As counties across North Carolina push forward with the election certification process, some will carry their canvassing meetings into the next week due to the logistical challenges presented by a historic voter turnout. While most of the 100 county boards finalized their results on Friday, several found the need to extend their review of the more than 5.7 million ballots cast, an unprecedented number in the state’s history. Karen Brinson Bell, the executive director of the State Board of Elections, emphasized the board’s commitment to an accurate tally, stating, “The primary purpose of canvass is to ensure that the ballots of eligible voters are counted and those of ineligible individuals are not, that the county board followed all laws in the election and post-election processes, and that the certified results are accurate, no matter how long the process takes,” as reported by the State Board of Elections.