In a recent press release, North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons has leveled serious accusations against the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE). Simmons charges the board with blatant partisanship, specifically aimed at preserving the political prospects of President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in the upcoming General Election.
“This board is yet again engaging in blatant partisanship, this time clearly aimed at preserving the political prospects of Democrats, specifically President Joe Biden in this state’s General Election,” Simmons stated.
The NCSBE has repeatedly taken actions that Simmons claims benefit Democrats at the expense of the state’s voters. He points to a previous incident in 2022 when national and state Democrats attempted to keep the Green Party off the ballot, fearing their presence would harm their candidate in the U.S. Senate race.
“It is apparent this board has not learned lessons from 2022, when national and state Democrats sought to keep the Green Party off the ballot over fear their presence would harm their candidate in the U.S. Senate contest,” Simmons noted.
In that instance, Judge Dever of the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled that the Green Party had met the required signature threshold and ordered the State Board to recognize them, even reprimanding the board for their actions and ordering them to pay the Green Party’s attorney fees. “Ultimately, Judge Dever in the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled that the Green Party had met the statutorily required signature threshold to become a new party and ordered the State Board to recognize them and place their candidates on the ballot,” Simmons recounted.
Simmons warns that the NCSBE is following a similar path this year, potentially leading to similar judicial reprimands. He insists that state statutes are clear: once the required number of verified voter signatures is met, the board must certify the application. Simmons asserts that the three new parties — the Constitution Party, Justice For All Party, and We The People Party — have all met this threshold. “State statutes are clear: Upon meeting the required number of verified voter signatures, this board is to certify their application… all three parties have clearly met the statutorily required signature threshold to be recognized under N.C.G.S. § 163-96,” he emphasized.
Despite this, the NCSBE has used objections filed by Democrats as “evidence” to deny certification of these parties. Simmons decries this approach as unfair and non-transparent, accusing the board of suffocating the rights and wishes of North Carolina’s voters. “The NCSBE used objections filed by Democrats as their ‘evidence’ to deny certifications,” Simmons pointed out. “In sum, this board has not acted in a fair or transparent manner and to the contrary, is suffocating the rights and wishes of our state’s voters.”
Adding to the gravity of the situation, Simmons highlighted that the NCSBE’s previous actions are under investigation by both state and federal lawmakers. This, he argues, should raise significant concerns about the board’s ethical and legal conduct. “The fact that your previous actions are under investigation from both State and Federal lawmakers should be of great concern that your actions have been at best unethical and at worst unlawful,” he warned.
Simmons concludes by calling on the NCSBE to certify all three parties at its upcoming July 9 meeting, emphasizing that the voters of the state should have the final say. “Chairman Simmons calls on the NCSBE to certify all three parties at its July 9 meeting and let the voters of the state have the final say,” the press release ended.
This press release exposes the ongoing tension between the NCSBE and the North Carolina Republican Party, highlighting significant concerns about partisanship and electoral fairness as the General Election approaches.