Mission

The mission of the Chatham County Board of Elections is to plan and conduct fair, secure elections according to state and federal election laws.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Board of Elections is required by N.C. G.S. 163-30 Article 4.

The duties of the Board of Elections are

• Make and issue rules, regulations, and instructions necessary for the guidance of election officers and voters.
• Appoint chief judges, judges, assistants, and other elections officials, and determine where they will serve. The board also removes officials if the need arises.
• Investigate irregularities, nonperformance of duties, and violations of laws by election officers and other persons, and report violations to the State Board.
• Contract for the printing of ballots and other supplies used in registration and elections; and provide for the delivery of ballots, pollbooks, and other required papers and materials to voting places.
• Buy and maintain voting booths, ballot boxes, registration and pollbooks, maps, flags, cards of instruction, and other forms, papers, and equipment used in elections.
• Count absentee and provisional ballots and other official ballots required to be counted.
• Certify results in all ballot items on the official ballot in the county.
• Order a recount in any ballot item where necessary to complete the canvass.
• Conduct any recount ordered by the county board or State Board.
• Conduct hearings on election protests.

For more on the duties of county boards of elections, please refer to:

• Powers and duties of county boards of elections (N.C.G.S. § 163-33)
• Summary of officials’ duties under this Article (N.C.G.S. § 163-182.17(c))
• Duties of county board of elections (N.C.G.S. § 163-166.1)

Membership and Terms

Each of North Carolina’s 100 counties has a county board of elections with five members who are registered voters in that county. The State Board of Elections appoints four members– two Democrats and two Republicans. The state chairs of the Republican and Democratic parties recommend three registered voters to the State Board. The auditor appoints the chair of each county board.

The following are the current members of the Board of Elections. The Board of Commissioner District they live in is noted, along with their original appointment date, and termination date. Members are appointed to two-year terms.

Tad VanDusen, Chair, Commissioners District 1

• Appointed July 2025; Expiration Date June 2027
• theron.vandusen@chathamcountync.gov

Frank Dunphy II, Commissioners District 3

• Appointed July 2025; Expiration Date June 2027
• frank.dunphy@chathamcountync.gov

Laura Heise, Commissioners District 5

• Appointed July 2025; Expiration Date June 2027
• laura.heise@chathamcountync.gov

Erika Lindemann, Commissioners District 3

• Appointed July 2025; Expiration Date June 2027
• erika.lindemann@chathamcountync.gov

Bob Tyson, Commissioners District 3

• Appointed July 2025; Expiration June Date 2027
• allan.tyson@chathamcountync.gov

Chatham County welcomes residents who wish to contribute to their community by serving on one of our volunteer boards or committees. Learn more about applying.

Get Information

Visit the Meeting page for details about upcoming and past meetings.  

To receive email notices about meetings and work of this board, sign up for e-notifications. 

Staff Liaison

Pandora Paschal
Board of Elections Director
elections@chathamcountync.gov
(919) 545-8500