Allegations of conspiracy and misconduct in recent North Carolina House of Representatives primary elections have been brought to federal court by a former candidate who claims he was unlawfully removed from the ballot. The complaint was filed by Lenton Credelle Brown on March 31, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Pitt County Board of Elections, and several individuals including Claire Kempner and Dave Davis.
According to the filing, Brown, an African American veteran who ran for House District 9 in both 2024 and 2026, asserts that he was deprived of his constitutional rights through what he describes as race-based policies and conspiratorial actions by local Democratic Party officials and election administrators. The lawsuit invokes protections under the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution as well as federal statutes including 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and § 1983.
The central issue outlined in the complaint is whether candidates who allegedly failed to meet statutory requirements—such as timely filing a Notice of Candidacy or paying entrance fees—could be certified as winners or even placed on future ballots. Brown claims that although he was “the only Democratic candidate that paid their fees in time to be placed on the ballot in 2024,” other candidates were improperly allowed into races after deadlines had passed. He specifically alleges that Dave Davis conspired with Claire Kempner and others to remove him from the ballot during the primary process.
Brown reports receiving urgent calls urging him to withdraw from the race shortly after filing his candidacy paperwork. He alleges these calls were facilitated by party officials acting on information provided by Davis. Further accusations include failure by local election officials to transmit required candidacy documents to state authorities despite repeated requests—a situation Brown describes as evidence of fraud. “The fact that he emailed me a copy of Claire Kempner’s Notice of Candidacy and refused to send the document to the State Board Of Elections attests to the fact that the document is by nature fraudulent,” Brown states in his complaint.
In addition to procedural irregularities regarding filings and certifications, Brown claims he was denied access to essential campaign resources such as early voting data before canvassing was completed—a right he says is protected under state law. He also alleges that financial contributions exceeding legal limits went unreported for certain candidates, constituting felonies under state statutes.
The complaint outlines broader patterns of alleged discrimination dating back several years. Brown argues that these actions amount not only to individual misconduct but also reflect deliberate indifference within official policies or training at both county and state levels: “Defendants have developed and maintained long-standing… customs, policies, procedures… amounting to deliberate indifference to the constitutional rights of black male candidates.” The suit references both equal protection claims under Section 1983 and historical context for such remedies.
Specific incidents cited include being prevented from speaking at party events despite meeting all requirements for candidacy, being denied access to campaign tools like Votebuilder during subsequent races, and witnessing similar issues involving other candidates in prior election cycles.
Brown seeks substantial relief from the court: compensatory damages totaling $10 million for emotional distress and related losses; economic damages; punitive damages against individual defendants; attorneys’ fees; pre-judgment interest; declaratory judgments invalidating allegedly fraudulent results; an emergency permanent injunction preventing certification of disputed results; and any further relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The case is identified as Case No. 4:26-cv-00048-BO-RN. The complaint lists Lenton Credelle Brown as representing himself (pro se) with contact information provided in Winterville, North Carolina.
Source: 426cv00048_Credelle_v_Hayes_Complaint_Eastern_District_North_Carolina.pdf
