RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has made his initial choices for a new state board that administers both elections and ethics laws, even while he keeps challenging in court the law creating the combined panel.
Cooper announced his eight appointments Friday. Four are Democrats and four Republicans, as the law requires. Cooper received six nominees apiece from the chairman of each party.
Those eight members will then present to Cooper two choices from which he must appoint a ninth member. The two must be unaffiliated or Libertarian.
Cooper's office said earlier this week he would appoint board members even though he believes the board's composition still violates the state constitution. A spokesman said it was important to have a board in place with elections approaching this year.
