Looking forward, North Carolina faces the challenge of balancing election security with accessibility.
Officials count ballots of 2020 United States Presidential Election at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections office in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States on November 06, 2020. Photo by Peter Zay/Getty Images.
By Joshua Peters
Election integrity in North Carolina, as in many other states, has been a complex and evolving issue shaped by historical and political shifts, advances in technology, and recent concerns over election security. Since the early 2000s, when federal initiatives like the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) were passed, North Carolina has taken strides to improve the security and accessibility of its elections. However, in recent years, the state has faced an increase in polarized debate, largely fueled by growing concerns over both physical security and the spread of misinformation.
Historical Context of Election Integrity
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was a landmark piece of legislation that significantly influenced election security across the United States, including North Carolina. HAVA introduced funding to modernize voting equipment, create a centralized voter registration database, and establish standards for poll worker training and voter education. North Carolina took advantage of HAVA funding to transition from paper-based systems to electronic voting machines, which were perceived at the time as more secure and efficient. This marked an important shift, but concerns arose about the vulnerability of electronic voting machines, as they lacked a verifiable paper trail, leaving the system potentially susceptible to manipulation or hacking.
In response to these vulnerabilities, North Carolina began a push to improve its voting technology and adopted several key measures to enhance security. By the mid-2010s, many counties in North Carolina began implementing voting systems with a paper audit trail, which has since become a widely accepted safeguard for verifying election results.
Since 2016, concerns over election interference and cybersecurity vulnerabilities have intensified in the U.S., and North Carolina has not been immune. The state's electoral system has been a focal point of debate due to high-profile controversies over gerrymandering, voter ID laws, and absentee ballot security. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, introducing new logistical challenges with mail-in voting and raising questions over how to secure such ballots against fraud.
In recent years, North Carolina lawmakers and election officials have enacted several measures intended to improve security. For example, they’ve implemented stronger identity verification requirements for absentee ballots and have set guidelines to ensure that voting machines are not connected to the internet, reducing the risk of hacking. In addition, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has increased training and security protocols for poll workers and election officials.
Despite these advancements, partisan debates continue to shape election security discussions. Supporters of stricter regulations argue that measures such as photo ID laws and enhanced verification for absentee ballots are necessary to prevent fraud. Opponents, however, contend that these restrictions may disproportionately affect marginalized voters, effectively suppressing turnout among specific demographic groups. This ongoing debate reflects a national trend, where election security has become a battleground issue between those advocating for increased regulation and those who believe these measures create unnecessary barriers to voting.
The Impact of Misinformation
Misinformation poses a significant challenge to election security, particularly in states like North Carolina, where recent elections have been closely contested. During the 2020 presidential election, for example, misinformation campaigns about mail-in voting, voter fraud, and even COVID-19 safety protocols circulated widely, creating confusion and eroding trust in the election process.
North Carolina's State Board of Elections has made combating misinformation a top priority, frequently issuing fact-checks, creating voter education campaigns, and partnering with social media platforms to provide accurate information to voters. These efforts, however, face limitations as misinformation continues to spread through social media, often amplified by partisan influencers and extreme elected officials.
One of the biggest challenges in addressing misinformation is the fragmented nature of today’s media landscape. Social media platforms have become primary sources of information for many voters, allowing misinformation to spread quickly and often across wide networks. This has a direct impact on voter trust.
Some legislators in North Carolina have proposed laws aimed at increasing transparency in election administration, hoping that more visible procedures will help reassure voters. Additionally, some initiatives seek to educate voters on how to distinguish between reliable sources and misinformation, aiming to cultivate a more informed electorate.
Balancing Security and Accessibility
The current debates surrounding election security and misinformation in North Carolina reflect a broader national struggle. On one side, there is a push for heightened security measures and restrictions, which proponents believe will ensure the integrity of elections. On the other, there is a concern that such measures may disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and may themselves be susceptible to misinformation-fueled interpretations that could discourage voting.
Election Integrity: Focusing on Trust and Accessibility
While voter fraud is a serious issue that should be met with strict consequences in a democratic society, it is essential to maintain a balanced perspective on the matter. According to my estimation, the likelihood of a single fraudulent vote deciding the outcome of an election is approximately 1 in 11 million. This suggests that, statistically, voter fraud has no significant impact on election results. However, its impact is largely psychological.
Voter fraud undermines public trust in elections, and this is where we should focus our attention. I believe the solution lies in imposing more severe and consistent punishments for voter fraud to deter it, rather than enacting restrictive reforms that may discourage voting. This approach shifts election security from purely preventative measures to a focus on detection throughout the process, paired with strong consequences when fraud is identified. By emphasizing detection over prevention, we can enhance election security without negatively affecting accessibility.
Detective measures, however, require upfront processing and reconciliation between data sources. In this context, voter ID has proven to be an efficient and effective measure and is also widely supported as a reform. Furthermore, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has found that strict voter ID laws have no negative impact on voter registration or turnout. Therefore, these measures can yield high security benefits with minimal, if any, cost to accessibility.
Adding effective, balanced measures like these can also help combat misinformation. By focusing on detectable, enforceable actions against voter fraud without limiting accessibility, we can cultivate greater trust in the election process. When citizens see that security measures are in place but are fair and non-restrictive, it reduces the appeal of misinformation that claims the system is either overly restrictive or insecure. Ultimately, a transparent and balanced approach can play a key role in restoring confidence in the electoral system, countering misleading narratives, and strengthening democratic engagement.
Looking forward, North Carolina's solution to ensure election integrity is centered on balancing election security with accessibility. Strengthening cyber protections, creating more rigorous systems for monitoring and addressing misinformation, and ensuring a secure but inclusive voting process will be crucial in rebuilding trust in the state’s electoral system. The challenge, however, lies in navigating these complex issues within a highly polarized political climate, where debates over election security and misinformation are likely to continue influencing North Carolina’s electoral landscape.