WATCH: Voter registration issues in NC are ‘fracturing confidence,’ voter tells House committee

Mary Kay Heling, a retired teacher and fitness instructor from North Carolina, testified Tuesday before the House Administration Committee about issues she experienced with her voter registration.

Heling told the committee that upon moving to the state in 2016, she “promptly” registered to vote. But after voting in the 2024 primary and general elections, she received a notice that her voter registration may be incomplete.

“Needless to say, I was shocked and upset since I had voted regularly since 2016 with no issues by providing my valid ID and having it checked against the registration list,” Heling said.

After confirming that she appeared on the list, she went to the board of elections to resolve the issue and update her registration. “I double and triple checked it,” she said. “This all took work and persistence. It was frustrating and time consuming. Hopefully, it is correct this time, but can I be sure? I thought it was the first time. How does anyone know their vote is safe?”

Heling, who described herself as an unaffiliated registered voter, said she later learned that her name was among 200,000 names in a federal lawsuit challenging voter eligibility, citing incomplete registration records.

“I'm here to represent all those North Carolinians whose voter registrations are being challenged,” she said. “This process is threatening the voices of North Carolina voters and fracturing confidence in the government. Please do not remove the voices of registered North Carolina voters.”

The House committee’s hearing dealt with how states maintain their voter lists and secure elections.

Subscribe for exclusive content in our newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel