Tag Archive for: #ncstateboardofelections

NC State Board of Elections

State Board of Elections: Sept. 20 Deadline For Counties To Send Absentee Ballots For Military, Overseas Voters

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  • Information from the N.C. State Board of Elections

All 100 county boards of elections must send absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas citizens who requested them for the 2024 general election on Friday, Sept. 20, under a new schedule released by the State Board of Elections.

The board also set Sept. 24 as the date to start sending absentee ballots to other voters who have requested ballots by mail, including those who use the Visually Impaired Portal to request and return their ballots.

This schedule ensures that North Carolina will meet the federal law requirement to distribute ballots to voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) by the 45th day before the election – Sept. 21.

County boards were prepared to send absentee ballots out on Sept. 6, the deadline for absentee ballots to be sent under state law. However, rulings by the N.C. Court of Appeals and N.C. Supreme Court required election officials to remove the We The People party line from the presidential contest on the ballot, including the party’s presidential nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and vice-presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan.

In North Carolina, any registered voter can vote using an absentee ballot after submitting a request for the ballot. Voters can request their absentee ballot at votebymail.ncsbe.gov. The deadline for absentee requests is Oct. 29. However, election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot soon, so it can be completed and returned to the voter’s county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Election Day – Nov. 5.

Through Thursday, more than 166,000 voters – including more than 13,600 military and overseas voters – have requested ballots in North Carolina.

During the past week, State Board staff, county boards of elections staff and voting system and printing vendors have worked to code, design, proof and print new ballots without the We The People party line. Staff have worked to devise contingency plans to ensure that ballots could be delivered as soon as practicable.

Due to the timelines for the printing, delivery and assembly of all absentee ballots in every county, the State Board concluded that the only way to meet the federal deadline for military and overseas citizens was to establish separate dates for distributing absentee ballots.

Election officials will first focus on distributing the military and overseas citizen ballots, which is a smaller group of ballots. Currently, about 8 percent of 2024 absentee requests are from military and overseas citizen voters.

State Board staff have arranged for special on-demand ballot printers to be positioned around the state to fulfill any orders for military and overseas citizen ballots for counties whose orders from their print vendors will not arrive in time for those ballots to be prepared for mailing by next Friday. These special printers can print any ballot style approved for use in the state. There are nearly 2,350 different ballot styles statewide for this election.

Meanwhile, staff will work over the weekend and through next week to prepare the online portal for electronic delivery and return of ballots that is available for military and overseas citizen voters. Nearly 90 percent of military and overseas citizen voters opt for this electronic ballot delivery feature.

This plan allows time for the much larger orders of absentee ballots for all other voters to be printed and delivered to the county boards in time for counties to prepare their outgoing absentee ballot packages for mailing on Sept. 24.

“This schedule is only possible because of the hard work of elections professionals across this state that will continue throughout the next week,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Because of them, we expect to meet the federal deadline for ballot delivery, and North Carolinians can finally start voting in this important election.”

The State Board has received many questions about the statewide cost of reprinting ballots. Preliminary estimates show the costs vary widely by county, depending on how many ballots must be reprinted and other factors. Estimates range from a few thousand dollars in some smaller counties to $18,000 in Caldwell County, $55,100 in Durham County and $300,000 in Wake County, home to the most registered voters in the state.

Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 general election in North Carolina:

Sept. 20: Ballots distributed to military and overseas citizen voters who have requested them.

Sept. 24: Absentee ballots distributed to all other voters who have requested them.

Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*

Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.

Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*

Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

Nov. 5: General Election Day.

Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*

*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

NC State Board of Elections

State Elections Officials Want Input On New Voter Photo ID Rule

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Now that voters have had a chance – or two – to cast their ballots in municipal elections, the N.C. State Board of Elections wants to hear comments about the new photo ID requirement. A public comment period opened today and runs through Jan. 16, 2024 to allow the public to comment on the rule, which the General Assembly passed into law in 2018.

There are several ways to send comments:

An in-person public hearing will be held on Dec. 13, 2023 at 11 a.m. State Board of Elections Office on the Third Floor of the Dobbs Building at 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

Elections Board Calls Recess In Canvass Process, Putting On Hold Certifying Oct. 10 Election Results

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UPDATE 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18, 2023

Mayoral Runoff Election Early Voting Starts 10-19-23

Geocoding issue resolved

WIZS Radio 5pm News Segment 1 From 10-18-23 Henderson Municipal Election Canvass

Click Here to Play – wizs.com/wizs-radio-5pm-news-segment-1-from-10-18-23-henderson-municipal-election-canvass/

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ORIGINAL POST UPDATED 5 P.M. TUESDAY, OCT. 17, 2023

The Vance County Board of Elections has called for a “recess” in the post-election canvass process – that 10-day window following an election that officials have to verify and certify results.

This action comes one week after the Oct. 10 nonpartisan municipal elections in Henderson that included contests for four City Council seats and a four-candidate field for mayor.

A runoff had been set for the mayoral contest, but those plans also were put on hold earlier today, per the N.C. State Board of Elections. The recess means that none of the contests have been certified.

In a meeting held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Vance Board of Elections Chair James Baines issued the following statement:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is recessing Canvass completion for the Municipal Election that occurred on 10-October-23 because the State Board of Elections has not yet completed the investigation regarding the geocoding issue. Canvass will reconvene once the State Board of Elections notifies the County Board of the completion of the investigation and resolution to the issue.”

As elections board members explained, the process of certifying election results considers all contests as one process; results must “be submitted to the state at once,”  board member Cathy Clodfelter said Tuesday. So because all of the results have not been certified, none of the contests has been certified.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin informed WIZS News that early voting – set to begin in two days’ time – would not begin as previously announced.

Cocklin read the brief statement to WIZS News from the state board of elections:

“The results of the 10-October-2023 Vance County municipal election have not been officially declared by law, therefore the run-off election cannot be called for at this time.”

A glitch in geocoding is at the heart of the issue, and elections officials acknowledged the state board of the possible problem. As part of election coverage to announce the unofficial results on Oct. 10, WIZS included a statement from Baines that was issued after the polls had closed:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is aware of a geocoding issue that may have caused some voters in the city of Henderson elections to receive a ballot in Tuesday’s election that did not have the correct alderman ward contest. The County Board immediately notified the State Board of Elections, which is working with the county to determine how many voters’ ballots were affected. Election night results are always unofficial, and the post-election canvass process will ensure that the votes are counted correctly for each contest. Election officials will provide additional information about this situation as it becomes available.”

Cocklin provided few details about next steps, but she said she has provided information to the state board as it is requested.
“They’re asking us and we’re providing information as quickly as we can,” she said. “The only thing I know is they are working on it,” she said, “meeting every day – at least once every day.”

Just in case you need a refresher course in civics, here’s some information from the state board of elections website:

“Results on election night are unofficial. Canvass is the official process of determining if the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, resulting in the authentication of the official election results.

For close elections, the canvass period is especially important. During this time, elections officials count absentee ballots that came in before the deadline and research provisional ballots to determine whether they should be counted.

In every county, the canvass meeting when the results are certified is 10 days after Election Day. Because elections thrive on transparency, the canvass meeting is open to the public.”

NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina Voters Will See ‘No Labels’ On Future Ballots

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North Carolina is now among a group of 10 states that has recognized the No Labels movement.

The State Board of Elections voted 4-1 over the weekend to allow the No Labels party to appear on ballots alongside the more traditional descriptors of Democrat, Republican, Independent and Unaffiliated.

In a June 2023 interview with WIZS, Pat McCrory, one of the national co-chairs of the movement, said he is in favor of more choices for voters.

“And if No Labels does come up with a President/Vice President team as an alternative for voters, dissatisfied with the options from traditional parties, make no mistake: “It’ll be to win, not to be a spoiler,” the former N.C. governor said on the June 20 TownTalk segment.

North Carolina joins nine other states – Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah – that have approved No Labels to appear on ballots.

“The No Labels movement has achieved a significant milestone, winning ballot access in 10 states,” said civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin J. Chavis, national co-chair of No Labels. “This is a historic victory for Americans who have said loud and clear they want more choices at the ballot box. The spirit of democracy is winning in America today.”

During that TownTalk interview, McCrory said No Labels seeks to provide a common-sense approach to address challenges that mainline parties find little on which to compromise.

“I’m a conservative who believes the more competition, the better.” Divisions and failure to find compromise among political parties only create chaos, he said back in June.

With a focus on common-sense policy solutions, practical compromise and cross-party collaboration, the No Labels movement has spent the past 13 years working to give voice to America’s commonsense majority.

Visit https://www.nolabels.org/ to learn more.

NC State Board of Elections

Specifics On New Voter Photo ID Rules

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In response to the state’s new voter ID law, the state board of elections has issued information that may be helpful for citizens to keep in mind before their next trip to the polls.

Voters will be asked to show a photo ID, starting with the 2023 municipal elections. A driver’s license or other photo ID will be accepted.

Those without a photo ID can get a No Fee ID Card from NCDMV and soon, it is expected that a free ID will be available from your local board of elections office.

When a voter checks in to a polling place, poll workers will ask for an ID, and they are supposed to look to make sure the photo reasonably resembles the voter; the address doesn’t have to match the voter registration records

It is important to note that all voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. Those without an ID will use the ID exception form and a provisional ballot.

For complete details, visit ncsbe.gov/voter-ID and “FAQ: Voter ID” to learn more.

Early Voting For Nov. 8 Election Kicks Off Thursday, Oct. 20

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North Carolina’s in-person early voting period begins Thursday, Oct. 20, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5.

There are two early voting locations in Vance County, three in Granville, one in Warren and four in Franklin, according to information from the N.C. State Board of Elections.

In-person early voting accounted for 65 percent of the votes cast in the 2020 election. There are 359 early voting sites open across the state, up 17 percent from the 307 sites for the 2018 midterm elections.

“The 100 county boards of elections have spent months preparing for the start of in-person voting for the important 2022 general election,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “The bipartisan election officials who work in each early voting site are prepared for a smooth voting process and to ensure the ballots of all eligible voters are counted.”

 

Below is a list by county of the early voting sites:

Vance County:

·      Andrea Harris Henderson Operations Center, 900 S. Beckford Dr., Henderson

·      Aycock Rec Complex, 307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson

Granville County:

·      Oxford Public Works Building, 127 Penn Ave., Oxford

·      South Branch Library, 1550 South Campus Dr., Creedmoor

·      Tar River Elementary School, 2642 Philo White Rd., Franklinton

Warren County:

·      Warren County Board of Elections Office, 309 N. Main St., Warrenton

Franklin County:

·      Franklin Plaza Service (County Training Room, 279 S. Bickett Blvd., Suite 102, Louisburg

·      Franklinton Lions Club, 205 S. Chavis St., Franklinton

·      Sheriff Substation, 382 NC 98 W, Bunn

·      Youngsville Public Library Meeting Room, 218 US-1 Alt., Youngsville

 

For more information about early voting, please visit Vote Early in Person.

The State Board offers the following 10 tips for early voters:

1.    Voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. For sites and hours in all 100 counties, use the One-Stop Early Voting Sites search tool. Also see One-Stop Voting Sites for the November 8, 2022 Election (PDF).

2.    Sample ballots for the primary election are available through the Voter Search tool. For more information on candidates for the N.C. Supreme Court and N.C. Court of Appeals, see the State Board’s Judicial Voter Guide 2022: Midterm General Election. The State Board does not provide information about candidates for other contests, but some media outlets and advocacy groups do. Many candidates also have websites and social media accounts. Knowing your candidate choices in advance and being familiar with the ballot will help your voting experience go more smoothly.

3.    Individuals who missed the regular voter registration deadline on October 14 may register and vote at the same time during the early voting period. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. For more information, visit Register in Person During Early Voting. This is the only option for individuals who missed the regular registration deadline to be able to register and vote in the general election.

4.    When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county, if necessary.

5.    Voters who receive an absentee ballot by mail may deliver their completed ballot to an election official at an early voting site in their county. Ballots will be kept securely and delivered to the county board of elections for processing. For more information on returning absentee-by-mail ballots, see Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.

6.    Voters who requested an absentee-by-mail ballot but have not yet returned it may choose instead to vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day, November 8. Voters may discard the by-mail ballot and do not need to bring it to a voting site.

7.    Under state law, all early votes – by mail and in person – are considered absentee votes because they are cast “absent” of Election Day. You can see that your early vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section of the Voter Search database. Type in your first and last names to pull up your voter record. Scroll down to the “Your Absentee Ballot: By Mail or Early Voting” section. Once your ballot is received by your county board of elections, “Absentee Status” will show “VALID RETURN,” the “Return Method” will be “IN PERSON” and your “Return Status” will be “ACCEPTED.” Your ballot status also will show up in the “Voter History” section of your voter record as soon as your county completes the post-election process of compiling the information on who has been recorded as having voted during the election through the various voting methods. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.

8.    The State Board asks that all voters respect the rights of others to participate in the election. Intimidating any voter is a crime. Voters who feel harassed or intimidated should notify an election official immediately.

9.    Voters at one-stop early voting sites are entitled to the same assistance as voters at a voting place on Election Day. Curbside voting is available for eligible individuals at all early voting sites. For more information, visit Curbside Voting.

10. North Carolina law prohibits photographing or videotaping voted ballots. Voters may use electronic devices in the voting booth to access a slate card or candidate information, provided they don’t use the devices to communicate with anyone or take photographs of their ballot.
NC State Board of Elections

State Board Of Elections Offers Reminders About Voter Registration Process

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-information courtesy of the N.C. State Board of Elections

Elections officials say the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is next Friday, Oct. 14.

Individuals who miss that deadline, however, may register and vote at the same time during the one-stop early voting period, which begins Oct. 20 and ends Nov. 5.  County-by-county early voting sites and schedules are available at the State Board of Elections’ One-Stop Early Voting Site Search.

To register, eligible individuals have the following options:

If an application is received after the deadline, it will be timely if it is postmarked on or before Oct. 14. If the postmark is missing or unclear, the application will be processed if it is received in the mail no later than 20 days before the election. Otherwise, the application will not be processed until after the election.

If submitted by fax or email, the application must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 14, and a hard copy of the document must be delivered to the county board office by 20 days before the election.

“We encourage all eligible individuals to register to vote and make their voice heard in 2022,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “It’s easy, and there’s still time, either through the regular process or at any one-stop early voting location in your county.”

North Carolina residents may not register to vote on Election Day, unless they become eligible after the Oct.14 registration deadline due to becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction.

Seventeen-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the general election on Nov. 8 are eligible to register and vote.

To register to vote, a person must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen;
  • Live in the county of his/her registration, and have lived there for at least 30 days before the date of the election;
  • Be at least 18 years old or will be by the date of the general election. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote; AND
  • Not be in jail or prison for a felony conviction.

Updating Your Voter Registration

Voters who need to update their existing voter registration may use the DMV website or a regular voter registration application to do so.

Those with a North Carolina driver’s license or other DMV identification may update their residential or mailing address and party affiliation through the DMV online service, but may not change their name through that service.

If using the paper application to update a registration, it must be signed and mailed to the voter’s county board of elections by Oct. 14. Updates to name, address (if within the county), and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email to your county board of elections. If a voter is using the paper form to update their residential address to a new county, they must return the paper form by mail or in person.

Registered voters may also update an existing registration at a one-stop early voting site during the early voting period.

See more Voter Registration Resources in North Carolina.

NC State Board of Elections

Officials Begin Mailing Absentee Ballots To Signal Countdown To Nov. 8 Election

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-information courtesy of N.C. State Board of Elections

Beginning today, North Carolina’s county boards of elections wile begin mailing absentee ballot to voters who request them for the 2022 general election, signaling the start of voting midterm elections.

Election Day is 61 days away – November 8.

Contests in this election include a U.S. Senate seat, all 14 U.S. House seats, two seats on the N.C. Supreme Court, four seats on the NC Court of Appeals, all 170 seats in the N.C. General Assembly and numerous judicial and local seats across the state.

As of Thursday, Sept. 8, more than 53,000 N.C. voters already have requested an absentee ballot for the general election. The state currently has more than 7.35 million registered voters.

County Boards of Elections are busy registering new voters, preparing ballots, testing voting equipment, hiring and training poll workers and preparing early voting sites and Election Day precincts, among other responsibilities, according to a press statement from the executive director of the State Board of Elections Karen Brinson Bell.

“We encourage all eligible North Carolinians to register to vote and to make a plan now about when and where they will cast their ballot in 2022,” Bell said in a press statement issued Thursday. “Your state and county elections officials are here to provide accurate information to help you safely and securely exercise your right to vote. We will make sure your vote counts.”

Sample ballots are available through the State Board’s Voter Search tool. Voters should locate their voter record and scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section. (Note: Sample ballots are posted by county as soon as they are available.)

 

How to Request a Ballot

In North Carolina, all registered voters may request an absentee-by-mail ballot. Voters may do so:

  1. Online at the C. Absentee Ballot Portal.On the portal, select “Option 1 — Request an Absentee Ballot.”
  2. On paper using the English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF)or the Spanish N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF).

Voters requesting a ballot must provide their date of birth and one of the following to verify their identity:

  • North Carolina driver’s license number or NCDMV-issued identification card number; or
  • Last four digits of Social Security number.

The request form must be signed by either the voter or the voter’s near relative, legal guardian or person assisting the voter due to a disability. A typed signature is not allowed.

The paper absentee ballot request form can be mailed or returned in person to your county board of elections. Your county board of elections must receive the completed and signed absentee request form by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 1.

For more information, see Vote By Mail and Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.

Also starting Friday, the absentee ballot portal will open for military and overseas voters, as well as visually impaired voters, to receive and return their absentee ballot through the online service.

Click  North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal for more information and Military and Overseas Voting to learn more about this process.

Absentee voting is safe and secure. For more information on the security of absentee voting, see Statement About Absentee Ballot Security in North Carolina.

 

Important Dates and Deadlines: 2022 General Election

  • Tuesday, September 13: State Board meets to adopt early voting sites and schedules for more than a dozen counties that have not confirmed those schedules yet. Details: State Board Meeting: September 13, 2022 | NCSBE
  • Friday, October 14: Regular voter registration deadline for voters who want to vote on Election Day. Details: How to Register.
  • Thursday, October 20: One-stop, in-person early voting begins. Eligible individuals may register and vote at any one-stop early voting site in their county. For early voting sites and schedules, see One-Stop Early Voting Site Search.
  • Tuesday, November 1: Absentee ballot request deadline. The State Board encourages voters to request their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure enough time to complete and return the ballot.
  • Saturday, November 5: In-person early voting and registration ends at 3 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 8: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters should go to their designated Election Day polling place. Find your polling place through the Voter Search Absentee ballots received after 5 p.m. November 8 must be postmarked by Election Day and received by mail by 5 p.m. Monday, November 14. Ballots withouta postmark must be received by Nov. 8.
  • Friday, Nov. 18: County canvass day; results are certified at the county level.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 29: State canvass day; final results are certified statewide.
NC State Board of Elections

State Court Of Appeals: Felons May Register To Vote In NC – For Now

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-Information courtesy of the N.C. State Board of Elections

Starting today – July 27, 2022 – an individual serving a felony sentence who is not in jail or prison may register to vote and vote. An individual must also have resided in North Carolina for at least 30 days prior to the election, be a U.S. citizen, and be at least 18 years old by the next general election.

Previously, under a North Carolina statute, a person serving a felony sentence could not register to vote or vote, whether they were in or out of prison, until they completed that sentence. This meant that felons serving probation, post-release supervision, or parole were not able to register or vote, until they completed their term of supervision.

Earlier this year, however, a North Carolina superior court determined that denying voting rights to people serving their felony sentences outside of jail or prison violates the state constitution. This decision has been appealed; however, while it is on appeal, the North Carolina Court of Appeals has ordered that the decision should go into effect as of July 27, 2022.

This means that, for the time being, any person serving a felony sentence outside of prison or jail is eligible to register to vote and vote. Those in jail or prison for a felony conviction are not allowed to register or vote. If a person is in jail awaiting trial for a felony but has not yet been convicted, they retain their voting rights. In North Carolina, a person never loses their voting rights for a misdemeanor conviction.

As of July 27, the State Board will update its website and voter registration forms and other voting-related documents to reflect this new information on felon eligibility. The agency will update this information upon any further order of the courts.

NC State Board of Elections

County Boards of Elections Begin Regular Voter List Maintenance Processes

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— press release

RALEIGH, N.C. – In 2021, county boards of elections across North Carolina will conduct several important and required processes designed to keep the state’s voter rolls accurate and up to date.

These routine processes are required by state and federal laws. Accurate voter rolls are maintained by removing voters who have moved or died or are otherwise ineligible to vote in that jurisdiction.

Voter roll list maintenance is important because it ensures ineligible voters are not included on poll books, reduces the possibility for poll worker error and decreases opportunities for fraud.

As a result of these processes, the number of North Carolina voter registrations will decrease in the coming months. As of January 9, nearly 7.2 million voters were registered in the state.

[See Voter Registration Statistics]

[See “Maintaining the Voter Registration Database in North Carolina.” Updated July 27, 2017]

“The removal of voters who have moved and are no longer eligible to vote in that jurisdiction is a routine and important aspect of elections administration,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Before any voter’s registration is canceled, the county boards of elections attempt to contact the voter to allow them to confirm or update their registration.”

The following are details about three of the many list maintenance processes the county boards of elections will complete in 2021:

Biennial List Maintenance (No-contact process)

In the early part of every odd-numbered year, if a county board of elections has had no contact with a voter for two federal election cycles – a total of four years – and the voter has not voted during that time, it will send the voter a forwardable address confirmation mailing. The voter will be required to return the confirmation mailing within 30 days.

If the voter does not return the mailing, or the U.S. Postal Service returns it to the county board as undeliverable, then the voter’s record will be marked “inactive” in the state’s voter registration database. Inactive voters are still registered voters. If an inactive voter shows up to vote, the person will be asked to verify their address and update it, if necessary.

County boards will send mailings this year to voters with whom there has been no contact since October 12, 2018. Counties have started printing and mailing these notices, which must go out by April 15. More than 450,000 of these mailings are expected to be sent out statewide in 2021.

The registrations of these voters will be canceled if they do not confirm their registration by 2023.

Removal of Inactive Voters

County boards of elections also have begun to remove certain “inactive” voters from the rolls. Voters will be removed from registration lists this year after being sent a no-contact mailing in 2016. Any voter removed in this way would not have had any contact with their county board of elections for four federal election cycles, not voted in any election during that time and not responded to a confirmation mailing.

The State Board estimates about 380,000 inactive voters will be removed from the voter rolls in 2021.

Any removed registrant must be reinstated if the voter appears to vote and gives oral or written affirmation that the voter has not moved out of the county and has maintained residence continuously within the county. These voters’ votes will be counted absent evidence that they moved out of the county.

Voters may check their registration status at any time using the State Board’s Voter Search Tool: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.

National Change of Address (NCOA) Mailings

In January and July of each year, the State Board provides the 100 county boards of elections with change of address data from the U.S. Postal Service. County boards must send voters in this dataset postcard mailings to the new address to confirm whether they have an unreported change of address for voting purposes.

These mailings allow voters to update their names or addresses within a county or notify the board of elections of a move outside of that county. The voter is asked to respond to the mailing within 30 days. If the voter does not respond, the voter will be mailed a traditional address confirmation notice to their existing mailing address.

If the voter does not respond to that notice within 30 days, the voter’s registration status will be changed to “inactive.”

If a voter is deceased, a near relative may use the mailing to report the death so the county board can cancel the registration.

Additional List Maintenance Efforts

N.C. elections officials also routinely remove voters who have died from the voter rolls. Death notifications are made available by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. County boards of elections also regularly remove voters who are convicted of felonies, using records from the N.C. Department of Public Safety and U.S. attorneys’ offices.

To learn more about registering to vote in North Carolina, visit: https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering.

N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles customers may register or update their registration online here: https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online/Pages/voter-registration-application.aspx.