A federal judge has approved a settlement in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice against North Carolina election officials, requiring the state to take new steps to correct voter registration records that were missing required identification numbers.
The lawsuit, filed on May 27, 2025, accused state officials of violating the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which requires every new voter registration to include either a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.
According to the DOJ, North Carolina’s system allowed more than 80,000 registrations to go forward without those numbers, raising questions about accuracy and compliance.
BREAKING: The State of North Carolina is being FORCED to clean up their voter rolls and remove over 100,000 people without proper identification after a court sided with @AAGDhillon
Democrats tried to stop this, but FAILED.
The Trump admin is weeding out fraud nationwide. pic.twitter.com/jy31WbOU2o
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 9, 2025
North Carolina Ordered to Collect Missing Voter ID Numbers
On September 8, 2025, a federal judge approved a consent agreement that requires the state to send a second round of letters to the affected voters by mid-December.
Those voters will be asked to provide the missing identification information to confirm their eligibility.
The settlement also requires North Carolina to submit updates to the Justice Department through 2027.
“The court’s order ensures that North Carolina complies with federal law and strengthens the accuracy of its voter registration system,” the DOJ said in a press release.
North Carolina Removes 747,000 Ineligible Voters Since 2023
The case is part of a broader shift inside the DOJ under Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who was appointed by President Trump in late 2024 to lead the Civil Rights Division.
Dhillon has made election integrity a top priority, directing the division to focus more aggressively on preventing voter fraud.
Since 2023, North Carolina has removed more than 747,000 ineligible registrants, including 130,688 deceased voters and nearly 19,000 felons, according to state records.
Democrats Argue Settlement Risks Confusion at the Polls
Civil rights groups and Democratic leaders argue that the settlement could create unnecessary hurdles for legitimate voters.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) intervened in the case and helped negotiate terms that will allow affected individuals to cast provisional ballots if their ID information remains unresolved.
Opponents warn this could lead to confusion and claim the DOJ is putting too much emphasis on fraud prevention.
A Familiar Debate in Nevada
While the legal battle is playing out in North Carolina, the issue resonates in Nevada, where election integrity has been a hot topic since 2020.
Nevada’s all-mail voting system, passed by the Legislature in 2021, has drawn scrutiny from conservatives who argue the state’s voter rolls also need a thorough cleanup.
Election watchdog groups have pointed out that maintaining accurate voter lists is essential in fast-growing states like Nevada, where thousands of residents move in and out every year.
Voter Roll Debate Expected to Intensify Before 2026 Races
The North Carolina settlement will remain in place through 2027, with continued oversight by the Justice Department.
For conservatives, the case is seen as a model for how federal enforcement can bolster state efforts to secure elections.
For critics, it’s a troubling sign of a DOJ focused more on fraud than access.
Either way, the outcome highlights a growing divide over how to balance voting rights with election security – a debate that will continue to shape state and national elections heading into 2026.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
