GOP chairman: Vote tally sharing would warrant new election

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina Republican Party leader says an affidavit alleging a county's early vote totals were shared improperly would be grounds alone for a new election in an unsettled congressional race.

GOP Chairman Robin Hayes made the comment Tuesday about a Bladen County precinct worker's statement that the state Democratic Party gave to the state elections board two weeks ago. The board hasn't finalized the 9th District outcome while it examines alleged absentee ballot fraud.

The worker, Agnes Willis, wrote that vote tallies printed at Bladen's in-person early voting site the Saturday before Election Day were reviewed by people who were not election judges. That information conceivably could help political campaigns with Election Day get-out-the-vote strategies.

Unofficial 9th District results show Republican Mark Harris leading Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes.