Judge Upholds North Carolina Mail-In Ballot Sealing Rules
Governor Josh Stein claims new mail-in ballot rules doubled rejection rates, but a federal judge refused to block the guidelines before the election.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein claimed that new mail-in ballot processing guidelines have caused absentee ballot rejection rates to double compared to 2022. Stein cited an analysis by Common Cause, published by Democracy Docket, which reported a 3% rejection rate across 27 counties, arguing that last-minute changes are leading to thousands more rejected ballots.
Data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections contradicts the claim of a doubled rate, showing a statewide increase in spoiled ballots from 2.6% in 2022 to 3.1% in 2026. However, local data from Mecklenburg and Wake counties suggest a significant portion of these spoiled ballots result specifically from new GOP-backed rules requiring stricter envelope sealing and signature verification.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas D. Schroeder declined to block the guidelines in a challenge brought by the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans. Judge Schroeder ruled that the requirements are not unduly burdensome and noted that courts should not alter election rules on the eve of an election. The rules were implemented in September following legal challenges by the North Carolina Republican Party and the Republican National Committee.
