Election administration in North Carolina
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in North Carolina:
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In North Carolina, polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Any voter who is standing in line at the time polls close must be permitted to vote.[2]
Voter registration
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in North Carolina, each applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election, be at least 16 years old at the time of application and at least 18 years old by the time of the subsequent general election, and bot be serving a felony sentence, including probation and parole [3][4] The North Carolina voter registration application is available online.
Voter registration applications can be completed online or submitted to the appropriate county board of elections. Applications must be submitted at least 25 days before the election, but voters can also register and vote on the same day during the early voting period, but not on Election Day.[5]
Voter registration services are also provided by the following agencies:[6]
- Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Division of Services for the Blind
- Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Division of Health Benefits
- Division of Child and Family Well-Being/WIC
- Division of Social Services
- Division of Rehabilitation Services
- Division of Employment Security (DES)
- Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities
Automatic registration
North Carolina does not practice automatic voter registration.[7]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
North Carolina has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[7]
Same-day registration
North Carolina allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period only.[8][9]
Residency requirements
Prospective voters must reside in the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election.
Verification of citizenship
North Carolina does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who fraudulently or falsely registers is guilty of a "Class I felony under Chapter 163 of the NC General Statutes."[10]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[11] As of November 2024, five states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The North Carolina State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
North Carolina permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in North Carolina. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[12]
An absentee ballot request form must either be submitted online or by mail before 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day. Completed ballots must be returned either in person or by mail and received no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.[12][13]
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots
Completed ballots must be returned either in person or by mail no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.[14][15] Absentee ballots may be returned by mail or in person, but a voter can not return an absentee ballot to a polling location on Election Day.[15] Voters must submit a photocopy of eligible identification with their completed absentee ballot.[15] North Carolina law also has witness requirements, see below for more information. North Carolina law states that a "near relative or legal guardian" may return a voter's absentee ballot. It is a class I felony for anyone else to return absentee ballots on behalf of others.
North Carolina law states the following:
| “ | All ballots issued under the provisions of this Article and Article 21A of this Chapter shall be transmitted by one of the following means: a. Mail or commercial courier service, at the voter's expense, and received by the county board not later than 7:30 P.M. on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. b. Delivered in person, by the voter or the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, to the county board not later than 7:30 P.M. on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. c. Electronically transmitted to the county board, if the ballot was issued under the provisions of Article 21A of this Chapter.[16][17] | ” |
As of November 2024, 20 states allowed anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allowed anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allowed only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. did not specify who may return ballots.
Signature requirements and cure provisions
The voter must sign his or her absentee/mail-in ballot envelope in the presence of two witnesses or of one notary public. Any registered voter of the same precinct as an absentee/mail-in voter may challenge that voter's absentee/mail-in ballot.[15]
North Carolina law contains a cure provision, which offers absentee/mail-in voters the opportunity to contest a challenged ballot. According to the Board of Elections website, "County boards of elections will contact voters when there are deficiencies with their absentee/mail-in ballot. You should provide your phone number or email address on the request form in case the county board needs to contact you."[15]
Curable deficiencies must be addressed no later than the end of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board of elections. Voters may address certain curable deficiencies through email.[14]
For the March 5, 2024, primary, the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) selected 10 counties to participate in a signature verification pilot program established by 2023's SB747. The program uses software to verify that a voter’s signature on their mail-in ballot matches state records. The counties included in the pilot program were Bertie, Cherokee, Durham, Halifax, Henderson, Jones, Montgomery, Pamlico, Rowan and Wilkes. The NCSBE reported the findings of the pilot program to the North Carolina General Assembly by May 1, 2024.[18]
As of November 2024, 33 states had laws that included cure provisions, while 17 states did not. One state, Pennsylvania, allowed counties to establish a cure process.
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?
Use the BallotTrax tool provided by the North Carolina state board of elections to check the status of your absentee/mail-in ballot.
Voter identification requirements
- See also: Voter ID in North Carolina
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
North Carolina requires voters to present photo ID when voting.[19]
Note: According to the Board of Elections website, "On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed an injunction against implementation of photo ID legislation. As a result, photo ID laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 will be implemented moving forward, starting with the municipal elections in September, October, and November 2023. A separate federal case challenging the same laws is pending, but no injunction against the laws exists in that case." The injunction was issued on December 16, 2022.[19]
The following documents were acceptable forms of identification as of May 2024:[20]
| “ | Any of the following that is unexpired, or expired for one year or less:
Note: A voter 65 or older may use an expired form of acceptable ID if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday. Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an expiration or issuance date:
|
” |
For a list of acceptable student and public employee IDs, click here.
Click here to learn more about the background of North Carolina's law.
As of April 2024, 35 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.
Provisional ballot rules
Voters in North Carolina are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.[21]
(1) If the "voter’s record of registration cannot be found in the voter registration list at the time the voter presents to vote", the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(2) If the voter moved and his or her address is different from the one listed on the voter registration list, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(3) If the voter’s registration was cancelled, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(4) If the voter does not have the proper form of identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(5) If the voter is at the wrong precinct, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(6) If "[d]uring a partisan primary, a voter insists upon voting a ballot for a party other than the party of the voter's affiliated party", the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(7) If the voter has already cast a ballot in the election, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(8) If the voter "presents to vote and has no eligible ballot style or the voter requests to vote for an election contest that is not in the voter's assigned voting district based on his or her legal voting residence", the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(9) If "[t]he hours for voting are extended by the State Board of Elections or a court order", the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:[22]
- If the voter is not eligible to vote;
- If the voter is not registered in the county; or
- If the voter did not vote in the correct precinct.
Was your provisional ballot counted?
Voters can click here to check the status of their provisional ballot. Alternatively, voters can call (919) 814-0700, (866) 522-4723, or their county elections office.[21]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in North Carolina
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Carolina utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.[23][24]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Time off work for voting
Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in this state. Nolo.com notes that states without such state laws may have administrative regulations or local ordinances pertaining to time off for voting and suggests calling your local board of elections or state labor department for more information.[25]
If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us. Click here to find contact information for your county elections office and here to contact the state department of labor.
As of September 2024, 28 states required employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies varied as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In North Carolina, people convicted of a felony temporarily lose the right to vote. This right is automatically restored upon completion of their entire sentence, including prison, parole or probation, and restitution. Although it is not necessary, people convicted of a felony in North Carolina can obtain a Certificate of Restoration of Forfeited Rights of Citizenship to present as proof of completion of their sentence when re-registering to vote. Click here for more information on restoring citizenship rights in North Carolina.[26]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[27]
Voter list maintenance
All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).[28] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.[29]
When names can be removed from the voter list
North Carolina law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:[30]
- confirms in writing that they have moved outside of their voting jurisdiction
- dies
- is convicted of a felony
- fails to respond to a confirmation notice and does not vote in the next two federal elections.
Inactive voter list rules
In cases where election officials are unable to verify a voter’s address or determine that a voter may have moved into or out of a voting jurisdiction, they are to send them a non-forwardable confirmation notice. If the voter fails to respond or if the confirmation notice is returned as undeliverable, the voter will be removed from the registration list unless they update their registration status or vote within the next two federal election cycles.[30]
The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)
According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[31]
By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of May 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.[32]
As of August 2023, North Carolina was not participating in the ERIC program.
Post-election auditing
North Carolina state law requires post-election audits. County election officials conduct a manual count of "paper ballots or paper records of a statewide ballot item in every county" from randomly selected precincts. "The size of the sample of each category shall be chosen to produce a statistically significant result and shall be chosen after consultation with a statistician."
If there is a discrepancy, "the hand count shall control, except where paper ballots have been lost or destroyed or where there is another reasonable basis to conclude that the hand count is not the true count. If the discrepancy between the hand-to-eye count and the mechanical or electronic count is significant, a complete hand-to-eye count shall be conducted." A deadline for the audit is not specified by North Carolina law.[33] Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[34][35]
Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.
As of October 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia had some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, while six states required risk-limiting post-election audits by law. Eight states used some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[36][37]
Noteworthy events
Veto override changes election laws for 2024 (2023)
The North Carolina state legislature passed Senate Bill 747 on August 17, 2023. The bill, which included several changes to state election laws, was vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper (D) on August 24. Republicans used their supermajority in the legislature to override the veto on October 10.[14][16][38]
S.B. 747 made the following changes to North Carolina’s election laws. These changes went into effect on January 1, 2024.[14]
- Established same-day voter registration during the early voting period and defined acceptable forms of ID.
- Specified that a second primary date for congressional elections should occur ten weeks after the first primary if required.
- Created a semi-closed primary system that allows unaffiliated voters to vote in the primary of their choosing.
- Defined early voting as "casting a ballot in person prior to election day at the county board office or another location designated by the county board of elections for the purpose of casting ballots."
- Created a process that requires county boards of elections to notify voters about certain issues with their absentee/mail-in ballots and specified those issues.
- Set the deadline for voters to cure deficiencies with their absentee/mail-in ballots to "no later than the end of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board of elections."
- Specified that voters can cure deficiencies with their absentee/mail-in ballots via email.
- Established the deadline for returning absentee/mail-in ballots. They must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
- Prohibited the use of dropboxes to return absentee/mail-in ballots.
- Established a signature verification pilot program for absentee/mail-in ballots that will be used in 10 counties during the 2024 primary.
The Democratic National Committee and North Carolina Democratic Party filed a federal lawsuit on October 10 shortly after the veto override. Gov. Cooper announced the lawsuit, saying, “Every single eligible voter deserves fair access to the ballot box and to have their vote count, and North Carolinians will not stand for this voter suppression.”[38] Voto Latino, two local organizations, and two college students also filed a federal lawsuit on October 10 focusing on the bill’s changes to the same-day voter registration.[38]
The state Republican Party released a statement, saying, "The North Carolina Republican Party applauds the N.C. General Assembly for successfully overriding Governor Roy Cooper's vetoes of common-sense legislation to increase confidence and integrity in our elections. These bills (Senate Bill 747, Senate Bill 749) becoming law, despite the objections of the governor, is a win for the People of North Carolina."[39]
Voter ID requirements changed (2019-2023)
Background: On November 6, 2018, North Carolinians approved a state constitutional amendment establishing a photo identification requirement for voters. The state legislature, with Republican majorities in both chambers, approved implementing legislation (SB 824) in December of that year, overriding Democratic Governor Roy Cooper's veto. SB 824 was subject to several lawsuits, major developments in which are detailed below.
Current status of the law: Photo ID is required to vote in North Carolina.
State court actions: "On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed an injunction against implementation of photo ID legislation. As a result, photo ID laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 will be implemented moving forward, starting with the municipal elections in September, October, and November 2023. A separate federal case challenging the same laws is pending, but no injunction against the laws exists in that case," according to the state board of elections.[19]
On December 16, 2022, Justices Anita Earls, Sam Ervin IV, Robin Hudson, and Michael R. Morgan, of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, struck down North Carolina's voter identification law S.B. 824.[40][41]
Shortly after SB 824 was enacted in 2019, the law's opponents filed suit in the Wake County Superior Court, seeking an injunction to prevent it from being enforced. On July 19, 2019, the court ruled that the plaintiffs had "made sufficient factual allegations to support" their claims. However, the motion for an injunction was declined. The plaintiffs appealed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, which, on February 18, 2020, found that they "had shown a clear likelihood of success on the merits of their discriminatory-intent claim" and instructed the lower court to grant the plaintiffs' motion for an injunction. The lower court did so and heard oral arguments on the merits in April 2021.[42]
On September 17, 2021, a three-judge panel of the Wake County Superior Court ruled 2-1 in favor of the plaintiffs, finding that "the evidence at trial [is] sufficient to show that the enactment of S.B. 824 was motivated at least in part by an unconstitutional intent to target African American voters." The court also ruled that "[o]ther, less restrictive voter ID laws would have sufficed to achieve the legitimate nonracial purposes of implementing the constitutional amendment requiring voter ID, deterring fraud, or enhancing voter confident." The court, therefore, permanently enjoined the enforcement of the law.[43][44]
Federal court actions: On December 21, 2019, Judge Loretta Biggs, of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, also enjoined North Carolina officials from enforcing the state's voter identification law. However, this was not a final ruling. Biggs' order prevented election officials from enforcing voter identification requirements pending resolution of the case.[45][46]
On December 2, 2020, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit unanimously reversed the district court's decision, upholding the legality of the voter ID law. Judge Julius Richardson, wrote the following in the court's opinion:[47]
| “ | We do not doubt ... that there is a long and shameful history of race-based voter suppression in North Carolina. But we made clear in McCrory that our holding did not 'freeze North Carolina election law in place.' The district court failed to adhere to our admonishment and the Supreme Court’s unmistakable commands in Abbott. Instead, it considered the North Carolina General Assembly’s past conduct to bear so heavily on its later acts that it was virtually impossible for it to pass a voter-ID law that meets constitutional muster. In doing so, the district court improperly reversed the burden of proof and disregarded the presumption of legislative good faith. And the remaining evidence in the record fails to meet the Challengers’ burden. For these reasons, the district court abused its discretion in issuing the preliminary injunction.[17] | ” |
Voting rules changed for people convicted of a felony (2022-2023)
On March 28, 2022, a three-judge panel of the North Carolina Superior Court struck down a state law barring people convicted of a felony from registering to vote while they are on probation, parole or another type of supervised release, ruling that the law unconstitutionally discriminated against Black residents. The panel ruled 2-1 on the matter. Judges Lisa Bell and Keith Gregory wrote for the majority, "The legislature cannot purge through the mere passage of time an impermissibly racially discriminatory intent. The legislature’s decision in the 1970s to preserve [the law's)] denial of the franchise to people living in the community was itself independently motivated by racism." Judge John Dunlow dissented, arguing that the law under dispute served "a valid and legitimate governmental interest."[48]
On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court rejected the lower court's ruling. Associate Justice Trey Allen wrote in the majority opinion that reforms passed by lawmakers in the 1970s “made it easier for eligible felons of all races to regain their voting rights. ... It is not unconstitutional to insist that felons pay their debt to society as a condition of participating in the electoral process.”[49]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in North Carolina.
- North Carolina No Convicted Felons for Sheriff, Amendment 1 (2010)
- North Carolina Tax Limitations and Income Tax Amendment (1920)
- North Carolina Voting Requirements Amendment (1920)
- North Carolina Election Returns for State Executive Officers Amendment (1926)
- North Carolina Special Elections for Amendments Amendment (1932)
- North Carolina Debt Limitations Amendment (1948)
- North Carolina Voting Requirements Amendment (1954)
- North Carolina Elections to Fill Vacancies Amendment (1954)
- North Carolina Voting Requirements for Presidential Elections Amendment (1962)
- North Carolina Literacy Voting Requirement Amendment (1970)
- North Carolina Voting and Elective Office Age Requirements Amendment (1972)
- North Carolina Voter Approval of Bonds Amendment (1982)
- North Carolina Odd-Numbered Year Elections Amendment (May 1986)
- North Carolina Elections for Office Vacancies Amendment (1986)
The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in North Carolina. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.
Ballot access
In order to get on the ballot in North Carolina, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in North Carolina. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in North Carolina
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of North Carolina's 13 United States representatives and 170 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[50][51][52][53]
North Carolina was apportioned 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, 1 more than it received after the 2010 census.
State process
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
In North Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. District maps cannot be vetoed by the governor. State legislative redistricting must take place in the first regular legislative session following the United States Census. There are no explicit deadlines in place for congressional redistricting.[54]
State law establishes the following requirements for state legislative districts:[54]
- Districts must be contiguous and compact.
- Districts "must cross county lines as little as possible." If counties are grouped together, the group should include as few counties as possible.
- Communities of interest should be taken into account.
There are no similar restrictions in place regarding congressional districts.[54]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in North Carolina can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
North Carolina County Boards of Elections
North Carolina State Board of Elections
- Physical Address: Dobbs Building, Third Floor
- 430 N. Salisbury St
- 6400 Mail Service Center
- Raleigh, NC 27603-1362
- Mailing Address: PO Box 27255
- Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7255
- Phone: 919-814-0700
- Fax: 919-715-0135
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voting in North Carolina
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Carolina
- Redistricting in North Carolina
Elections in North Carolina
- North Carolina elections, 2024
- North Carolina elections, 2023
- North Carolina elections, 2022
- North Carolina elections, 2021
- North Carolina elections, 2020
- North Carolina elections, 2019
- North Carolina elections, 2018
- North Carolina elections, 2017
- North Carolina elections, 2016
- North Carolina elections, 2015
- North Carolina elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 163-166.01 (2022) Hours for voting," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Registering to Vote,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Who Can Register,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Register in Person During Early Voting,” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “National Voter Registration Act (NVRA),” accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 30, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Register in Person During Early Voting,” accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ Justia, “NC Gen Stat § 163-227.2 (2022),” accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "North Carolina Voter Registration Application," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "FAQ: Voting By Mail," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "North Carolina Absentee Ballot Request Form," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Ballotpedia’s Legislation Tracker, "North Carolina S747," accessed January 4, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bplegtracker" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "FAQ: Voting By Mail," accessed January 4, 2024
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bill Track 50, "NC S747," accessed January 4, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "billtrack5" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Association of Counties, "Ten counties to test signature verification for vote-by-mail in North Carolina primary," January 29, 2024
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Voter ID," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Voter ID,” accessed May 23, 2024
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Provisional Voting in North Carolina," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," accessed August 31, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Election Information," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ NOLO, "Taking Time Off to Vote," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Registering as a Person in the Criminal Justice System," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
- ↑ As of May 2024, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 163-82.14 (2022) List maintenance," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed August 31, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 AP, "North Carolina Republicans enact voting changes that weaken governor’s ability to oversee elections," October 10, 2023
- ↑ NCGOP, "NCGOP Applauds Veto Overrides Enacting Common-Sense Election Changes Into Law," October 10, 2023
- ↑ WRAL News, "NC Supreme Court strikes down state Senate map, voter ID law. Republican lawmakers plan to revisit both issues next year," December 16, 2022
- ↑ Supreme Court of North Carolina, "HOLMES V. MOORE 2022-NCSC-122," accessed December 19, 2022
- ↑ Jurist, "Federal appeals court reverses injunction on North Carolina voter ID law," Dec. 3, 2020
- ↑ Wake County Superior Court, "Holmes v. Moore: Final Judgment and Order," September 17, 2021
- ↑ WRAL.com, "State court boots NC's voter ID law, again," September 17, 2021
- ↑ United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, "North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. Cooper: Memorandum Opinion, Order, and Preliminary Injunction," December 31, 2019
- ↑ ABC News 11, "NC judge formally strikes down voter ID law," December 31, 2019
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, "North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. Raymond: Order," December 2, 2020
- ↑ WRAL.com, "NC trial judges again allow more felony offenders to vote," March 28, 2022
- ↑ NC Newsline, "BREAKING: NC Supreme Court sides with GOP lawmakers on elections and voting," April 28, 2023
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ newsked-initial-redistricting-maps-met-with-skepticism-and-dismay/Content?oid=2583046 Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 All About Redistricting, "North Carolina," accessed April 20, 2015
