The North Carolina State Board of Elections and the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (OSA) have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to modernize the state’s election-management system. The agencies invite qualified vendors to submit proposals outlining solutions that will replace the state’s decades-old systems with modern, secure, and user-friendly technology.
The RFP marks the second step of a three-phase modernization plan. The second phase is focused on legacy application conversion and follows a Request for Information (RFI) announced in October which gathered public feedback on election system modernization. Insights from the RFI helped shape the requirements and specifications for the RFP now released.
“I am excited to launch this RFP for the modernization of our aging election management system. This represents the next step toward delivering a more resilient and user-friendly platform for North Carolina,” said State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes. “It has been a priority of mine since day one, and I am pleased to deliver on this critical need for the citizens of our state.”
North Carolina’s current Statewide Elections Information Management System (SEIMS) dates back to 1998. Advances in technology, increased security needs, and a growing population have created the need for more robust tools that support election administrators, county boards of elections, candidates, and the public.
“We are continuing our election modernization efforts, and working toward delivering secure, user-friendly tools to strengthen North Carolina’s elections,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “We received valuable feedback during the public comment period. Public input and transparency will remain key aspects of our election modernization efforts.”
The new system must provide:
- Enhanced security features aligned with state and federal best practices.
- Improved usability for State Board personnel and the 100 county boards of elections.
- Greater transparency and improved public access to election data.
- Modern workflows that comply with state law and support efficient election administration.
Vendors interested in submitting proposals should review the full RFP, available on the State Board’s and OSA’s websites. The document includes detailed system requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions.
Proposals are due by 4 p.m. on January 5, 2026.
After the submission period closes, the State Board and OSA will review all proposals, conduct evaluations, and proceed with the procurement process in accordance with state requirements.
For more information or to access the RFP, visit ncsbe.gov or auditor.nc.gov.