The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) voted on different election rules at its meeting on Thursday, but not before a request was made by a board member to subpoena the former elections liaison for State Auditor Dave Boliek’s office (NCOSA).
Dallas Woodhouse, who was hired in September to be the liaison with the state’s 100 county election board chairs, was reassigned a little over a week ago to work in strategic initiatives related to constituent services and communications after the office said it completed its transition efforts.
“The elections liaison was established because the Auditor’s Office gained new responsibilities,” NCOSA spokesperson Randy Brechbiel told Carolina Journal on July 8. “The position was not meant to be permanent.”
There has been Democratic criticism that Woodhouse, the former executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party, brought partisan influence to county election administration, specifically relating to early voting in Jackson County and Sunday voting.
He officially resigned from the NCOSA on Monday.
“With the successful completion of the transition, the establishment of productive working relationships with every county, and the systems now firmly in place, I believe the need for a dedicated Elections Liaison has naturally come to an end,” Woodhouse said in his resignation letter to Boliek. “Accordingly, I believe this is the appropriate time for me to move forward and return to the public policy, communications, and advocacy work that has defined much of my career.”
At Wednesday’s NCSBE meeting, Democratic board member Jeff Carmon asked that Woodhouse be subpoenaed citing past concerns of his and the recent events that have come to light.
“I requested this board make clear that all matters related to elections administration and training come from the state board staff,” he said. “I also asked that we clearly define the appropriate role of the auditor’s office and distinguish between this appointment authority and any operational involvement in elections. We did not do that at the time.”
Carmon said he expressed concern about how it could create confusion for newly appointed county board members and that recent events have demonstrated the consequences appear to be far more serious than simple confusion.
He added that at another meeting where Woodhouse was present, he requested that the board seek clarification on the record for Carmon regarding Woodhouse’s communications and activities involving Republican county board members, but the state board took no action.
“These communications for me raise significant concerns regarding the appropriate boundaries between appointment authority and election administration, as well as the potential for improper influence over county board members decision making,” Carmon said. “Given the seriousness of these allegations and the public attention that they have generated, I believe we have an obligation to establish a complete and factual record at this stage. I believe the board has little choice but to subpoena Mr. Woodhouse so that he may answer questions under oath which may in turn require testimony from other county board members as necessary to fully understand the scope and nature of these communications.”
He asked that Woodhouse appear at their next meeting on Monday.
Fellow Democratic member Siobhan Millen agreed with Carmon.
Republican board member and secretary Stacey “Four” Eggers IV disagreed, noting that Woodhouse is no longer with the auditor’s office, and stated that if they start subpoenaing anyone who has “First Amendment protected political speech” to come in and discuss issues there will be no end to it.
“I can give you a litany and laundry list of folks I would love to have talked to and find out who’s talking to who and who is expressing opinions on various things, but our board is neither the forum nor the place to insert ourselves into such matters,” Eggers said. “We’ll deal with the Jackson County matter, of course, when it comes to us for an early voting plan. By this line of reasoning, it would open the door for [Republican board member] Miss [Angela] Hawkins or I perhaps to subpoena someone from the governor’s staff or even those from the Cooper administration. I think that going down this line is ill advised, and all of the matters you’ve addressed have been covered in the media. And I appreciate your digging this back up just so we can bury it again.”
Carmon disagreed, saying that the allegations “scare him” and go against the board touting fair and free elections and voter integrity.
Eggers ended the discussion by stating that the state election board hasn’t done anything inappropriate, including their staff.
“I think that’s a dangerous road to go down,” he said. “As far as direction from the agency [state auditor], we’ve made it clear that direction comes from this board and from the state board staff. And that’s also something I think we need to clarify after our hearings last month. Because I am still concerned that the impression was put out there that guidance from this board is optional or maybe considered equal to that of any other citizen that may have input.”
Carmon said he would discuss the matter with board chair Francis De Luca after the meeting.
