North Carolina state auditor Dave Boliek speaks to lawmakers about a bill that would give his office a new team to examine state spending and jobs on April 2, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

If you’re like the vast majority of North Carolina voters, the decision you made last November in the auditor’s race was pretty low on your list of priority contests.

Ah, but for Republican lawmakers looking for ways to seize more powers from Gov. Josh Stein, newly elected Republican auditor Dave Boliek has turned out to be a convenient tool. Thanks to a bill rammed through during a lame duck session, Boliek has been given all sorts of new powers that have absolutely nothing to do with the auditor’s traditional role – including bizarrely enough, appointing the state Board of Elections.

And last week Boliek followed marching orders from GOP leaders by appointing a pair of hard right ideologues to the Board.

The bottom line: It makes no more sense to place the auditor — state’s accountant — in charge of elections than giving the duty to the agriculture commissioner – especially when voters had no inkling of the shift when they cast their ballots. Unfortunately, for Republican lawmakers bent on shamelessly seizing power at every turn, logic and the will of voters is of little interest.

For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.