FBI launches investigation into 9th District election fraud allegations

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now looking into election fraud allegations in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District.

FBI subpoenas have been served to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

The subpoenas direct the election board to produce certain records during a grand jury investigation that will take place April 16-18.

This comes less than a month after the board unanimously voted to hold a new election in the 9th District.

Since that vote, at least five people have been arrested and charged in connection to their work during the election.

Leslie McCrae Dowless is the political operative at the center of the investigation. He was arrested Feb. 27. He has been accused of organizing the election fraud scheme and coordinating it during the 2016 elections and the Republican primary in 2018.

Dowless was working on behalf of 9th District Republican candidate Mark Harris. Harris has since declined to run in the upcoming new election; his Democratic competitor, Dan McCready, does plan to run again.