NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The former New Hanover County elections director is petitioning the courts to review the State Board of Elections upholding of the New Hanover County Board of Elections’ decision to fire her in May.
In March, the New Hanover County Board of Elections voted unanimously on a petition to fire Harris after being placed on administrative leave; reporting from Port City Daily and WHQR indicated a falling-out among the director, the local board of elections and county staff during her short time leading the primary election.
The State State Board of Elections’ Executive Director Sam Hayes upheld her termination; the State Board of Elections was given 20 days to intervene in the matter. Harris’ termination was final on June 9.
READ MORE: ‘Between the offices’: Relationship between NHC election director and county manager on shaky ground
Though the reasons for her termination were not made public, Harris’ petition filed on July 10 states Hayes cited at least six reasons for termination, including:
- – Failure to challenge the ballot of a deceased voter
- – Failure of election day responsibilities and procedures
- – False allegations of email tampering
- – Public dissemination of unverified, false and misleading comprehensive statement
- – Failure to implement transition plan and escalation of facility access issues
- – A prior criminal conviction
Harris’ petition to the courts states the actions of both boards violated her constitutional rights and her termination was an act of retaliation.
For relief, the petition requests the courts reverse the state and New Hanover County board’s decision and reinstate her as elections director with an award of back pay, front pay attorney fees, and damages in excess of $25,000.
Harris’ job came under fire back in March following the primary election, when the director accused the county and some board of elections members for bullying, retaliation and email tampering. However, a preliminary report of a third-party audit on Harris’ computer and Microsoft account did not return evidence of outside tampering.
She also asserted that county staff micro-managed her work flow and interfered with secured election facilities, having complained to the state BOE and formally to HR at the county level.
The New Hanover County Board of Elections has since hired a new director, Eric Navagh, who has been serving as interim director since Harris was put on paid administrative leave last March; Harris was making $115,000 annually.
Harris is the second director in less than a year to exit the county’s BOE director position. Her predecessor, Rae Hunter-Havens, abruptly resigned in fall 2025 after enduring a harried relationship with the county. Hunter-Havens stepped back “due to health concerns” and was paid $70,000 as a consultant through March 1.
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