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2018 North Carolina's 9th congressional district election

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2018 North Carolina's 9th congressional district election
← 2016 November 6, 2018 2019 (special) →
 
Candidate Mark Harris Dan McCready
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 139,246 138,341
Percentage 49.25% 48.93%
U.S. Representative before election

Robert Pittenger
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Election results annulled

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The 2018 election in North Carolina's 9th congressional district was held on November 6, 2018, to elect a member for North Carolina's 9th congressional district to the United States House of Representatives.

Republican Mark Harris, an evangelical minister, defeated incumbent Republican Congressman Robert Pittenger in the primary and then faced Democrat Dan McCready, a veteran and businessman, in the general election. Initial tallies put Harris 905 votes ahead, but the state election board refused to certify the results, pending a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud in handling of absentee ballots.[1] The seat was unrepresented at the start of the 116th Congress.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections held an evidentiary hearing in February 2019.[2] On February 21, the board unanimously voted to call a new election because of fraud by Republican operatives.[3] Several Republican campaign operatives have been indicted for their role in an illegal ballot harvesting and ballot tampering operation. In addition to illegal collection and handling of ballots, ballot tampering was admitted in witness testimony, including filling in blank votes to favor Republican candidates. The state legislature passed a law requiring new party primaries.

Background

[edit]
See also: North Carolina's 9th congressional district
North Carolina's 9th congressional district since January 3, 2017

The ninth district is in south-central North Carolina. It comprises Union, Anson, Richmond, Scotland, and Robeson counties; the southeast portion of Mecklenburg County; and parts of Cumberland and Bladen counties.[4] The district has been held by the Republican Party since 1963.[5]

Robert Pittenger, a Republican, was elected to represent the district in 2012. In the 2016 election, Pittenger was challenged for the Republican nomination by Mark Harris and Todd Johnson. Pittenger won the nomination, defeating Harris by 134 votes.[6] Questions were raised about the role of convicted perjurer and campaign operative McCrae Dowless, when Johnson won 221 of the 226 Bladen County absentee votes cast in the race.[7] Pittenger was re-elected in 2016 over Democratic Party nominee Christian Cano by over 54,000 votes.[4]

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
  • Christian Cano, former hotel consultant, Democratic nominee in the 2016 election[8][9]
  • Dan McCready, entrepreneur and U.S. Marine Iraq war veteran, registered as an independent prior to 2016.[10][11]

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) supported McCready during the primary election.[4] He was among the first 11 candidates added to the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program.[12]

Results

[edit]

Overall

[edit]
Democratic primary results[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dan McCready 38,098 82.8
Democratic Christian Cano 7,922 17.2
Total votes 46,020 100.0

By county

[edit]
Results by county:
  McCready—80–90%
  McCready—70–80%

McCready won every county by varying margins.[13] Blue represents counties won By McCready.

County Cano McCready Total
Votes % Votes % Votes
Anson 416 20.1% 1,656 79.9% 2,072
Bladen 263 14.0% 1,622 86.1% 1,885
Cumberland 873 23.6% 2,830 76.4% 3,703
Mecklenburg 1,384 12.6% 9,627 87.4% 11,011
Richmond 567 20.9% 2,142 79.1% 2,709
Robeson 2,939 16.9% 14,502 83.2% 17,441
Scotland 726 23.6% 2,357 76.5% 3,082
Union 754 18.3% 3,362 81.7% 4,116
Totals 7,922 17.2% 38,098 82.8% 46,020

Republican primary

[edit]
Robert Pittenger's official portrait

Candidates

[edit]

Harris resigned from his church in June 2017 in order to devote his full attention to the 2018 campaign.[17] Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson campaigned for Pittenger during the primary election campaign.[4] Harris criticized Pittenger as a part of the "Washington swamp" for voting in favor of the March 2018 omnibus spending bill.[18] Pittenger defended his conservative voting record and pointed out the increase in military spending in the omnibus bill. He attempted to paint Harris as anti-Trump due to his support of Ted Cruz during the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, though Pittenger had endorsed Marco Rubio.[19][20]

Results

[edit]

Overall

[edit]
Republican primary results[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Harris 17,302 48.5
Republican Robert Pittenger (incumbent) 16,474 46.2
Republican Clarence Goins 1,867 5.2
Total votes 35,643 100.0

By county

[edit]
Results by county:
  Harris—60–70%
  Harris—50–60%
  Harris—40–50%
  Pittenger—40–50%
  Pittenger—50–60%
  Pittenger—60–70%

Red represents counties won by Harris. Green represents counties won by Pittenger.[21]

County Goins Harris Pittenger Total
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes
Anson 21 3.4% 339 54.3% 264 42.3% 624
Bladen 60 2.9% 1,427 69.3% 572 27.8% 2,059
Cumberland 633 23.9% 846 32.0% 1,168 44.1% 2,647
Mecklenburg 475 3.8% 5,610 44.9% 6,417 51.3% 12,502
Richmond 38 2.4% 590 36.9% 970 60.7% 1,598
Robeson 271 16.1% 597 35.4% 820 48.6% 1,688
Scotland 43 5.4% 384 48.2% 369 46.4% 796
Union 326 2.4% 7,509 54.7% 5,894 42.9% 13,729
Totals 1,867 5.2% 17,302 48.5% 16,474 46.2% 35,643

General election

[edit]

Through September 30, McCready reported raising $4.3 million while Harris had raised $1.6 million. President Donald Trump and Second Lady Karen Pence traveled to the district to campaign for Harris, while Representative John Lewis campaigned for McCready.[5] Harris was endorsed by Donald Trump, President of the United States[22] and Libertarian Jeff Scott was endorsed by Christian Cano, 2016 Democratic primary candidate for North Carolina's 9th congressional district.[23]

Harris and McCready debated on October 10 on WBTV in Charlotte[24] and October 17 at Spirit Square.[25]

Polling

[edit]
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin
of error 		Mark
Harris (R) 		Dan
McCready (D) 		Jeff
Scott (L) 		Undecided
NYT Upshot/Siena College[26] October 26–30, 2018 505 ± 5.0% 45% 44% 3% 7%
NYT Upshot/Siena College[27] October 1–5, 2018 502 ± 4.9% 47% 42% – 11%
SurveyUSA[28] October 2–4, 2018 556 ± 4.7% 41% 45% 3% 12%
SurveyUSA[29] July 5–8, 2018 600 ± 4.6% 36% 43% 3% 19%
ALG Research (D-McCready)[30] March 8–13, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 43% 44% – 13%
Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin
of error 		Robert
Pittenger (R) 		Dan
McCready (D) 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D-House Majority PAC)[31] April 16–17, 2018 662 ± 3.8% 42% 37% 21%

Results

[edit]
2018 North Carolina's 9th congressional district[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Harris 139,246 49.25
Democratic Dan McCready 138,341 48.93
Libertarian Jeff Scott 5,130 1.81
Total votes 282,717 100.0

When all precincts had reported their unofficial counts on Election Day, the race remained too close to call.[33] The next night, trailing by about 2,000 votes, McCready conceded defeat to Harris.[34] After all the votes were tallied, Harris had a 905-vote lead over McCready, making the election the closest race in the district in over six decades.

Refusal of certification

[edit]

The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted 9–0 on November 27 not to certify the election results.[35] On November 30, the board voted 7–2 to hold a public hearing on December 27 regarding the tampering allegations.[36] In early December, the North Carolina Democratic Party filed affidavits with the State Board of Elections claiming that Harris had used independent contractors to collect absentee ballots from voters.[37][38]

The board opened an investigation around Dowless, a campaign operative with felony fraud and perjury convictions, who was hired by the Harris campaign. Dowless was suspected of electoral fraud in 2014, allegedly mishandling absentee ballots. Dowless had worked for Jim McVicker's campaign for Sheriff. McVicker won that race by a narrow margin and did not respond to inquiries about it in 2018.[39] Dowless worked for McVicker again in the 2018 Republican primary and the general election for Sheriff.[40]

On November 30, the Associated Press retracted its call of the race.[41] The election remained uncertified into December, as state election officials continued to investigate alleged fraud.[42][43] McCready withdrew his concession on December 6, and NBC News withdrew its call of the race.[44] Dowless was accused of paying workers to illegally collect absentee ballots from voters.[45] Harris directed the hiring of Dowless, even though there had been warnings about and concerns raised in 2016 that Dowless used questionable tactics to deliver votes for Todd Johnson in his 2016 Republican congressional primary against Pittinger and Harris.[46] Earlier, Dowless had worked for a Democrat competing in a 2012 state House primary, and ran as a Democrat himself, in a losing race for school board, in 2014. No questions had been raised in those races.[47]

In Robeson County, the easternmost county in the 9th district, twice as many absentee ballots from African-American voters were not returned compared to white voters. In neighboring Bladen County, the return rates were the same for the two groups.[48] Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said it was possible over 1,000 ballots had been destroyed.[49]

On December 5, 2018, BuzzFeed News detailed its independent investigative reporting of the alleged vote thefts, a practice that targeted southern rural elderly black voters in the 9th district congressional race. It termed the affair, "...the most serious federal election tampering case in years." Campaign workers, who included Jessica Dowless, whose husband is distantly related to Leslie McCrae Dowless, revealed that the vote tampering went on in a pervasively chaotic atmosphere. McCrae Dowless tracked votes on yellow pads and used cash to pay his employees, including some family members. Some of those workers were said to be under the obvious influence of drugs while on the job. One, said Jessica Dowless, "...was so fucking high the other day she passed out at the fucking computer." Another who picked up absentee ballots was a "pill head." She said McCrae's field workers "...would come to your house, they would get you to fill out an absentee ballot to be sent to your house. They would go back and pick it up and then seal it and then find two witnesses," to certify their validity, bringing them to the office and telling her to witness them, She said she told McCrae she didn't want to do that but "...we had no else," to accomplish the task. Such handling of ballots and completed applications by other than board and postal workers is legally prohibited. McCrae provided a car for one gatherer a week after she began working, lending a van to another. Jessica Dowless tabulated the number of ballots delivered to the county election board and said McCrae gave the Harris campaign updates on the operation's most recent totals. McCrae Dowless was employed by political consultants Red Dome, and received in excess of $428,000 from the Harris campaign. Jessica Dowless said she dropped off completed absentee ballot applications once, and records confirmed she had delivered 185 to the Board. McCrae personally delivered 592 applications before October 31. Buzzfeed contacted McCrae's stepdaughter Lisa Britt, who was later indicted for her alleged role in the case. She admitted to being paid in cash for her work. Although she denied physically gathering votes, her account was disputed by Jessica Dowless who also said that McCrae gathered ballots, a prohibited practice, but only from Democratic voters. Britt denied that Democrats were targeted, claiming they only facilitated voting by those without vehicles, though those ballots could have been returned by postal mail.[1]

In December 2018, the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill into law that would require new primary elections if a new election were called, overriding a veto by Democratic governor Roy Cooper.[50] While the investigation continued, McCready prepared to run in a special election.[51]

Election board hearings

[edit]

Prior to the election, in October 2018, a state court had ruled that North Carolina's nine-member State Board of Elections was unconstitutional due to changes made by the state legislature in 2017. The court allowed the election board to continue operating during the election and subsequent fraud investigation. On December 28, in an unexpected decision, the court dissolved the election board, before it had certified election results, accusing the board of ignoring court instructions. This left the state without certified election results and without an elections board until January 31, 2019, when a new, five-member board was to be seated under a new law taking effect.[52][53]

A House of Representatives office remained vacant, awaiting the winner of the disputed election

The court's dissolution of the election board prompted responses from all quarters. Republican candidate Harris filed an emergency petition requesting that the board certify the results with him as the winner, but only two of nine board members requested an emergency session, and no action was taken before the board dissolved. Democratic candidate McCready publicly called for the fraud investigation to continue. Cooper attempted to name an interim elections board to serve until January 31, but was overridden by the state's Republican-controlled legislature.[52] Meanwhile, incoming United States House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat, announced that the House of Representatives will not seat Harris under any circumstances until the fraud investigation is completed.[54][55]

On January 2, 2019, the staff of the dissolved election board announced that they would continue the investigation, but delayed a January 11 hearing until a new election board is seated on January 31.[56][57] The same day, Harris announced he would seek court intervention to have him immediately certified as the winner with the goal of being seated in the 116th Congress on January 3.[58][59] On January 3, the 116th Congress was sworn in with North Carolina's 9th Congressional seat vacant.[60][61] On the same day, Harris was interviewed by investigators from the North Carolina Board of Elections.[62]

In early January, by refusing to provide the names of Republican candidates for the state elections board, as requested by Cooper, and urging Republicans not to accept seats on the board, North Carolina Republicans blocked the board's intent and ability to hold a scheduled hearing on January 11, 2019, meant for the purposes of investigating the possibility of fraud in the November 9 District election, leaving the District seat in Congress vacant. Republican party officials refused to send Cooper the names of their party's candidates to fill vacancies on the board. Responding to their obstructionism, Cooper said:

All North Carolinians deserve to have confidence in a system of voting that ensures honest and fair elections. If politicians and the people they hire are manipulating the system to steal elections, all of us should pull together to get to the bottom of it and stop it — regardless of whether the candidate who finished ahead in a tainted election is a Republican or a Democrat.[63]

On January 22, 2019, Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway refused Harris's request to order him seated.[64]

On January 31, the new board, composed of three Democratic and two Republican members, voted to schedule a February hearing on the allegations of election irregularities.[65] On February 4, the new board set the hearing for February 18.[2] On February 18, 2019, the regulator reported that it had found evidence of "a coordinated, unlawful and substantially resourced absentee ballot scheme" that may have involved more than 1,000 ballots or ballot request forms.[66] That day, Lisa Britt, the daughter of Dowless's ex-wife, admitted to tampering with ballots on the direction of Dowless – including filling in blank votes to favor Republican candidates and falsifying voter and witness signatures.[67][68] On February 20, Harris's son, John Harris, a federal prosecutor in North Carolina, testified to the election board that he had repeatedly warned his father not to hire Dowless because Dowless appeared to have previously engaged in illegal tactics to win votes. John Harris also testified that he had expressed similar concerns to his father's chief campaign strategist, Andy Yates.[69][70] Email records were shown of his discussion of the issue with his father.[15] His father had maintained that he had not been warned of problems with Dowless's reputation and had testified to that effect.[15]

On February 21, Harris admitted that he had made inaccurate statements in his testimony, blaming a recent sepsis infection that had affected his memory and caused him to have two strokes.[15] He said that he had concluded that "public confidence in the 9th District has been undermined to an extent that a new election is warranted."[15][3] The board unanimously voted to set a new election, with the date to be determined in a later hearing.[15][3] The board also called for new elections for two local county offices in Bladen County.[15]

Aftermath

[edit]

Freeman announced that she would call upon a grand jury to investigate the fraud allegations to determine whether or not to file criminal charges.[71] On February 26, Harris, citing ill health, declared that he would not compete in the new congressional election.[72]

Dowless was indicted on felony charges on February 27, consisting of three counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, and two counts of possession of absentee ballots. Four others were also charged in relation to the absentee ballot collection.[73] In March 2019, the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice began to issue subpoenas for a federal grand jury investigation related to the case. Documents were requested for a grand jury proceeding to be held April 16–18, 2019.[74] In July 2019, the Wake County district attorney also announced charges against Lisa Britt, Ginger S. Eason, Woody D. Hester, James Singletary, Jessica Dowless and Kelly Hendrix, and additional charges against Leslie McCrae Dowless.[75]

On April 25, 2022, Dowless died of Lung cancer.[76]

Six years later, Harris announced he would once again run for Congress, in the newly drawn 8th district. Harris went on to win both the primary on March 5, and the general election on November 5, in what was described by local outlets as a comeback bid.[77][78][79]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Inside The North Carolina Republican Vote Machine: Cash, Pills — And Ballots, Buzzfeed News, Brianna Sacks and Otillia Steadman, December 5, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  2. ^ a b New NC elections board sets date for 9th District hearing, WRAL, February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Caldwell, Leigh Ann (February 21, 2019). "New election ordered in North Carolina House district after possible illegal activities". NBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Drew Brooks (May 2, 2018). "Crowded field vies for 9th Congressional District seat". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  5. ^ a b John Henderson, Staff Writer (October 20, 2018). "All eyes on Nov. 6 will be on District 9: Harris vs. McCready". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  6. ^ Weigel, David (May 8, 2018). "North Carolina GOP congressman loses primary, first House incumbent ousted". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  7. ^ Bradner, Eric (December 5, 2018). "Man at center of North Carolina election fraud probe turned in hundreds of absentee ballot requests – CNNPolitics". CNN. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  8. ^ "Christian Cano : Politics". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ "Democratic challenger's big bank account might mean a tough House race for Pittenger". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  10. ^ "In Pittenger-McCready race, who would dish out the stress?". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  11. ^ A former Marine, Dan McCready finds his latest mission in a bid for Congress, The Charlotte Observer, Jim Morrill, October 11, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  12. ^ "DCCC Names First 11 Candidates in 'Red to Blue' Program". Rollcall.com. November 15, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "US House of Representatives District 09 – Dem (Vote for 1)". NC State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  14. ^ Woolverton, Paul. "Eastover banker files for 9th Congressional District". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Gardner, Amy (February 21, 2019). "North Carolina orders new election in contested U.S. House race after GOP candidate admitted misspeaking under oath". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via Chicago Tribune.
  16. ^ "GOP rival says Pittenger is among the 'most liberal' Republicans in Congress. False". The News & Observer. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  17. ^ "First Baptist's Mark Harris to step aside as he considers another bid for Congress". The Charlotte Observer. June 11, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  18. ^ Lowry, Rich (May 8, 2018). "North Carolina Rep. Pittenger loses primary". Politico. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  19. ^ "Rep. Robert Pittenger loses North Carolina GOP primary to pastor". USA Today. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "20 Mar 2018, A3 - The News and Observer at". Newspapers.com. March 20, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "US House of Representatives District 09 Rep (Vote for 1)". NC State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  22. ^ Ely Portillo; Jim Morrill; Tim Funk (October 26, 2018). "Trump urges votes for GOP candidates in Charlotte rally: 'Let's not take a chance'". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  23. ^ "Former Democratic Candidate Endorses Jeff Scott for Congress".
  24. ^ "US House District 9 debate: Dan McCready, Mark Harris". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  25. ^ "US House District 9 debate: Dan McCready, Mark Harris". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  26. ^ NYT Upshot/Siena College
  27. ^ NYT Upshot/Siena College
  28. ^ SurveyUSA
  29. ^ SurveyUSA
  30. ^ ALG Research (D-McCready)
  31. ^ Public Policy Polling (D-House Majority PAC)
  32. ^ "District 9, North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement". North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  33. ^ "Harris, McCready race too close to call". WPDE. Associated Press. December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  34. ^ WBTV Web Staff (November 6, 2018). "Dan McCready concedes NC District 9 race to Mark Harris". Wbtv.com. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  35. ^ Morrill, Jim (November 27, 2018). "NC elections board refuses to certify 9th District race, leaving it in limbo". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  36. ^ "NC officials vote to hold hearing over alleged fraud in U.S. House race". The Hill. November 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  37. ^ Wise, Justin (December 3, 2018). "Second woman says she was paid to collect absentee ballots in North Carolina House race". The Hill. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  38. ^ Levy, Adam (December 3, 2018). "North Carolina elections board delays certification of congressional election results again". CNN. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  39. ^ Man at center of North Carolina election fraud probe turned in hundreds of absentee ballot requests, CNN, Eric Bradner, Adam Levy, Drew Griffin and Curt Devine, December 5, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  40. ^ Meet the four candidates for Bladen County sheriff, WECT, August 14, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  41. ^ "AP retracts call in North Carolina congressional race amid fraud investigation". The Hill. November 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  42. ^ Morrill, Jim (November 29, 2018). "'Tangled web' in Bladen County has questions swirling about votes in the 9th District". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  43. ^ Gardner, Amy; Ross, Kirk (November 29, 2018). "Certification in limbo in N.C. House race as fraud investigation continues". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  44. ^ "North Carolina Democrat withdraws concession in House race amid allegations of vote fraud". NBC News. December 6, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  45. ^ Bruno, Joe (December 5, 2018). "Who is McCrae Dowless, man who appears to be center of 9th District investigation?". WSOC-TV. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  46. ^ "N.C. congressional candidate sought out aide, despite warnings over tactics". The Washington Post. December 13, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  47. ^ The guru of Bladen County’ is at the center of NC's election troubles, The News & Observer, Dan Kane Ely Portillo, January 21, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  48. ^ Murphy, Brian (December 3, 2018). "At center of voter fraud scandal, a convicted felon and 'grassroots' campaigner". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  49. ^ Casiano, Louis (December 6, 2018). "Over 1,000 ballots may have been destroyed in NC congressional race, DA says". Fox News. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  50. ^ "North Carolina lawmakers override veto of elections bill". The Hill. December 27, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  51. ^ Lowry, Rich (December 10, 2018). "North Carolina Democrat preparing for special election in contested congressional race". Politico. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  52. ^ a b Henderson, Bruce; Jarvis, Craig; Brosseau, Carli (December 28, 2018). "9th District chaos: Cooper plans interim elections board, Harris asks to be named winner". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  53. ^ Nobles, Ryan; Krieg, Gregory; Stracqualursi, Veronica; Cohen, Ethan (December 28, 2018). "North Carolina elections board dissolves before certifying November results of 9th district race". CNN. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  54. ^ "House leader says Democrats won't seat candidate in unresolved North Carolina race". NBC News. Associated Press. December 28, 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  55. ^ Lillis, Mike (December 4, 2018). "Hoyer: Dems won't seat Harris until North Carolina fraud allegations are resolved". The Hill. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  56. ^ Dalesio, Emery P. (January 2, 2019). "Hearing into North Carolina ballot fraud claims postponed". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  57. ^ "Hearing On 9th District Investigation Delayed". WFAE. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  58. ^ Gardner, Amy (January 2, 2019). "GOP congressional candidate says he will ask N.C. court to certify his victory as election officials delay fraud hearing". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  59. ^ Morrill, Jim; Murphy, Brian (January 2, 2019). "Mark Harris says he'll go to court as officials delay hearing on election fraud". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  60. ^ "Congressional Profile". Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  61. ^ Cooper ditches call for interim elections board; Harris campaign to sue for certification, Carolina Journal, Dan Way, January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  62. ^ Latos, Allison (January 3, 2019). "DISTRICT 9 INVESTIGATION: Harris meets with Board of Elections, calls not being in DC 'disappointing'". WSOC. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  63. ^ Election fraud hearing postponed; Cooper will not appoint new board, calls lack of GOP support 'obstruction', WECT, Emily Featherston, January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  64. ^ Will Doran (January 22, 2019). ""Judge denies Mark Harris request to certify his win despite election fraud investigation"". News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina.
  65. ^ Elections board may finish 9th District investigation in a few weeks, new chairman says, The Charlotte Observer, Jim Morrill, January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  66. ^ Blinder, Alan (February 18, 2019). "In North Carolina, Investigators Find Ballot 'Scheme' in House Race". The New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  67. ^ Gardner, Amy. "N.C. election officials: Harris operative collected and falsified ballots, then tried to obstruct state investigation". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  68. ^ "Key witness testifies to tampering with absentee ballots in N.C, House race". NBC News. February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019. Britt said some of the ballots she collected were unsealed and uncompleted and testified she filled out the options left blank for Republican candidates — an admission of vote tampering that violates North Carolina law.
  69. ^ "Candidate's son warned father of N.C. political operative's alleged tactics". The Washington Post. February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  70. ^ "Republican candidate's son shakes up North Carolina hearing with surprise testimony". NBC News. February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  71. ^ "Criminal charges in alleged ballot scheme could come soon | Raleigh News & Observer". The News & Observer. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  72. ^ Burns, Matthew; Leslie, Laura (February 26, 2019). "Mark Harris not running in new 9th District election". WRAL-TV. Capitol Broadcasting Company. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  73. ^ Portillo, Ely; Morrill, Jim (February 27, 2019). "Bladen County operative at center of NC election fraud investigation indicted, arrested". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  74. ^ Federal investigators issue subpoenas in NC-9 investigation, WBTV, Nick Ochsner, March 11, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  75. ^ McCrae Dowless indicted on more charges in election fraud investigation,WSOC-TV, Joe Bruno, August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  76. ^ Risen, Clay (April 25, 2022). "L. McCrae Dowless Jr., 66, Dies; Operative at Heart of Election Scandal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  77. ^ Harrison, Steve (March 5, 2024). "Mark Harris wins Republican primary, completing his political comeback in the 8th District". WUNC (FM). Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  78. ^ Noel, Rebecca (March 5, 2024). "Mark Harris is GOP's 8th District nominee six years after election fraud prompted do-over". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  79. ^ "Charlotte-area Republicans win Congressional races, including Mark Harris comeback". WFAE. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
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