Raleigh, N.C. – The General Assembly gave final legislative approval Thursday to bipartisan elections funding and reforms by a vote of 105 to 14 to meet the challenges of COVID-19, including expanding methods to securely request absentee ballots for voters and a total prohibition on all-mail elections in North Carolina.
House Bill 1169 Bipartisan Elections Act of 2020 provides funding for local elections boards and adjusts current law to address potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation makes temporary reforms to North Carolina’s current ‘no-excuse’ absentee ballot policy, which already allows any voter to request an absentee ballot and vote-by-mail without providing justification.
Additional reforms in the legislation include:
- Allowing absentee ballot requests to be submitted by email, fax, or a new online portal.
- Providing CARES Act and HAVA matching and federal funds for counties to use for supporting in-person voting and increased absentee ballot costs.
- Providing temporary flexibility for recruiting precinct officials.
NC House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) released the following statement:
“The legislative process is the proper forum to consider elections funding and reforms, and this General Assembly has worked together in a bipartisan manner to ensure the effective administration of our elections in 2020,” Speaker Moore said.
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