N.C. House Sends Election Reform Bills To Governor’s Desk

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina House has given final approval to two bills that would make a number of changes to the state’s election laws, including voter registration requirements, election administration procedures, post-election audits and campaign finance reporting.

House Bill 958 and House Bill 834 now head to Gov. Josh Stein for his consideration.

House Bill 958 contains a broad range of election-related provisions. Among them, the bill would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and expand interstate data-sharing intended to identify duplicate voter registrations and help maintain accurate voter rolls. It also requires election officials to remove deceased and other ineligible voters from voter registration records.

The legislation would require the State Auditor to conduct audits of election systems following each general election and would require candidates seeking a political party’s nomination to have been affiliated with that party for at least 365 days unless the party grants a waiver.

The bill would also shorten the early voting period for primary and runoff elections from 17 days to 10 days, increase campaign finance reporting thresholds, allow county boards of elections to more quickly address concerns involving precinct officials, permit nonpartisan candidates to appoint election observers, require the use of the latest federal census data for redistricting, and revise procedures for processing voter registration applications.

House Bill 834 would make additional changes to election procedures. The measure extends the deadline for voters to correct certain voter registration issues after an election from three days to five days. It also allows lawsuits challenging decisions by the State Board of Elections to be heard either in Wake County or in the county where the plaintiff resides.

The bills now await action by Gov. Stein.

House Election Law Committee Chairman Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) said the legislation is designed to strengthen confidence in North Carolina’s elections.

“North Carolinians want elections they can trust, and House Republicans have consistently advanced practical reforms to improve election integrity. These bills build on that work by making our elections even more secure and giving voters even more confidence when they head to the polls.”