Bob Rucho resigned from the North Carolina State Board of Elections on Thursday after revelations he had made political contributions in apparent violation of state law.
Since joining the elections board in May 2025, Rucho donated to two county sheriffs, public campaign finance records show. Rucho wrote a $259 check to Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell in October and a $1,000 check to Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown in January. Brown has since returned the contribution. Both Campbell and Brown are up for reelection this year.
Under state law, NCSBE members aren’t allowed to “make a reportable contribution to a candidate for a public office over which the State Board would have jurisdiction or authority.”
Rucho didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In announcing Rucho’s resignation, neither the State Board of Elections nor the Office of the State Auditor cited a reason.
Rucho has also come under scrutiny for public social media posts he wrote defending his former colleague, Senate leader Phil Berger, and criticizing Berger’s primary challenger, Sam Page.
In one post, he wrote, “The Sam Page interview lists all of his election promises which promotes more state government spending. … The NC taxpayers should decide how to spend their own money…..not the government and big spending politicians.”
The same state law barring state election board members from donating to candidates also prohibits officeholders from making “written or oral statements intended for general distribution or dissemination to the public at large supporting or opposing the nomination or election of one or more clearly identified candidates for public office.”
In a statement, Auditor Dave Boliek announced that Angela Hawkins, the chair of the Wake County Board of Elections, would fill Rucho’s seat. She was later sworn in on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m thankful for Bob Rucho’s service on the State Board of Elections,” Boliek said in a statement. “He led on election integrity and helped make it easy to vote and hard to cheat in North Carolina’s elections. This office has high standards for its board members, and Angela Hawkins will continue the good work being done by the State Board.”