RALEIGH – North Carolina’s elections director told local officials to avoid speculating about or predicting race outcomes while results remain unofficial and county canvassing continues.
State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes issued the written caution Nov. 6 after a WRAL report quoted county election directors discussing the unsettled Senate District 24 contest. The statement applied broadly to election officials across the state.
Hayes said election officials are responsible for “administering elections, not influencing public perceptions of their outcomes.” He also said the state board questioned whether the WRAL report reflected the context of remarks attributed to a county official, while maintaining that its expectations for public comments remain clear.
County boards are scheduled to canvass results Nov. 13. Hayes said results remain unofficial until that process is complete and emphasized that every eligible vote must be counted accurately and according to law.
The warning came as the Senate District 24 margin narrowed. Republican Sen. Danny Britt’s lead over Democratic challenger Catina Hamm fell from 268 votes to 245 after Hoke County officials counted 59 provisional ballots Friday, according to WRAL. Election officials still had more than 650 provisional ballots to review in Robeson and Scotland counties, plus at least one potentially eligible ballot in Hoke County.
The race covers Robeson, Hoke and Scotland counties and could determine control of the state Senate. A Britt victory would leave Republicans with a 26-24 majority. A Hamm victory would produce a 25-25 chamber, where Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt could cast tie-breaking votes.
The contest also remains within the state’s recount threshold for a non-statewide race. WRAL reported that any recount request would be due by noon Nov. 17 and that the State Board is scheduled to certify the district result at its Nov. 24 canvass.
Sources
- Statement from State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes, Nov. 6, 2026
- Carolina Journal, Nov. 6, 2026
- WRAL, updated Nov. 7, 2026
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Editor’s Note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.