Sarah Michels | Carolina Public Press

There’s going to be a full house in Ashe County’s public schools this summer. After a mix of bad weather and severe storms closed schools there for 47 days, Superintendent Eisa Cox plans to take full advantage of a Helene learning loss summer school program. It’s funded by the legislature in its most recent recovery bill.

Lynn Berry-Bernstein knows what builds electoral trust — and it’s not President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on elections.Berry-Bernstein, the founder of Transparent Elections NC, used to work with election observers in North Carolina. Before observing their first absentee ballot meeting, they often reported very little confidence in the fairness and accuracy of elections.

Are ballots valid if voters die before Election Day? The state seems to say no. That hasn’t stopped some officials from counting them anyway.

Trailing GOP candidates hope challenging a list of voters disqualifies enough to flip outcomes. North Carolina voters on the list take it personally.