The vote passed 3-2, with the two Republican board members dissenting.
This came after the Brunswick Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution asking the Board of Elections to end their membership in the nonprofit, over concerns with private funding interfering in elections.
The nonpartisan organization aims to support local elections departments.
Director of Elections Sara LaVere said membership in the alliance was important for her to learn about best practices.
“All I wanted was the opportunity to meet other local election officials, people that do the work I do, learn their tips and tricks,” she said.
Brunswick County is one of several counties chosen to receive elections training, mentorship and resources.
Chairman Boyd Williamson, who voted to stay in the alliance, said he would have seen the issue differently if it were brought to the board by voters–instead of as a resolution from the county commissioners.
The county commissioners’ resolution stated the mother organization for the alliance, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, was partly funded by Mark Zuckerberg and other tech billionaires.
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, his wife, did donate hundreds of millions to CTCL in the runup to the 2020 election — prior to the creation of the alliance — but the FEC did not findany wrongdoing.
The resolution expressed support for Senate Bill 89, introduced in the General Assembly in February, that would ban using private money to conduct NC elections or hire temporary elections workers. The bill is still in committee.
Commissioners also suggested finding alternatives that only involved other NC election officials, instead of membership in a national organization.
But LaVere said she doesn’t receive many opportunities from the state to network, especially via in-person meetings.
LaVere also said the office is not receiving any money from the Alliance beyond a $2,000 travel reimbursement for a conference and a scholarship for membership dues.
There was a roughly even split between opposing membership in the alliance and supporting it in the public comment period.
This article has been updated to include comment from Sara LaVere.
