North Carolina
North Carolina
GradeF
Year2024
TierMid Tier

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Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

After several sessions of enacting anti-voter legislation, the North Carolina State Legislature continued to pass additional anti-voter reforms. At the very end of the year, the Legislature passed a bill that included power-grab provisions to restructure the state and county election boards by taking appointment power away from the governor and placing it instead under the separately-elected office of the state auditor, which has no connection to elections. The legislation also shortens various election-related deadlines. Because the state continued to pass significant anti-voter actions this past session, North Carolina, again, received an F on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where North Carolina Started at the Beginning of 2024

  • Automatic Voter Registration: No
  • Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
  • Same-Day Registration: Yes (but not on Election Day)
  • Restoration of Rights: Parole and/or Probation Disenfranchisement
  • Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
  • Electronic Registration Information Center Member: No
  • Early Voting Opportunities: In-Person Absentee
  • ID Requirements: No Document Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for North Carolina as of 2024, we considered the state a middle tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other middle tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

  • COVI (2024): 30th
  • EPI Score (2022): 27th
  • CLC State Scorecard (2022): 5/10
  • MAP Democracy Rating (2024): FAIR

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

During the lame duck session, the North Carolina Legislature passed purported hurricane relief legislation that also included several significant anti-voter provisions.

  • SB 382 is a so-called Hurricane Helene Relief Bill that also included provisions to:
    • Move the State Election Board under the control of the newly-elected state auditor’s office, which has no connection to elections;
    • Removes the governor’s longstanding ability to appoint state and county election board members and give it to the state auditor;
    • Shortens the deadlines for voters to cure their ballots;
    • Shortens the time for county boards to complete counting of provisional ballots, among other things.

    The changes surrounding the state auditor appear to have been made purely for partisan reasons, as this office recently changed from Democratic to Republican control, while the governor’s office continued to be held by Democrats.

  • SB 921 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would align the constitution’s photo ID provision with the state’s statutory photo ID requirement to make it clear that voters must provide ID whether voting in-person or by mail. Voters will decide on the change during a future general election.
  • HB 1074 is a constitutional amendment that further clarifies the state’s already existing constitutional requirement that only U.S. citizens may vote in North Carolina elections. Voters approved the change during the 2024 general election.
  • Executive Action

  • Although Governor Cooper attempted to veto SB 382, unfortunately, it was overridden by the Legislature.