Federal Monitors Assigned to Three N.C. Counties
Federal election monitors will be present in Alamance, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties, with House observers in two congressional districts.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Do you trust that elections in your county are run fairly?
The U.S. Department of Justice assigned two federal election monitors to each of Alamance, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. A small number of U.S. House election observers will also be present in Congressional Districts 1 and 11.
Why it matters
Monitors are assigned to observe voting activity in designated counties and districts, a practice that was also used in these counties in 2024. The State Board of Elections stated the presence of monitors should not be interpreted as indicating problems with North Carolina's elections.
Each of the three named counties has two federal monitors assigned, and House observers will be present in Congressional Districts 1 and 11. Congressional Districts 1 and 11 cover parts of northeastern and western North Carolina.
The players
Sam Hayes
Sam Hayes is the Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, which oversees election administration in the state.
The details
State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes announced the monitor assignments at a press conference. The board said the monitors should not be read as signaling problems with the state's elections.
Timeline
• November 3, 2026: Federal election monitors are scheduled to be present in the three counties.
Political Context
The same three counties that received Justice Department monitors in 2024 are receiving federal monitors again, continuing an established pattern of federal observation in these jurisdictions. The State Board of Elections has framed the assignments as routine oversight rather than evidence of election problems.
Voters in Alamance, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties may see federal monitors at polling sites on Election Day. Residents of Congressional Districts 1 and 11 may encounter House observers during voting.
The takeaway
Federal monitor assignments are a routine part of election oversight, and their presence does not by itself indicate a problem with how North Carolina conducts its elections.
What happens next
Federal election monitors are scheduled to be present in the assigned counties on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on North Carolina Elections for context on how the state administers its voting process.
Live Poll
Do you trust that elections in your county are run fairly?
