Tag Archive for: #ncstateboardofelections

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Certifies Results from Historic 2020 General Election

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The bipartisan State Board of Elections on Tuesday voted to certify nearly all contests in the 2020 general election, including the presidential contest.

“Canvass” means the entire process of determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, culminating in the authentication of the official election results. The State Board canvasses the votes cast in statewide, multicounty, and judicial contests and authenticates the count in every ballot item in the counties by determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly.

This certification came after the 100 county boards of elections certified results at the county level and after a series of post-election audits by election officials verified the counts.

“Today, we officially recorded the voices of more than 5.5 million North Carolinians in certifying this historic election,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections.

More than 5.5 million registered voters cast ballots in the election, or 75.4 percent of registered voters.

To view the canvass documents, go here: State Board Meeting Documents 11/24/2020: Canvass.

To view the post-election audit report, go here: November 2020 Election Audit Results.

The following contests were not canvassed or authenticated due to pending election protests:

  • Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court
  • District Court Judge – 10F (Wake County)
  • N.C. House District 36 (Wake County)
  • Hoke County Board of Education
  • Wayne County Register of Deeds

Tuesday’s state canvass was the culmination of an extremely busy year for election officials across North Carolina.

Election workers pulled off a successful election with the highest voter turnout in North Carolina history and a staggering increase in absentee-by-mail voting. They did so while protecting themselves and millions of voters from a deadly virus, ensuring that no COVID-19 clusters were tied to voting sites in North Carolina.

“From the Grape Creek precinct in Cherokee County to the Stumpy Point precinct in Dare County, election officials worked countless hours in 2020 so voters could cast their ballot without fear of disease,” Brinson Bell said.

Certificates of election will be issued to prevailing candidates on or about November 30, unless an election protest is pending.

Historic 2020 General Election by the Numbers

7.36 million: Registered NC voters (most in NC history)

5.55 million: Ballots cast (most in NC history)

75.35: Percent turnout of registered voters (most in modern NC history)

1 million: Absentee by-mail ballots cast (most in NC history)

471: Early voting sites (most in NC history)

77,887: Early voting hours (most in NC history)

348,000: In-person early votes cast on October 15 (most ever in a single day)

3.63 million: In-person early votes cast (most in NC history)

900,000: Approximate ballots cast on Election Day (November 3)

2,660: Precincts open on Election Day

57,017: Poll workers recruited through Democracy Heroes program

14 million: Items of personal protective equipment delivered to county boards of elections

6 million: Single-use pens delivered to county boards

0: Clusters of COVID-19 tied to voting sites in North Carolina

NC State Board of Elections

County Boards of Elections Complete Post-Election Audits

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

As a statewide recount for a North Carolina Supreme Court contest begins in North Carolina, all 100 county boards of elections recently completed hand-to-eye audits for the 2020 general election, an important step in confirming accurate election results.

Pursuant to state law, the bipartisan county boards conduct a hand-to-eye audit of ballots from randomly selected voting groups. In a presidential election like 2020, the audited contest is always the president of the United States.

The audit is a comparison of the machine counts of ballots with hand-to-eye counts to ensure voting equipment recorded voters’ choices accurately. The voting systems and software of two companies – ES&S and Hart InterCivic – are certified for use in North Carolina. All counties use voting equipment from one of those companies.

Statewide, more than 150 Election Day precincts and 30 early voting sites were audited. Also, more than a dozen counties conducted a hand-to-eye audit of all mail-in absentee ballots.

Of the 200 voting groups audited, only 13 audits found any difference between the machine count and the human count, and all discrepancies were three votes or fewer. Most differences were attributed to human error, such as a voter marking outside of the bubble, or to human error during the hand count itself.

“We are glad to see that no significant issues were found during the audit,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This successful audit is a testament to our elections officials and to the elections equipment used throughout the state. North Carolinians can be confident that their votes count.”

The State Board of Elections office conducts a series of post-election audits and investigations, where necessary, to ensure the integrity of election results. For more information on election security and audits, visit Post-Election Procedures and Audits.

The State Board will certify statewide results for most federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests during the state canvass at 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board.

After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

NC State Board of Elections

NC Counties Finalize Election Results; Several Steps Remain in Process

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

About 10 county boards of elections in North Carolina are meeting early this week to finalize their 2020 election results, with a few counties correcting discrepancies in election results discovered during the post-election canvass process.

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

Most county boards of elections certified their results late last week. However, a few are still working with State Board staff to ensure all votes are counted properly before they complete their canvass. Counties may delay canvass for a “reasonable time” if all aspects of the canvass process were not completed on Friday.

As counties continue their canvass processes, unofficial results will be updated accordingly on the State Board’s Election Results Dashboard.

“The canvass process exists to ensure votes are counted accurately,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This is the process working as it is supposed to work. This election will not be certified until we are certain the results are accurate.”

Please see below for information about counties that will meet early this week to complete their canvasses.

Recounts

After all counties have completed their canvasses, any mandatory recounts would be conducted by county boards of elections. For statewide contests, the vote difference must be 10,000 votes or fewer for a candidate who is the runner-up to demand a recount. For non-statewide contests, the difference between the candidates must be 1 percent or less of the total votes cast in the contest.

Requests for recounts in most single-county contests are due by 5 p.m. Monday. Such requests in statewide and multicounty contests are due by noon Tuesday.

If a recount is demanded, the State Board of Elections office would issue a schedule, and the counties would conduct recounts individually during open meetings.

Counties would re-run every ballot through a tabulator and the results of the recount would be compared to the results of the original count.

State Board Audits

Prior to state canvass scheduled for November 24, the State Board conducts various audits of election results, including the “Voter History Audit.” Here’s how that audit is conducted:

When a voter checks in to vote at an early voting site or an Election Day polling place, or submits an absentee by-mail ballot, the voter receives a voter history record for that election.

When ballots are run through tabulators, tabulation software provides election return data that identifies the number of ballots cast in that election.

The “Voter History Audit” compares the “voter history” number with the number of physical ballots cast in that election. These two numbers should generally match, but may be slightly off for valid reasons, such as if a voter checks in at a polling place and then decides not to vote.

This audit is designed to identify certain problems or fraud, such as ballot stuffing, erroneous manual entries, user error, or certain ballot coding issues.

The State Board conducts additional audits summarized here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/about-elections/election-security/post-election-p…

The State Board will not certify results unless evidence from the audits show the results are accurate.

State Canvass

The State Board of Elections will certify statewide results for all federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests at a public meeting held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board. After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

Electoral College

The Electoral College meets at noon on December 14. Electors’ names will be announced when the Secretary of State receives certified election results from the State Board and notifies the governor of the electors’ names. For more about the Electoral College, go here: https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/electoral_college.

NC State Board of Elections

Four Facts About the Vote-Counting Process in NC

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is releasing the following facts about the post-election vote-counting process in North Carolina, in part to address rapidly spreading misinformation. These processes are required by law.

  1. It’s the Law. The post-election “canvass” process occurs after every election. Canvass is the entire process of ensuring votes have been counted correctly and required audits have been completed, culminating in the certification of results during meetings of every county board of elections. By law, these meetings will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 13. Also pursuant to state law, the State Board of Elections will meet at 11 a.m. November 24 to finalize the results. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.5.
  2. All Eligible Ballots Must Be Counted. In 2020, county boards of elections must count absentee by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day that arrive in the mail by 5 p.m. November 12. Ballots from military and overseas voters received by 5 p.m. November 12 will also be counted, as required by state law. N.C.G.S. § 163-258.12. During the post-election period, county boards also conduct research to determine whether to wholly or partially count provisional ballots. All eligible provisional ballots are counted during the canvass process. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.2. The post-election period ensures that the ballots of eligible voters will be counted as long as they meet statutory deadlines and comply with all other laws. This allows more eligible voters to lawfully exercise their right to vote.
  3. Results Must Be Audited. After each election, the State Board randomly selects two precincts in every county, where paper ballots must be counted by hand for the highest contest on the ballot – the presidential race in 2020 – and compared with the tabulated results. Called the “sample hand-to-eye count,” this audit recounts the ballots in the random precincts to ensure reliability of machine-tabulated results. Bipartisan teams at county boards of elections have been conducting these audits during the past week. The State Board of Elections conducts additional audits to verify the accuracy of the count. The results of all audits will be submitted to the State Board as part of the final certification of the election. For more information, see the Post-Election Procedures and Audits webpage.
  4. Elections Officials Do Not “Call” Elections. Many North Carolinians have contacted elections officials to ask why certain contests have been “called” for a particular candidate, while others have not. The state and county boards of elections have never – and will never – “call” or project a race for any candidate. Projections are made by media and/or candidates using unofficial results, typically based on the vote difference and the number of votes yet to be counted in a contest. In some cases, including the North Carolina governor’s race and North Carolina U.S. Senate race, the trailing candidates “conceded” when they realized they could not make up the vote differential with the ballots still uncounted. The State Board will certify final results on November 24. After that, the boards of elections will issue certificates of election to the prevailing candidates. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.15.
NC State Board of Elections

State Board Releases County-by-County Provisional Ballot Numbers

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Under state law, elections officials must release the number of provisional ballots cast in each county by noon two days after the election. The State Board surveyed the 100 county boards of elections across North Carolina and provides the provisional ballot numbers by county below.

Provisional ballots cast on Election Day must still be researched to determine voter eligibility. Provisional ballots are cast when an individual’s name does not appear on the poll book or other questions arise about that person’s eligibility to vote or to vote a particular ballot.

After Election Day, each county board of elections meets before certifying the results to make decisions on provisional applications submitted by voters. If the board determines that the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter is eligible for some contests on the ballot but not others, the eligible contests will be counted for that voter. These ballots will be added to the results during the canvass process.

Ballots determined to be cast by eligible voters will be added to the results after county board absentee meetings scheduled through November 13. The State Board is compiling a schedule of county board meetings and will release it as soon as possible.

County # of Provisionals
Alamance 868
Alexander 175
Alleghany 33
Anson 100
Ashe 103
Avery 114
Beaufort 132
Bertie 87
Bladen 129
Brunswick 869
Buncombe 737
Burke 116
Cabarrus 1049
Caldwell 310
Camden 32
Carteret 460
Caswell 122
Catawba 442
Chatham 156
Cherokee 48
Chowan 52
Clay 52
Cleveland 552
Columbus 286
Craven 447
Cumberland 1842
Currituck 106
Dare 176
Davidson 928
Davie 165
Duplin 321
Durham 1277
Edgecombe 167
Forsyth 1500
Franklin 249
Gaston 987
Gates 53
Graham 58
Granville 220
Greene 73
Guilford 1228
Halifax 188
Harnett 803
Haywood 217
Henderson 200
Hertford 71
Hoke 323
Hyde 22
Iredell 341
Jackson 336
Johnston 892
Jones 58
Lee 150
Lenoir 264
Lincoln 353
Macon 83
Madison 108
Martin 100
McDowell 126
Mecklenburg 2483
Mitchell 104
Montgomery 156
Moore 389
Nash 544
New Hanover 1200
Northampton 32
Onslow 1074
Orange 247
Pamlico 69
Pasquotank 311
Pender 340
Perquimans 53
Person 121
Pitt 1091
Polk 49
Randolph 536
Richmond 248
Robeson 1472
Rockingham 516
Rowan 441
Rutherford 488
Sampson 202
Scotland 143
Stanly 319
Stokes 167
Surry 341
Swain 48
Transylvania 91
Tyrrell 12
Union 933
Vance 55
Wake 3437
Warren 72
Washington 40
Watauga 260
Wayne 573
Wilkes 234
Wilson 276
Yadkin 81
Yancey 62
Total 40766
NC State Board of Elections

How to Know Your Vote Counted in North Carolina

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina elections officials wish to remind Election Day voters that it may take a few weeks before their “voter history” is updated to reflect their recent vote in their voter record available through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool.

“If you voted in person and inserted your ballot into a tabulator, your selections were immediately recorded on a memory card, and your votes were reported on election night as part of the unofficial results,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We respectfully ask that voters trust their bipartisan boards of elections across North Carolina. We are here to make sure your votes count, and they will.”

The State Board of Elections and county boards of elections are inundated with questions from voters about whether their ballot was counted in the 2020 general election. In almost every single case, the answer will be yes.

However, if you voted on Election Day, it will take time for your voter history to reflect the fact that you voted, as county boards of elections must first complete post-election processes.

Voters may confirm the status of their ballot in the following ways through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. Simply enter your first and last names and county (if desired) and follow the instructions below based on your voting method.

If you voted in person on Election Day…

When you inserted your ballot into a tabulator, your selections were recorded on a media card in the tabulator. These results were counted and reported publicly on election night.

For further confirmation that your ballot was counted, use the Voter Search tool.

Your ballot status will show up in the “Voter History” section (see screenshot below) as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer after the election.

Please be assured that your county board of elections will complete this process as promptly as possible amid the other post-election tasks that must be completed, including post-election audits and certification of the results.

If you voted in person during the one-stop early voting period from October 15-31…

You can find that your vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section (see screenshot below) of the Voter Search database.

Under North Carolina law, all early votes – by-mail or in-person – are considered absentee votes. If you voted during the early voting period, your “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 as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.

If you voted absentee by-mail…

Once your ballot is received by your county board of elections, you can find that your vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section of the Voter Search database. “Absentee Status” will show “VALID RETURN,” the “Return Method” will be “MAIL” and your “Return Status” will be “ACCEPTED” or “ACCEPTED – CURED”.

Your ballot status will also show up in the “Voter History” section as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.

If you cast a provisional ballot…

You will be able to check the status of your ballot 10 days after the election through the Provisional Search tool: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegProvPIN/. You must fill out all four fields in the form and click “Search.”

What is “voter history”?

Voter history includes the election date, the voting method and your county. For primary elections, it also includes the ballot style (Republican, Democratic, nonpartisan, etc.) that you voted. It will not show who you voted for. That is always confidential.

State elections officials urge voters to use the options above to ensure their ballot was counted. We also urge voters to be wary about what they read online and on social media about elections. In these days after the election, a lot of misinformation is spreading on social media.

 “Please be patient as your county boards of elections work extremely hard to ensure all ballots are counted and results are audited and certified,” Brinson Bell said. “With these options, voters can have peace of mind that their voice was heard in this election.”

NC State Board of Elections

Vast Majority of NC Votes to be Tallied and Reported Tonight

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The N.C. State Board of Elections anticipates that the results reported by the end of election night will include 97 percent or more of all ballots cast in North Carolina in the 2020 general election.

As always, the remaining ballots, including provisional ballots and absentee by-mail ballots that arrive after Election Day, will be counted and added to the totals during the post-election canvass period.

As they become available after all polls close Tuesday night, unofficial election results will be posted here: https://er.ncsbe.gov/.

“Please remember that all results reported on election night are unofficial. We will post results as quickly as possible, but our primary objective will be accuracy more than speed,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “State and county elections officials take many steps after every election to ensure all eligible votes are counted and the results are audited and accurate.”

Please see below for details on how votes are counted, how and when results are reported on election night and information about post-election audits, recounts and canvass.

What votes will be counted and reported on election night 2020?

The vast majority of all votes cast in the 2020 general election in North Carolina will be reported as unofficial results on November 3. All results are unofficial until the statewide certification, or canvass, scheduled for November 24, during a meeting of the State Board. (See “What happens after election night?” below.)

If all goes as expected, the following unofficial results will be reported to the public on election night through the Election Results Dashboard:

  • All in-person one-stop early votes
  • All by-mail absentee votes received by the county boards of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, November 2
  • All Election Day votes, excluding provisional ballots, which must be researched post-election to determine voter eligibility

When will results be reported to the public?

The State Board will begin posting results publicly after polls close statewide at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. However, the State Board may extend voting hours at a polling place if polls are delayed in opening for more than 15 minutes or are interrupted for more than 15 minutes after opening. Any polling extension may not be longer than the delay in voting. No results will be posted until all polls are closed.

The State Board will issue a notice if the State Board meets on Election Day to consider polling hours extensions. The public will be able to listen to the meeting remotely.

Below is an estimated timeline of the expected reporting of unofficial results to the Election Results Dashboard. Reporting times will vary by county. Results are updated every few minutes as they come in from the counties.

  • 7:30 p.m.: Polls close.
  • 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Counties report results of in-person, one-stop early voting and absentee by-mail ballots received by 5 p.m. Monday, November 2.
  • 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Precinct officials hand-deliver Election Day results to county boards of elections offices.
  • 8:30 p.m. – midnight: Election Day precinct results are reported; reporting continues until all Election Day results are posted.

Various factors can affect the timing of results.

What happens after election night?

Elections are far from over on election night. This has always been the case. In the days that follow, the county boards of elections count the remaining ballots, research the eligibility of each provisional ballot, conduct a series of post-election audits, and conduct any necessary recounts. The State Board conducts additional audits to ensure a fair and accurate count.

These post-election processes culminate in the final certification of results, also called canvass. County boards of elections will hold their canvass meeting at 11 a.m. November 13. The State Board will meet on November 24 to certify the election.

For more information about NC election audits and canvass, see the Post-Elections Procedures and Audits webpage.

Absentee ballots. Mail-in absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day will be accepted by county boards of elections until 5 p.m. November 12. Overseas and military absentee ballots also are accepted through November 12. These ballots will be added to the unofficial results during the canvass process.

Provisional ballot meetings. Provisional ballots are cast when an individual’s name does not appear on the poll book or other questions arise about that person’s eligibility to vote or to vote a particular ballot.

Each county board of elections meets before certifying the results to make decisions on provisional applications submitted by voters. If the board determines that the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter is eligible for some contests on the ballot but not others, the eligible contests will be counted. These ballots will be added to the unofficial results during the canvass process.

Sample Audit. Every county conducts a sample hand-to-eye count of ballots in randomly selected precincts and one-stop locations to confirm results tabulated by machine. Counties must conduct their hand-to-eye counts in public.

County canvass. County boards of elections will certify their results at public meetings held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 13. The county board certifies contests and referenda within the county boundaries.

Recounts. Any mandatory recounts would be conducted by county boards of elections after the county canvass and before the state canvass. For statewide contests, the vote difference must be 10,000 votes or fewer for a candidate who is the runner-up to demand a recount. For non-statewide contests, the difference between the candidates must be 1 percent or less of the total votes cast in the contest. The recount demand must be in writing and received by the State Board of Elections no later than noon on Tuesday, November 17. If a recount is demanded, the State Board of Elections office would issue a schedule, and the counties would conduct recounts individually during open meetings.

For contests under jurisdiction of county boards of elections, a demand for recount must be made in writing to the county board of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, November 16.

N.C.G.S. § 163-182.7

See general guidelines for recounts: http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2008%20-%20elections/chapter%2009%20-%20conduct%20of%20vote%20recounts%20by%20county%20boards%20of%20elections/08%20ncac%2009%20.0106.html.

And see Recount of Optical Scan Ballots: http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2008%20-%20elections/chapter%2009%20-%20conduct%20of%20vote%20recounts%20by%20county%20boards%20of%20elections/08%20ncac%2009%20.0107.html

State canvass. The State Board of Elections will certify statewide results for all federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests at a public meeting held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board. After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

5 Important Facts About Election Security in 2020

  1. Under state law, all voting systems used in North Carolina must use paper ballots, producing a paper trail that can be recounted and audited. Every voter in all 100 counties will cast a paper ballot.
  2. Election night results are always unofficial. In the days that follow the election, election officials will ensure every eligible ballot is counted. They will audit and certify the results. This is a regular process after each election.
  3. In North Carolina, about 2,660 polling places will be open on Election Day and perhaps one million voters will cast ballots on November 3. Unexpected issues arise during every election, such as power outages, voting equipment malfunctions, tabulator or printer jams and long lines at some voting places. These are not indications of malicious activity, and processes are in place to respond to each of these scenarios.
  4. Because of COVID-19, North Carolinians are voting by mail in record numbers this year. All ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted. Because of the surge in by-mail voting, more ballots than usual will be counted after Election Day. This means more North Carolinians will be able to vote successfully, despite the pandemic.
  5. Every polling place is staffed with bipartisan, trained officials from the local community who take an oath to uphold state elections laws and work together to ensure election security. Bipartisan State and county boards of elections oversee all aspects of elections in North Carolina.
NC State Board of Elections

Voter Intimidation Prohibited by Law in North Carolina

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Ahead of early voting and Election Day, the State Board of Elections reminds all North Carolinians that voter intimidation and coercion are prohibited by state and federal law.

“The State Board is committed to ensuring all voters have a safe voting experience, free from intimidation and harassment,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Regardless of political affiliation, every voter deserves to cast their ballot in peace.”

The State Board on Friday issued Numbered Memo 2020-30: Conduct at the Polls for the 2020 General Election. The memo describes prohibited acts, along with actions voters and poll workers should take to ensure a safe voting environment.

Penalties for violations include prison time, fines or both.

One-stop, in-person early voting begins Thursday, October 15 and ends Saturday, October 31. Election Day is November 3.

Buffer Zones

Buffer zones protect voters from harassment and intimidation when entering a polling place. Electioneering and other activities are prohibited inside the buffer zone.

In most situations, the buffer zone is 50 feet from the entrance to the polling place.

The area outside the buffer zone is a public forum, which the First Amendment protects from most restrictions on political activity.

“We must balance the right of every voter to enter the voting place free from intimidation within these First Amendment protections,” Bell said in the numbered memo.

Control of Polls

The chief judge or one-stop site manager must ensure voters can peacefully access the buffer zone and voting enclosure. If they are unable to do so, the chief judge must contact the county board of elections or law enforcement.

Election officials must be prepared to respond immediately to behavior that disrupts or threatens to disrupt the peace and order of a polling place. If the behavior poses a threat to any person’s safety or a situation seems likely to get out of control, the election official should immediately contact local law enforcement for assistance.

“The State Board has partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies who provide assistance, including monitoring and support on the ground,” Bell said.

County boards of elections are encouraged to meet with law enforcement ahead of elections. Partnerships allow for a swift response if county boards or election officials are unable to control a situation at a voting site.

Although they may be contacted as needed, law enforcement should not be stationed at a voting place, as some voters may find their presence intimidating.

Poll Observers/Poll Watchers

Observers are appointed by political parties, and requirements are outlined in state statute. Observers must be registered to vote in the county, except for the 100 state at-large observers who must be registered in the state.

Observers may observe and take notes, but may not disrupt voters or election officials. Observers may not speak to voters or stand close enough where they could see confidential information.

Each political party is required to submit the list of observers to the county board of elections at least five days before a person is scheduled to observe.

Anyone has the right to watch or monitor the election outside the voting place and outside the marked buffer zone. Members of the public, campaigners, candidates, advocates, and “poll watchers” may not enter the buffer zone or voting enclosure unless they are voting.

A poll watcher has no legal status under North Carolina law and must remain outside the marked buffer zone.

To reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at the polls, all observers must wear masks when inside the voting enclosure. Social distancing is in place in all polling places and observers should abide by social distancing requirements as outlined in Numbered Memo 2020-18.

Observers who refuse to wear a mask or abide by social distancing will be required to leave the voting place.

NC State Board of Elections

Reminder: Regular Voter Registration Deadline is Friday, October 9

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Eligible individuals who want to cast their ballot on Election Day 2020 have until Friday, October 9 to register to vote.

To register, eligible individuals have the following options:

  • Complete a North Carolina Voter Registration Application and return it to their county board of elections office by 5 p.m. October 9. If an application is received after the deadline, it will be timely if it is postmarked on or before October 9. 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. October 9, and a hard copy of the document delivered to the county board by 20 days before the election.
  • Existing NC Division of Motor Vehicles’ customers may register to vote online.

“We encourage all eligible individuals to register to vote and make their voice heard in 2020,” 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.”

Same-Day Registration Available During Early Voting Period

Individuals who miss Friday’s deadline may register and vote at the same time during the one-stop early voting period, October 15-31, at any early voting site in their county. County-by-county early voting sites and schedules are available at the State Board’s One-Stop Early Voting Site Search. (For early voting sites statewide, see this PDF.)

Except under rare circumstances, North Carolina residents may not register to vote on Election Day.

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. 16 and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote; AND
  • Not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction, including probation, parole, or post-release supervision.*

*By order of the court, you may now register and vote if you are serving an extended term of probation, post-release supervision, or parole, you have outstanding fines, fees, or restitution, and you do not know of another reason that your probation, post-release supervision, or parole was extended.

Updating Your Registration

The voter registration application may be used to change any voting information, including name, address, and party affiliation. The change notification must be signed and should be sent to the voter’s county board of elections by October 9.

Updates to name, address, and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email to your county board of elections. A wet ink (physical) signature is not required for voter registration updates in the same county.

DMV customers may update their voter registration residential or mailing address and party affiliation through the DMV service. This service does not currently allow voters to change their name.

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

For more about registering to vote, visit the State Board website here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Reminds Voters Not to Photograph Their Ballots

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is reminding voters that North Carolina law prohibits taking photographs of or videotaping voted ballots. Please refer to N.C.G.S. § 163-166.3 for more information.

“Voters should not take a picture of their completed ballot, whether they vote in person or by mail,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We respect voters showing their pride in casting a ballot but ask that they do so in another manner.”

The State Board has received multiple complaints of photographed absentee ballots and has been alerted to additional violations on social media in recent weeks. If a voter has taken a picture of their ballot and shared the photo online, the voter should delete the photograph.

When voting in person, voters may have phones or electronic devices with them as long as those devices are not used to photograph or videotape a ballot or communicate with anyone via voice, text, email or any other method.

Photographing a marked ballot is illegal in part because such photographs could be used as proof of a vote for a candidate in a vote-buying scheme. Electronic communication while voting is prohibited because of limits on voter assistance and to prevent disruptions in the voting enclosure.

Voters may bring voting guides, notes and other materials into the voting booth. They also may use electronic devices to access a slate card or candidate information, provided they don’t use the devices to communicate with anyone.