RALEIGH — The N.C. State Board of Elections is continuing to investigate a request to look into Bladen County voter rolls.

In late December, the Civitas Institute sent letters to the Bladen County Board of Elections, as well as five other county election boards, asking for a record probe based on its assertion that a “substantial number of ineligible voters … threatens the integrity of the electoral process.”

Bladen County Board of Elections Chairman Bobby Ludlum said in early January that the request probably stemmed from “a considerable number” of same-day registrations that include addresses for which mail is returned to the local board as “undeliverable.”

Since Civitas’ request would generate quite a bit of work for all six counties and would be more easily done from one home base with access to all six counties’ records, the State Board of Elections assumed the responsibility to conduct the probe.

“We are working on it,” said Nick Gannon, media consultant with the State Board of Elections. “It’s a sizable request, but we have three groups working on it, and it’s a priority for us.”

Gannon declined to comment on the status of the probe or on the timeline for completion, saying only that the request not only asked for data compilation, but also analysis of that data, which is more time-consuming.

In a related matter, the State BOE also took over a request from the Justice Department to have district lines in North Carolina — lines that would affect Bladen County — redrawn.

“I think this year is too soon for them to try to redraw the lines,” said Bladen County Board of Elections Director Cynthia Shaw. “That’s a lot of data — when you look at all of North Carolina — to have to put together in a short time.”

That same request also suggested all counties go to a four-member board, but it, too, is on hold.

“I’m sure if we have to go into a court situation, we’ll know from the state,” said Shaw.

Chrysta Carroll can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.

By Chrysta Carroll

ccarroll@civitasmedia.com