Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the NC State Board of Elections, recently was elected vice president of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED).
Brinson Bell was sworn in as vice president earlier this month during the NASED conference in Washington, D.C., after previously serving as the organization’s secretary and treasurer in 2023. She is now in line to serve as association president in 2026. Mandy Vigil, New Mexico state election director, currently serves as NASED president, while Kansas State Elections Director Bryan Caskey serves as NASED president-elect.
“Through this role on the NASED board, I interact routinely with election officials from across the United States as we learn from each other and improve elections for all of our voters,” Brinson Bell said. “This position gives me a front-row seat during discussions about best practices in elections, which we can then use to improve services to North Carolina’s 7.5 million voters.”
NASED is a nonpartisan professional organization made up of state election directors. It promotes accessible, accurate, and transparent elections in the 50 states and U.S. territories. NASED members meet twice a year to discuss the latest developments in election administration and learn from other states and experts about best practices in elections.
Brinson Bell has served as executive director of the State Board of Elections since June 2019. She has worked in elections administration since 2006 in county, state, and national roles. As North Carolina’s chief elections official, Brinson Bell leads about 65 employees at the state agency. The State Board administers elections and oversees campaign finance compliance. It also provides guidance on election laws and procedures to the 100 county boards of elections in North Carolina.