GOP-controlled NC election board chooses new director, chair, secretary

For the first time since the Gov. Pat McCrory administration, the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) officially has a Republican majority, as new and returning members were sworn in Wednesday morning by North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Jeff Carpenter.

There is also a new chairman of the board, secretary, and executive director.

Francis X. De Luca new chairman of the Board

Francis X. De Luca of Wilmington was nominated by current board member Stacy “Four” Eggers IV as the chair.

He and Robert Anthony Rucho of Catawba County are new members. They, along with Eggers, were nominated by the NCGOP and chosen by State Auditor Dave Boliek last week after the April 30 ruling. In the ruling, the North Carolina Court of Appeals blocked a lower court ruling favoring Gov. Josh Stein in his legal battle with state legislative leaders and Boliek over elections board appointments.

Stein is a Democrat. Boliek and legislative leaders are Republicans.

The order came from a unanimous, unnamed three-judge Appeals Court panel.

A provision in Senate Bill 382, which became law in December, allows the state auditor to make new elections board appointments and assume administrative oversight of the board.

Current Democratic members Siobhan Millen and Jeff Carmon were also selected after being nominated by the North Carolina Democratic Party.

“You look very comfortable in that chair, Mr. Eggers, and would have made a great chair, and have the most seniority,” Millen told Eggers, as he ran the proceedings as temporary chair. “I will vote to oppose. We’ll probably lose.”

Eggers replied that while he appreciated her confidence in him, he respectfully declined.

“I think Mr. DeLuca will do a fine job,” he said. “He has shown leadership for our state in the past and also with his service through the United States Marine Corps, and I think he will do a fine job on this board as well.”

Carmon echoed Millen.

“I’m looking forward to working with everyone, but I would say working with you for the past six years through two presidential elections, I know you know what we’ve been through, and what’s on the forefront for us, so I think you’d be the perfect person to, the perfect Republican to guide us through these next few years,” he said.

With the exception of Millen and Carmon, the motion carried. De Luca replaces Democrat Alan Hirsch.

He thanked Boliek for nominating him and the other members for voting him in as chairman.

“I look forward to working with everybody on the board, and I think we can accomplish some good things,” De Luca said. “We’ve got a little bit of a busy time ahead, but you know there’s always a busy time on this Board. So, with that, my aim is that we have fair elections, make voting easy, and make sure we follow the law, and make sure there’s trust in the election system.”

Stacey “Four” Eggers IV is the new secretary

Rucho nominated Eggers for secretary, but Millen also nominated Carmon.

“In order to continue being a bipartisan board, and since Mr. Carmon has served as secretary so faithfully for six years, it would be a good look to have him continue as secretary,” she said.

But the motion wasn’t seconded, so the motion for Eggers stood and was carried.

The board then met in a closed session for just over 30 minutes to discuss legal and personnel matters, including the appointment of a new executive director.

The pick was decided ahead of time by the Republican members of the board. This was made clear, as a statement from current executive director Karen Brinson Bell announcing that the board had decided to go with someone else was handed out before the meeting began.

Karen Brinson Bell out, Sam Hayes in as new executive director

While Eggers thanked Brinson Bell for her years of service, he nominated Sam Hayes as the new executive director. The motion carried, but not before Carmon and Millen spoke about her service to the board.

“I’m not going to read off all of her accomplishments, but they must be acknowledged,” Carmon said. “You led us through Helene in 2024, the pandemic in 2020, and many people forgot about Hurricane Dorian in 2019. In 2024, western North Carolina outpaced the rest of our state in voter turnout in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.”

He also stated that Brinson Bell had been recognized nationally with four US Elections Assistance Commission Clearing House Awards in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2025.

“I second the remarks of my colleague and I think this is a shabby way to treat a nationally admired executive election director, and further that the recent habit of changing the executive director whenever the composition of the election board changes runs counter to our goal to bolster people’s faith in fair elections,” Millen said.

Brinson Bell was visibly moved by the remarks.

Eggers pointed out that there is precedent for changing the executive director position, as when the board composition changed following the election of former Gov. Roy Cooper.

Brinson Bell asked De Luca twice if she could make some remarks and thank staff. But Eggers, De Luca, and Rucho voted in favor of adjourning and ended the meeting before she could.

She later read from her prepared statement that it was the greatest honor of her life and that she would have liked to have continued to serve the county boards of elections and the voters of North Carolina in that capacity. She added that she became the fourth state elections director and the only one who has been a county elections director.

“I’ve worked in the elections field at all levels over the past 19 years, and this is a very different environment that I hope can be restored to the civility that once existed,” she stated.

She last thanked the voters of North Carolina, even those she said who have “questioned her integrity and hurled unfounded insults.”

Hayes’ appointment begins on May 15 for a two-year term.

“The new State Board of Elections took swift action today, and we look forward to working with the new leadership,” said NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons in a statement. “Restoring confidence in the State Board of Elections will take time, but we are hopeful in the new direction that began today.”  

Statements on Hayes’ appointment were released by Boliek, and speaker of the House Destin Hall, R-Caldwell.

“Sam has the experience and integrity to properly manage the State Board of Elections,” Boliek said. “He’s worked across state agencies, and as an accomplished attorney, he brings a sharp legal mind to the table. With his background and dedication, I’m confident in his leadership capabilities to improve election management in North Carolina. This is a great hire.”

Hall added, “Sam Hayes will be an excellent Executive Director, who will follow the law as passed by the NC General Assembly. As General Counsel, Sam has demonstrated exceptional judgment, professionalism, and a deep commitment to public service. I am confident that his leadership will serve the citizens of our state with fairness and integrity.”

Brinson Bell told reporters after the meeting that she has been fortunate to work with Hayes and knows he is knowledgeable about election law.

“I hope that will serve him well,” she said. “It is unfortunate that they’ve taken a path where the individual does not have practical election administration experience, but I am confident that if he will work closely with the state board staff, that he has some incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated people who will see that we are handling elections well.”

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