In the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling, the North Carolina Republican Party is withdrawing nominations it made in April to the combined State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. NCGOP General Counsel Thomas Stark sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday to tell him the party “rescinds its pending nomination” because “the Governor no longer has authority to appoint to this board until further action by the General Assembly or the trial court.”
The North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the law that created a new ethics and elections board with an even split between political parties, and a lower court is expected to issue a more detailed order later this month. Legislators have said they might try to pass legislation on the topic that would comply with the ruling.
“It is disappointing that an effort to make the mechanism for North Carolina elections less partisan has resulted in partisan litigation,” Stark wrote to Cooper. “The North Carolina Republican Party is available for consultation if constructive dialogue can be undertaken.”
Full Article: Elections board lawsuit: NC Republicans drop nominees | News & Observer.