How an under-the-radar GOP official is shaping local voting plans in North Carolina

2026 ElectionHow an under-the-radar GOP official is shaping local voting plans in North CarolinaAfter Republicans shifted key election authorities to State Auditor Dave Boliek, Democrats and voting rights activists have criticized his involvement in early voting site discussions.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00A polling station in Charlotte, N.C., on March 3.Peter Zay / Anadolu via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 29, 2026, 5:00 AM EDTBy Jane C. TimmNorth Carolina county officials drawing up their early voting plans for this fall’s midterm elections are contending with a new power player this year: the state auditor.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.In the lame-duck period after the 2024 election, Republican legislators voted to strip incoming Democratic Gov. Josh Stein of his authority over the State Board of Elections and give it to the incoming state auditor, Dave Boliek, who had flipped the office for Republicans that year.Once an under-the-radar statewide position focused on monitoring state finances, the state auditor’s office is now taking an involved role in county-level election planning. Boliek and his staff are soliciting information and weighing in on counties’ early voting plans for the November general election, offering feedback and suggesting changes. The auditor’s office requests, revealed in public meetings, interviews with county officials and public records requests made by advocacy groups and shared with NBC News, have alarmed voting rights advocates and Democrats, who argue Boliek is going beyond his office’s authorities in ways that could boost the GOP in the battleground state.According to statute, Boliek is allowed to appoint members of the State Board of Elections, oversee its budget and appoint the chairs of county election boards. The State Board of Elections should otherwise operate independently, the new law says, handling matters...