The State Board of Elections will revisit a case involving Wake County elections officials who counted the ballots of three early voters who died in 2024. For years, state election officials have told county election officials to throw out all ballots cast by people who vote early but then die before Election Day. However, there is no state law requiring that.

Wake County Decision

In 2024, two Wake County elections officials voted to reject 42 early ballots from voters who died before Election Day, but accepted three others at the request of their family members following emotional testimony. The vote to allow the votes to count was divided along party lines with Democrats approving the three ballots.

Elections officials admitted their actions went against the state’s interpretation of what to do in that situation. In January 2025, the then Democrat-led State Board of Elections criticized Wake County officials’ decision but voted down party lines 3-2 to let them stay in office and dismiss the complaints.

Recently, a judge reversed the decision and sent it back to the state. Now a Republican-led state elections board will determine if those officials broke the law.

Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.