The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina for allegedly violating the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The case is about the state’s failure to properly maintain its list of registered voters — a requirement under federal law.
According to the DOJ, North Carolina has not done enough to make sure its voter registration list is accurate and up to date. This includes issues like not removing voters who have moved, passed away, or are otherwise no longer eligible to vote.
What Is the Help America Vote Act?
The Help America Vote Act was passed in 2002 to improve how elections are run in the U.S. One of its main goals is to make sure that voter registration lists are clean, accurate, and fair. Every state must follow these rules if it wants to receive certain kinds of federal funding for elections.
Under HAVA, states must regularly review and update their voter rolls. This is done to prevent fraud and to make sure eligible voters are not turned away by mistake.
What Did the DOJ Find?
In the lawsuit, the Justice Department claims that North Carolina failed to properly maintain its voter list over several election cycles. It says the state:
- Did not remove voters who had moved to other states
- Failed to take action when voters died or became ineligible
- Did not send notices or follow-up communications to voters whose information may have changed
Because of this, the DOJ argues that thousands of names on the voter rolls may be outdated or invalid. This not only violates HAVA but also risks the integrity of future elections in the state.
What Does North Carolina Say?
As of now, North Carolina election officials have not released a full public response to the lawsuit. However, the state has previously defended its voter registration process, saying it follows state and federal guidelines.
Election experts believe this case could push other states to double-check their voter rolls too — especially ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections.
Why Does It Matter?
Keeping voter lists accurate is an important part of any fair election. If too many old or incorrect names stay on the list, it can lead to confusion, fraud risks, or even eligible voters getting wrongly removed.
The DOJ’s action sends a strong message to states that the federal government is serious about enforcing election laws.
What Happens Next?
The case will now go through the legal process in federal court. The DOJ is asking the court to force North Carolina to take corrective steps to fix the voter list — such as cleaning up invalid entries and improving future list maintenance.
This lawsuit is one of several efforts by the federal government to protect voting rights and ensure elections remain free, fair, and secure.
