Rucho’s public social media activity defending Berger and criticizing Page raised neutrality concerns for an elections overseer.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections plans to replace Bob Rucho with Angela Hawkins after his resignation on March 5, prompted by reports that he contributed to two sheriff campaigns, potentially violating state law.

Auditor Boliek praised Rucho’s tenure, emphasizing election integrity and making it easy to vote while hard to cheat.

Hawkins, a Republican appointee, brings experience from leading the largest county’s elections board.

The donations document cited by officials comes from public campaign finance records.

Unofficial results show Page leading Berger by two votes, with provisional ballots being reviewed and canvassing underway to determine final results and any potential recounts if margins qualify.

There are concerns about conflicts of interest given Boliek’s ties to Berger and Page’s staff, with calls for independent oversight of any recount; authorities say the process will follow the law without political influence.

Bryan Anderson of The Assembly authored the report, bringing his background in political reporting to the coverage.

The replacement occurred promptly as post-primary counts and possible legal challenges unfold, with officials aiming to uphold election integrity.

Rucho’s resignation comes amid ongoing election integrity concerns highlighted by Sheriff Page’s race against Berger.

Margo Ackiss, a Page-aligned conservative activist, had urged Rucho’s removal after a post supporting Berger that criticized Page’s platform.

The changes reflect a broader partisan shift in North Carolina’s elections governance.