House Bill 958 Would Reshape Several North Carolina Election Procedures

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina advocacy organization is voicing support for legislation that would make a series of changes to the state’s election laws, including new requirements for military and overseas voters, revisions to ballot-counting procedures, and changes to election administration.

The NC Values Coalition announced its support Tuesday for House Bill 958, known as the Election Law Changes Act, as the measure continues moving through the North Carolina General Assembly.

According to supporters, the legislation is intended to strengthen election integrity and improve confidence in the state’s election system.

The bill contains numerous provisions affecting how elections are conducted in North Carolina.

Among the proposed changes are revisions to absentee and provisional ballot procedures, including extending the deadline for counting certain ballots and moving the start of absentee ballot counting from the day before an election to Election Day morning. The legislation would also make it a criminal offense to disclose ballot count results before polls close.

The measure would prohibit the use of ranked-choice voting in North Carolina elections and would require additional voter roll maintenance procedures, including address verification notices and Social Security number matching requirements.

House Bill 958 would also require military and overseas voters casting absentee ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to provide photo identification. The legislation includes a process allowing voters to address identification issues before their ballots are rejected.

Other provisions would create a 10-county pilot program to test signature verification technology for absentee ballots, increase campaign finance reporting thresholds for local candidates, prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to or coordinating with referendum committees, and establish new training requirements for county election officials.

The legislation would also make disorderly conduct at polling places a criminal offense and require early voting equipment to be secured between the end of the early voting period and the official counting of ballots.

NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald said the organization believes the legislation would strengthen public confidence in elections.

“This bill helps ensure that the ballot box reflects the true will of the people,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “When every lawful vote is protected and every fraudulent vote is prevented, North Carolina families win.”

The organization is encouraging members of the House and Senate to support the measure.

The proposal has also drawn criticism from some voting-rights advocates. The League of Women Voters of North Carolina described House Bill 958 as a sweeping measure that would significantly alter election administration across the state and has urged lawmakers to oppose the legislation. Critics argue some provisions could make voting more difficult and inject additional politics into election administration. Opponents have also raised concerns about voter identification requirements.

House Bill 958 remains under consideration in the General Assembly. If approved by both chambers and signed into law, the changes would affect future elections across North Carolina.