The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against North Carolina's election board, alleging failures in ensuring that voter registration applications included necessary identifying numbers as required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

This lawsuit is part of a broader initiative linked to President Trump's executive order aimed at preventing illegal voting and ensuring accurate voter registration rolls.

The case, formally titled United States v. N.C. State Bd. of Elections, has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan, a Bush appointee, as it progresses through the federal court system.

The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of maintaining public trust in government through free and fair elections, ensuring that only eligible citizens can vote.

Previously, similar complaints regarding compliance with the Help America Vote Act were dismissed by the bipartisan North Carolina elections board, and prior Republican lawsuits to block voters based on these issues were unsuccessful.

With local elections scheduled to begin in September 2025, there is an urgent need to resolve these registration issues to ensure a fair electoral process.

The lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about voter eligibility, particularly in light of recent state Supreme Court election disputes where claims were made about potentially ineligible voters participating.

While the North Carolina State Board of Elections has amended its registration forms to comply with federal law, the DOJ criticized the state's plan for updating registrations as insufficient, particularly its reliance on voters providing ID at polling places.

The elections board is accused of failing to adequately address missing identification numbers despite complaints raised by conservative activist Carol Snow in 2023.

The problematic voter registration form was updated in January 2024 to meet HAVA requirements, and the board has committed to ensuring compliance with federal and state laws moving forward.

An administrative complaint filed in October 2023 revealed that the state had not been requiring applicants to provide necessary identification numbers, raising concerns about the integrity of voter registrations.

Following a change in the election board's composition due to a 2024 state law, the new Republican-controlled board may adopt a different strategy regarding the lawsuit.