CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The newly constituted State Board of Elections met Thursday for the first time in Raleigh to listen to an update on the investigation in allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the 9th Congressional District race.
Republican Mark Harris was the apparent winner by 905 votes, but the results were never certified because of the fraud allegations.
The investigation the board was briefed on behind closed doors centers on a long-time political operative named McCrea Dowless.
Dowless was hired by the Harris campaign to run an absentee ballot operation in Bladen and Robeson counties.
The closed-door briefing ended after nearly four hours.
The new chairman, Robert Cordle, emerged to say there would be a public evidentiary hearing on February 18 and 19 where the public would get to hear what the members heard Thursday.
Following that hearing, Cordle said the board would vote to certify Harris as the winner or call for a new election.