RALEIGH -- Two state agencies are fighting over potential voter fraud in North Carolina. The state auditor is investigating claims of dead people voting and invalid identification. As a result he asked lawmakers to hold off approving a voter registration law.
The state auditor began checking voter registration records in January.
"None of this is intended to be partisan or cast doubt on the State Board of Elections," State Auditor Les Merritt said.
Preliminary research showed nearly 25,000 invalid driver's license numbers and nearly 700 invalid Social Security numbers were used. It also found more than 1,500 people had ballots cast after they died.
The state auditor began checking voter registration records in January. He is investigating claims of dead people voting and invalid identification.
While the Republican state auditor has deep concerns about potential voter fraud in North Carolina, the head of the State Board of Elections disputes some of those numbers.
"Everything that has been presented to us we have been able to review and resolve," Executive Director Gary Bartlett said.
The dispute comes a week after the auditor asked lawmakers to pull the bill just 30 minutes before a vote. The bill would allow people to register and vote at one stop absentee sites on the same day with a driver's license. Right now voters have to register no later than 25 days before an election.
"The bill has at least six safe guards most of which were recommended by the Board of Elections that prevent any kind of voter fraud or problems with voter registration," explained the bill's sponsor, Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake.
Merritt admits his audit is not complete and may show no problems in the end.
"But in our minds and in the minds of the IT people on the state auditor side, there are still some questions that needed to be worked through," Merritt added.
But an incomplete report still angered Democrats.
"If we're going to blow the whistle on something, let's know whether we have a problem or not," said Sen. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg.
In the end the committee again approved the bill. The full Senate will now vote on it, and the bill still needs another approval from the House and the governor's signature before it becomes law.