North Carolina’s State Board of Elections has announced the removal of 747,000 names from its voter registration list, a significant purge ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Officials stated that the majority of those removed were individuals deemed ineligible either due to moving within the state without updating their address or because they had not participated in the last two federal elections, placing them on inactive status.
The voter roll purge comes at a critical time as North Carolina is one of the key battleground states where President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will face off in the upcoming presidential election. Additionally, the state is home to a highly competitive gubernatorial race between Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein.
Other reasons for removal included personal requests, felony convictions, deaths, and out-of-state relocations. This large-scale clean-up of voter rolls follows a legal push by Republicans who had accused the state of failing to address complaints about ineligible voters. Critics from the Democratic Party had claimed that Republicans were using these lawsuits as excuses for their own fear of losing, but the recent purge suggests the GOP’s efforts have paid off.
A separate legal complaint filed by a Wake County resident also raised concerns about missing voter registration information, including driver’s license and Social Security numbers. This complaint added further pressure on state officials to address concerns about the integrity of North Carolina’s elections.
With around 7.7 million registered voters remaining, North Carolina will be a key state to watch in the 2024 presidential and gubernatorial races. The removal of nearly 750,000 voters is likely to fuel ongoing debates about voter eligibility and election integrity in the months ahead.
