RALEIGH, North Carolina — North Carolina trial judges on Wednesday threw out another Republican attempt to strip the governor of his authority to appoint State Board of Elections members, declaring that a law shifting the task to the state auditor is unconstitutional.

The North Carolina legislature's most recent attempt to take away the governor's influence over elections is unconstitutional, a trial court panel ruled Wednesday. The ruling focused on a provision of a new law that transferred power to appoint members to the State Board of Elections from the governor to the state auditor.

A panel of North Carolina judges ruled on Wednesday that the governor has the power to appoint members to the State Board of Elections and not the GOP state auditor, according to North Carolina Governor Josh Stein.