2024 Election: Cooper appoints interim labor commissioner until Farley is sworn-in

Gov. Roy Cooper elevated a longtime North Carolina Labor Department administrator to lead the state agency for the next two months to succeed Commissioner Josh Dobson, who resigned this week.

Kevin O'Barr, a 24-year department employee, will serve until Republican Luke Farley, who defeated Democrat Braxton Winston in Tuesday's election, takes office in early January.

Dobson, a Republican who decided not to seek a second four-year term, resigned on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Constitution gives Cooper, a Democrat, the authority to fill the vacancy with a commissioner to serve out the final weeks of Dobson's term.

A commissioner is otherwise elected statewide to lead an executive branch department that's separate from a governor's administration. The Department of Labor is in charge of administering the state's labor and workplace training laws and regulations, including wage and quarry rules.

O'Barr, most recently the agency's current bureau chief of consultative services, previously worked in several department areas, including occupational safety and health compliance.

O'Barr's "background, experience and deep knowledge of the Department of Labor will help ensure a smooth transition for Commissioner-Elect Farley while continuing the critical functions of the department through the end of the year," Cooper said in a news release.

The Associated Press contributed.

One of the most expensive and closely watched races in North Carolina is on the state Supreme Court, where a Democratic justice campaigned heavily on abortion rights and Republicans hope to expand their majority, remained too early to call Thursday.

Groups on both the right and left spent millions nationally in the leadup to the election hoping to reshape courts that'll be battlegrounds for voting rights, redistricting, abortion and other issues.

Sitting Justice Allison Riggs, a Democrat, narrowly trailed Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin in their race for an eight-year term on the state's highest court.

Nearly 5.5 million ballots have been counted in that tight race and tens of thousands of additional provisional and absentee ballots still had to be reviewed by county election officials.

The trailing candidate could seek a recount if the final margin is narrow enough.

Riggs' campaign focused on reproductive rights, running ads that said Griffin could be a deciding vote on the 5-2 majority Republican court for further abortion restrictions. Griffin had said it was inappropriate for Riggs to talk about an issue that could come before the court.

The Associated Press contributed.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey thanked supporters as he unofficially has won a third term in the position.

"I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all my campaign supporters, volunteers, and workers across all 100 counties," Causey said. "We have made history winning a third term as the state's first Republican Commissioner of Insurance. I am humbled by the hard work and dedication of hundreds of people working on my behalf across North Carolina."

He also acknowledged his Democratic opponent.

"I want to extend my recognition and respect to Sen. Natasha Marcus and the campaign she ran," Causey said. "I have run and lost campaigns, and I know how it feels. So, to Sen. Marcus, I want to thank her for her public service and her leadership for her constituency."

During the campaign, Causey said believes government should be fiscally responsible and insurance companies should be held accountable.

On Thursday, he mentioned several priorities for his upcoming term:

• Hurricane Helene recovery and starting a State Flood Insurance Plan

• Work with the General Assembly to curb distracted driving and add more State Troopers for road safety enforcement

• Improving the Consumer Hotline to address patient concerns about prior authorizations

• Addressing Emergency Management and Preparedness with the Office of State Fire Marshal."

"Folks, we have a great deal of work to be done," Causey added. "I look forward to a third term and remain committed to serving the needs of the people of North Carolina."

Under state law, election officials must release the number of provisional ballots cast in each county in North Carolina by the day after each election.

To see the number of provisional ballots cast in each county during the Nov. 5 general election, click here.

That chart will be updated as additional counties report their provisional ballot numbers to the State Board of Elections.

A voter may cast a provisional ballot when their name does not appear on the voter registration rolls for the voting location or other questions arise about their eligibility to vote or to vote a particular ballot. The provisional voter fills out a form called a provisional application, which includes information that the county board of elections can use to research the voter's eligibility.

An in-person voter will also cast a provisional ballot if they are unable to show an acceptable form of photo identification when voting. The voter will cast a provisional ballot and do one of the following:

• complete a Photo ID Exception Form, or

• return to their county board of elections office with their photo ID by 5 p.m. the day before county canvass. (For the November 5 election, this date is Nov. 14.)

For eligible voters who complete a Photo ID Exception Form, the provisional ballot will be counted unless the county board of elections unanimously determines that information on the Photo ID Exception Form is false.

After Election Day, each county board of elections meets before certifying the results to make decisions on the approval or disapproval of provisional ballots. In most counties, this occurs the week after Election Day. If the board determines that the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter is eligible for some contests on the ballot but not others, only the eligible contests will be counted for that voter. These ballots will be added to the results during the 10-day canvass period following Election Day.

County canvass is scheduled for Nov. 15. State canvass will be held on Nov. 26.