Carolina Curious: What is the breakdown of voter registration in the state and how does that compare to representation on the NCSBOE?

The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBOE) is charged with supervising elections and monitoring campaign finance compliance. A listener recently asked: What is the current party breakdown of registered voters in the state, and how is this reflected on the board?

The governor appoints members of the state Board of Elections with no more than three members allowed from the same party. Currently, the board is made up of three Democrats and two Republicans.

But the largest group of voters in North Carolina isn't represented. According to the state Board of Elections, there are around 2.8 million unaffiliated voters registered as of Aug. 24. For comparison, the next largest group is Democrats with around 2.4 million, and then Republicans with around 2.2.

Catawba College Political Scientist Michael Bitzer says unaffiliated voters have a plurality but there's no official body that could conceivably help to represent them on political boards.

"The question is, you know, do we want their representation? But then how would you go about picking somebody to be that representative of a group that has no organization, that has no kind of structure, like the Democratic Party, like the Republican Party?" he says.

Bitzer says despite increasing polarization in the public sphere the board strives to avoid being partisan.

"I think for the most part, these folks who serve on these boards recognize, 'Yes, I'm a member of a political party, but I'm also trying to create an environment that gives confidence and a sense of integrity to our election systems, and that oftentimes means perhaps I won't be as partisan as I can be, and to try and find a good compromise,'" Bitzer says.

He says it's why the state generally sees a nonpartisan approach to administering elections.