No Single Decider: The Board System
If you're looking for one person at the top, like a Secretary of State, you won't find it in North Carolina's election administration. Instead, the ultimate authority rests with the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE). This five-member, bipartisan board is responsible for overseeing the entire elections process, from voter registration to certifying the final count. This structure is intentionally different from systems where a single, often partisan, elected official holds the top spot. The board is composed of members appointed from lists submitted by the two major political parties. By law, no more than three members can belong to the same party, a rule designed to ensure that decisions are made with input from both sides of the aisle.
This collective approach is the bedrock of the state's election governance.
The Day-to-Day Leader: The Executive Director
While the board holds the ultimate authority, it doesn't handle the daily operational grind. That job falls to the Executive Director, who is appointed by the board and serves as the state's chief elections official in practice. As of September 2026, the Executive Director is Sam Hayes, who was appointed to the position in May 2025. Hayes is an attorney with extensive experience in North Carolina government, having previously served as general counsel for the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he worked on election policy. He is responsible for leading the agency, carrying out the board's directives, and coordinating with the 100 county boards of elections that manage voting on the ground.
What the Board and Director Actually Do
The responsibilities of the NCSBE and its executive director are vast. Their primary mission is to ensure that elections are conducted lawfully, fairly, and transparently for the state's more than 7 million registered voters. This includes a wide range of tasks: supervising the 100 county boards of elections, maintaining the statewide voter registration database, certifying voting equipment, investigating irregularities, and ensuring campaign finance laws are followed. They create and enforce rules to maintain uniformity across the state, so that a voter in Charlotte has the same experience and protections as a voter in a small rural county. After an election, the county boards certify their local results, which are then canvassed and officially certified at the state level by the State Board.
Why This Bipartisan Structure Matters
North Carolina's board-led system is a direct attempt to depoliticize the mechanics of voting. In theory, requiring bipartisan agreement for major decisions fosters public confidence and prevents one party from unilaterally changing rules. However, it can also lead to gridlock or partisan battles, especially in a highly competitive political environment. The appointment of the executive director, for instance, can become a point of contention, as the position often changes hands when the partisan majority of the board flips. This structure means that election administration is a constant negotiation. It’s a system built on the belief that shared power, even if it leads to friction, is a better safeguard for democracy than placing all authority in the hands of one person.
