North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek sent a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) on Friday requesting an investigation into voter registrations that list non-residential addresses.
Today, I sent a letter to the State Board of Elections requesting an investigation into voter registrations that list non-residential addresses. Election integrity is a top priority of mine, and it will remain so as we work toward improving public confidence in North Carolina's… pic.twitter.com/hf8GfXqdcG
— State Auditor Dave Boliek (@NCAuditorBoliek) January 9, 2026
The request comes at the same time as the residency of a candidate in the US Senate race is being questioned.
In the letter to board Chairman Francis De Luca, Boliek said that strengthening public confidence in the state’s elections has been a continuous goal of his since he was charged with appointing members to the NCSBE and chairs of county boards of elections, and directing and supervising all budgeting functions of the NCSBE.
The auditor said that while steady progress has been made on the issue under De Luca’s leadership, including with the bipartisan Registration Repair Project (RRP), more needs to be done to address election integrity.
“North Carolina law is clear that for registration and voting purposes, an individual’s ‘residence’ is the place where ‘that person’s habitation is fixed. and to which. whenever the person is absent, that person has the intention of returning.’ N.C.G.S. § 163-57(1),” Boliek stated. “Elections officials and courts have typically interpreted this law to require voter residence to be located where the person lives and sleeps most of the time. While these issues are more common to living situations at college campuses, the need for a verifiable location for the purpose of voter registration is not exclusive in this context.”
Even though the current North Carolina Voter Registration Application provides a section for registrants to provide their mailing address, he said, state law (N.C.G.S. § 163-82.4(a)(3)) mandates that a physical address be provided for registration and voting eligibility purposes when individuals register to vote. A PO Box or campus mailbox is not sufficient.
Boliek said that results from the Registration Repair Search Tool have shown that in some cases. a higher education institution campus mail address — an address not linked to a specific dormitory — has been used by registrants as a residential address. And while registrants subject to the RRP are already required to correct their registration in order to cast a regular ballot, it is unclear how widespread an issue registrants using non-residential addresses as residential addresses is in North Carolina, prompting his request.
US Senate candidate residential address being questioned
One of those registrants, Margot Dupre, is a Republican candidate for the US Senate race in North Carolina, who is registered in Mecklenburg County.
Carolina Journal was alerted to Dupre’s voter registration address as being that of a UPS Store in Charlotte, which was confirmed by the NCSBE Voter Search Tool.
In an emailed statement to Carolina Journal on Tuesday, Dupre stated that as required by law, she has a valid, state-recognized street address, is a registered voter in North Carolina, and is following all applicable state and federal laws.
“I do not appreciate someone trying to smear me and my campaign efforts by suggesting otherwise,” she continued. “As a former law enforcement officer, I take the safety of myself and my family very seriously and do not share my personal information unless absolutely necessary.’
Michael Dickerson, director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, told Carolina Journal on Monday that he would look into the matter and would email the NCSBE, as well as contact Dupre to request her residential address. He said if she were ruled ineligible because her registration is not at a domicile or permanent home and she were to win the election, someone could challenge or protest the election.
He told CJ that in his 26 years with the board, he has seen similar issues before.
Dickerson said Dupre’s previous voter registration was in Idaho. According to Ballotpedia, a Margot Dupre also ran as a write-in candidate as an independent in the 2024 US House race in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District and lost, having received 7 votes.
Carolina Journal also asked the NCSBE if they had heard about the residency question surrounding Dupre, and was sent, via email, a copy of a Candidate Challenge Form on Tuesday evening, in which Jerry Reinoehl of Fayetteville is challenging Dupre’s residency.
The form indicates that her North Carolina residence is the UPS Store in Charlotte and that she also has a residence in Ocala, Florida, and that she is also registered to vote in Marion County and voted in the state’s April 1 primary election.
Reinoehl claims that Dupre’s NC voter registration is invalid because she does not satisfy the residency requirements according to state law and that her residency cannot be determined, making her candidacy invalid.
The state began sending out mail-in absentee ballots on Monday for the 2026 primary election on March 3. The absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 17. Election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot as early as possible to ensure there is time to receive it and then send it back to their county board of elections so that it is received no later than 7:30 pm on Election Day.
In his letter, Boliek said he encourages NCSBE to work with local officials during its investigation and that they should evaluate the need for updated guidance clarifying acceptable residential address formats for students and, if necessary, issue a corrective action plan that includes a clear process for any updates to voter registrations that need to be made. Additionally, he suggested implementing E-911 address validation protocols in coordination with county GIS systems to ensure that all voter registrations have serviceable addresses listed.
“Ensuring compliance with State and federal election laws reinforces public confidence in North Carolina’s elections,” he concluded. “We must always strive to improve our election systems. The more North Carolina voters have trust in our elections, the more participation we can expect in our elections.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect new information from the NCSBE.