RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Board of Elections met Wednesday to swear in new members appointed by State Auditor Dave Boliek, who was given authority over the board through legislation passed in 2024.
The new members of the board include Republicans Francis DeLuca and Bob Rucho, along with current board member Stacy “Four” Eggers. Democrats Siobhan Millen and Jeff Carmon, both of whom currently sit on the board, were also named to continue their roles.
DeLuca was voted to be the new chair despite Millen and Carmon voting against him, instead wanting Eggers to take the chair spot. Eggers, however, said he would decline the nomination to be chair.
The new board also removed Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell and replaced her with Samuel Hayes, the general counsel to the office of the North Carolina speaker of the house.
Eggers made the motion to replace Brinson Bell.
“Mr. Chairman, I would thank Miss Bell for her service over the past several years,” said Eggers. “But, at this time, I would move that we appoint Samuel Hayes as the executive director of the state Board of Elections for the two-year term beginning May 15, 2025.”
Hayes has also served as past general counsel to the state treasurer (2019-21) and N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (2015-17). He was also a candidate for state attorney general in 2020 but lost in the Republican Primary to Forsyth District Attorney Jim O’Neill.
Hayes received his undergraduate degree from the UNC Chapel Hill (1994) and his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law (1998).
Prior to the vote, Carmon thanked to Brinson Bell for her service in overseeing elections through the pandemic and two major hurricanes, as well as mentioning four elections clearinghouse awards she had won.
“It’s been a joy,” Carmon told Brinson Bell. “When we brought you on, we challenged you to take the state board from a reactive board to a proactive board, and I’m proud to say you did it.”
Brinson Bell’s tenure wasn’t without criticism. A secret legal agreement Brinson Bell entered into during the 2020 election cycle with former go-to Democratic Party Attorney Marc Elias involved elections changes, some of which changed rules after voting had begun. Brinson Bell and the agreement became the subject of a 2021 Senate Redistricting and Elections Committee hearing, and a federal judge later ruled that some of the changes violated equal protection laws.
“I second the remarks of my colleague, and I think this is a shabby way to treat a nationally admired executive election director,” said Millen. “And further, that the recent habit of changing the executive director whenever the composition of the election board changes runs counter to our goal to bolster people’s faith in fair elections.”
Eggers countered Millen’s remarks, saying, “I would say that there is precedent for a change in the executive director position, that when this board composition changed following the election of Gov. (Roy) Cooper; this is a position that does change.”
Cooper’s elections board appointments established a 3-2 Democratic majority, and that board then removed Kim Strach as executive director and installed Brinson Bell.
The move drew fire from the Charlotte Observer editorial board, which said Strach, who was registered as unaffiliated, was fired “because she is not a Democrat and the Board of Elections is majority Democrat.” The editorial board also noted Democrats had “launched an ugly attempt at character assassination” on Strach, referring to a press release issued by then-N.C. Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin.
The N.C. Democratic Party (NCDP) criticized both Boliek and Hayes over the recent changes.
“Today, as their very first act since taking over the board, Dave Boliek’s cronies chose to remove a career professional from her role so that he could appoint a loyalist who will carry out their partisan agenda,” the lengthy NCDP statement said. “Hayes is the perfect idealogue (sic) for the job, having a long record supporting Republican gerrymandering and working with organizations that support election deniers.”
The vote to install Hayes passed down party lines 3-2.
Immediately following that vote, the board adjourned over objections from Millen, who stated she would “remain in the room” to give additional remarks. Those additional remarks were not captured by the Webex session, as the feed ended after the Republican board members departed the meeting room.
N.C. House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) issued a statement on Hayes taking up the post.
“Sam Hayes will be an excellent Executive Director, who will follow the law as passed by the NC General Assembly,” Hall said. “As General Counsel, Sam has demonstrated exceptional judgment, professionalism, and a deep commitment to public service. I am confident that his leadership will serve the citizens of our state with fairness and integrity.”
Boliek also issued a statement on Hayes as the next executive director.
“Sam has the experience and integrity to properly manage the State Board of Elections. He’s worked across state agencies, and as an accomplished attorney he brings a sharp legal mind to the table,” Boliek said. “With his background and dedication, I’m confident in his leadership capabilities to improve election management in North Carolina. This is a great hire.”
