GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 200

Short Title:  Mandatory Voter ID.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Cummings; Baker, Brawley, Cansler, Clary, Cocklereece, Davis, Ellis, Gardner, Grady, Gray, Hayes, Hiatt, Justus, Linney, McComas, McMahan, Mitchell, Nichols, Pate, Reynolds, Russell, Sexton, Shubert, Snowden, Watson, Weatherly, and C. Wilson.

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Referred to:  Judiciary II.

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February 16, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE IDENTIFICATION OF VOTERS AND TO PROTECT AGAINST DOUBLE VOTING.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 163-82.8 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-82.8.  Voter registration cards.
(a)	Authority to Issue Card. –The county board of elections shall issue to each voter in the county a voter registration card.
(b)	Content and Format of Card. – At a minimum, the voter registration card shall:
(1)	List the voter's name, address, party affiliation if any, and voting place;
(2)	Contain the address and telephone number of the county board of elections, along with blanks to report a change of address within the county, change of name, and change of party affiliation; and
(3)	Be wallet size.
No voter registration card may be issued by a county board of elections unless the State Board of Elections has approved the format of the card.
(c)	Ways County Board and Registrant May Use Card. –The county board may use that card as a notice of tentative approval of the voter's application pursuant to G.S. 163-82.7(c), provided that the mailing contains the statements and information required in that subsection. The county board may also satisfy the requirements of G.S. 163-82.15(b), 163-82.16(b), or 163-82.17(b) by sending the registrant a replacement of the voter registration card to verify change of address, change of name, or change of party affiliation. A registrant may use the card to report a change of address, change of name, or change of party affiliation, satisfying G.S. 163-82.15, 163-82.16, or 163-82.17.
(d)	Card as Evidence of Registration. – A voter registration card shall be evidence of registration but shall not preclude a challenge as permitted by law.
(e)	Display of Card. –Except as provided by G.S. 163-150(a), no county board of elections may require that a voter registration card be displayed in order to vote."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 163-150(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Checking Registration. – A person seeking to vote shall enter the voting enclosure at the voting place through the appropriate entrance and shall at once state his name and place of residence to one of the judges of election.  In order to vote a voter must show one of the following types of identification:
(1)	A voter registration card issued under G.S. 163-82.8;
(2)	A drivers license;
(3)	A special identification card issued under G.S. 20-37.7;
(4)	A passport;
(5)	An identification card issued by the U.S. Department of Defense; or
(6)	A social security card and one other type of identification showing the name and a picture of the voter.
In a primary election, the voter shall also state the political party with which he affiliates and in whose primary he desires to vote, or if the voter is an unaffiliated voter permitted to vote in the primary of a particular party under G.S. 163-116, the voter shall state the name of the authorizing political party in whose primary he wishes to vote.  The judge to whom the voter gives this information shall announce the name and residence of the voter in a distinct tone of voice.  After examining the precinct registration records, the chief judge shall state whether the person seeking to vote is duly registered."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 163-150(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Distribution of Ballots; Information. – If the voter is found to be registered and is not challenged, or, if challenged and the challenge is overruled as provided in G.S. 163-88, the responsible judge of election shall hand him an official ballot of each kind he is entitled to vote, and in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Elections, stamp the voter with ink that will remain during the remainder of that day's voting period but will wash off shortly thereafter.  In a primary election the voter shall be furnished ballots of the political party with which he affiliates and no others, except that unaffiliated voters who are permitted to vote in a party primary under G.S. 163-116 shall be furnished ballots for that primary. No such unaffiliated voter shall vote in the primary of more than one party on the same day. It shall be the duty of the chief judge and judges holding the primary or election to give any voter any information he desires in regard to the kinds of ballots he is entitled to vote and the names of the candidates on the ballots. In response to questions asked by the voter, the chief judge and judges shall communicate to him any information necessary to enable him to mark his ballot as he desires."
Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 1996.  Voter registration cards required under Section 1 of this act shall be issued no later than January 1, 1996, to all voters who had not already been sent them.