5:17 p.m: Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, has been appointed to posts on three national boards working to improve elections and election security in the United States.
On Thursday, during a meeting of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), Brinson Bell was chosen by her colleagues as the South Region Representative. She was sworn in as part of the Executive Committee on Friday (February 25) during the organization’s virtual winter conference.
NASED is a nonpartisan, professional organization made up of state election directors. It promotes accessible, accurate, and transparent elections in the United States and its territories.
Second, Brinson Bell was appointed as a voting member of the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordinating Council, part of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security. The Council enables local, state, and federal governments to share information and collaborate to mitigate and counter threats to U.S. election infrastructure. Brinson Bell represents NASED on the Council for a two-year term.
Finally, earlier this month, Brinson Bell was recommended by a fellow state election director to serve on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Elections. As a member of the Task Force, comprised of state and local election officials from diverse states and political ideologies, Brinson Bell has the opportunity to influence federal election policy and build relationships with and learn from a diverse group of election officials.
“The voters of North Carolina are fortunate to have such a capable and talented executive director working extremely hard to ensure accessible, secure, and fair elections in our state,” said Damon Circosta, State Board chairman. “These appointments show the respect she has garnered among her peers across the country because of her efforts.”
Brinson Bell was first appointed as North Carolina’s chief state election official in May 2019. She was reappointed to a second term in May 2021. Brinson Bell formerly worked at the State Board of Elections and as election director in Transylvania County, in addition to other positions in the election industry. Brinson Bell was born and raised in Kenansville in Duplin County and is a 1996 graduate of UNC Asheville.
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