North Carolina will now need to clear non-citizens who are exempt from jury duty from its voter registration lists, as revealed on Thursday.
The Republican National Committee, alongside the North Carolina Republican Party, has reached a consent decree mandating that the North Carolina State Board of Elections utilize jury service data to pinpoint registered voters who have identified themselves as non-U.S. citizens.
This is seen as a significant step in ensuring legal compliance regarding voter roll maintenance, particularly amidst strong objections from Democratic factions.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters expressed, “This agreement is a huge victory for the integrity of North Carolina’s elections. It’s quite straightforward: if someone admits during jury duty that they’re not a U.S. citizen, that should trigger a review of the voter rolls to remove them.”
Following a brief online hearing, Superior Court Judge Jennifer Bedford accepted the agreement, emphasizing that such information should be taken seriously across the board. She also suggested that this data should be shared with other relevant agencies.
The decree outlines a timeline extending to 2028 for local clerks to relay information to the election authority. The election commission will then have 30 days to investigate and report any discrepancies in voter registration and citizenship status, which may involve referring cases to the State Bureau of Investigation for individuals suspected of having voted unlawfully.
However, organizations like North Carolina Asian Americans Together and El Pueblo voiced concerns regarding a requirement to publicly list individuals who claimed non-citizenship for jury duty on the state Board of Elections’ website, fearing privacy implications.
This situation arises from a lawsuit filed by Republican entities in 2024, accusing the state board of not adhering to existing laws regarding jury service exemptions for non-citizens.
It’s important to note that state law prohibits non-citizens from participating in elections or jury duties, a rule that remains in effect. If this agreement is sanctioned by the court, the state’s election authority will need to assess data from county clerks and initiate the removal of ineligible individuals from voter rolls.
The RNC indicated they had sought public records in 2024 to ascertain the board’s compliance with the law but, unfortunately, received no information.
According to a recent poll, a significant majority of North Carolinians—83% of Republicans, 59% of independents, and 52% of Democrats—are in favor of purging non-citizens from the voter registration lists. This lawsuit is part of a larger Republican initiative focused on scrutinizing voter eligibility and citizenship verification.
