraud but reflects ongoing list maintenance.

This update comes amid a significant restructuring of North Carolina’s election oversight. The General Assembly recently shifted authority over the State Board of Elections from the governor to the Office of the State Auditor (OSA). State Auditor Dave Boliek now appoints board members and oversees its budget, aiming to bolster effective management and public confidence.

Boliek praised the board’s quick action on voter roll cleanup, calling it “a core component of election integrity.” He underscored that maintaining accurate voter files is basic election management, not an optional task.

The state also recently adopted new rules for using the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to flag potential noncitizens on voter rolls. Counties must verify citizenship internally before challenging any voter, ensuring due process with notifications and hearings.

North Carolina’s efforts unfold amid a national debate over election policy and voter eligibility laws. The SAVE Act, federal legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, passed the U.S. House but remains stalled in the Senate. President Donald Trump recently urged Republicans to end the filibuster to pass the bill.

In North Carolina, the congressional delegation split sharply on the SAVE Act along party lines, with Republicans supporting the measure and Democrats opposing it.

This discovery of tens of thousands of deceased voters highlights the ongoing challenges states face in maintaining accurate voter rolls, a critical issue in the broader fight over election integrity and access. As North Carolina’s election system undergoes oversight changes, the pressure to ensure clean, secure elections is more urgent than ever.