Connecticut Firm Awarded $4.66M Contract to Modernize North Carolina Elections System

State Board unanimously selects ReFrame Solutions to upgrade aging SEIMS platform used by all 100 counties

A Connecticut-based technology company has been selected to lead the first phase of a sweeping modernization of North Carolina’s statewide elections management system, a project state officials say is critical to improving security, reliability and public confidence.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted unanimously on Feb. 25 to award a $4.66 million contract to ReFrame Solutions to upgrade the Statewide Elections Information Management System, known as SEIMS.

The Windsor, Connecticut-based firm emerged as the winning bidder following a competitive request for proposals launched in December. Six vendors submitted bids.

“Today I’m happy to announce that I’m delivering on a promise I made when I took office nine months ago,” Executive Director Sam Hayes said during the board meeting. “With all the initiatives we’ve implemented to improve elections administration in that time, none has been a bigger priority for me than the full modernization of our aging election management system.”

SEIMS, first developed in 1998, serves as the central technology platform for coordinating statewide election processes. It manages voter registration, maintains voter rolls, supports election setup and reporting, and is used daily by the State Board and all 100 county boards of elections.

Hayes told members of the Modernization of Election Data Systems Commission (MEDS) at their inaugural meeting on Feb. 24 that while SEIMS was considered cutting-edge when introduced nearly three decades ago, its underlying technology is now outdated and increasingly difficult to maintain.

He said the system’s code is written in what he described as a “dead language,” and officials have been advised that it could cease functioning within the next two years if not addressed.

“That prompted the need for modernization and replacement,” Hayes said.

The two-year effort approved this week represents a bridge strategy. According to Hayes, the initial modernization will enhance security and functionality while laying the groundwork for a complete system replacement that will be bid separately later this year.

“I see it as a bridge to an entirely new system, which will be the standard for the nation,” Hayes told commissioners Tuesday. “I’m confident that our efforts together will strengthen election administration, improve security, and reinforce public confidence in the electoral process.”

Hayes has requested a $15 million appropriation from the General Assembly to fund Phases 1 and 2 of the modernization plan. He said that funding level should be sufficient to carry the project through its initial stages.

Among the stated goals of the upgrade:

• Transitioning legacy client-based components to secure, web-based modules.

• Improving accessibility for county election offices.

• Reducing infrastructure demands and allowing faster deployment of updates when laws or procedures change.

• Strengthening system security and availability with updated architecture and modern code to protect sensitive voter data.

• Enhancing data management and reporting tools to help counties generate reports more efficiently.

• Improving responsiveness to public records requests.

• Strengthening geographic and address validation processes to ensure accurate precinct and district assignments.

• Streamlining election setup procedures.

• Conducting extensive testing, training and user feedback sessions with county officials.

  
  

“ReFrame Solutions is a national firm with a successful track record working with other states in this space,” Hayes said Wednesday. “It brings significant resources to bear and they have been thoroughly vetted by our internal procurement team.”

Board members voted unanimously to approve the contract.

In a press release, the agency noted that the large-scale replacement of SEIMS — described as the biggest overhaul of election data management in North Carolina history — will be handled through a separate bidding and proposal process. Vendor selection and final project scope for that phase are expected to be completed later this year.

The modernization initiative comes amid broader efforts to review and update election-related technology statewide.

At Tuesday’s MEDS Commission meeting, members also discussed replacing the State Board’s campaign finance reporting software, which was developed internally in the early 2000s.

Dave Boliek, who chairs the commission in his role as State Auditor, emphasized that while the upgrades are extensive, they will take time to implement responsibly.

He said he expects the campaign finance reporting system to be overhauled by the summer of 2027.

The commission was created to provide oversight and guidance as the state undertakes the multi-phase modernization effort. Hayes said collaboration between the board, the auditor’s office, and county election officials will be key to ensuring a smooth transition.

For now, election officials say the focus is on stabilizing and strengthening the current system before launching a full replacement — a move they argue is essential to keeping North Carolina’s election infrastructure secure and up to date.

The modernization project will roll out over the next two years, with updates provided to lawmakers and the public as major milestones are reached.