A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to amend and clarify various provisions of the election laws.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 163‑106(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Eligibility to File. – No person shall be permitted to file as a candidate in a party primary unless that person has been affiliated with that party for at least 90 days as of the date of that person filing such notice of candidacy. A person registered as "unaffiliated" shall be ineligible to file as a candidate in a party primary election."
SECTION 1.(b)  This section is effective January 1, 2015, and applies to elections conducted on or after that date.
SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑165.6(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Order of Candidates on Primary and Nonpartisan Official Ballots. – The order in which candidates shall appear on a county's official ballots in any (i) primary ballot item, whether the primary is partisan or nonpartisan, and (ii) in any nonpartisan general election ballot item under Article 25 of this Chapter shall be determined by the county board of elections using a process designed by the State Board of Elections for random selection. The same random selection process shall be used for all primaries and elections in a calendar year."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 163‑227.2(g2) reads as rewritten:
"(g2)	Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (g) and (g1) of this section, for any county board of elections that provided for one or more sites during the 2010 or 2012 general election, that county shall provide, at a minimum, the following:
(1)	The county board of elections shall calculate the cumulative total number of scheduled voting hours at all sites during the 2012 primary and general elections, respectively, that the county provided for absentee ballots to be applied for and voted under this section. For elections which include a presidential candidate on the ballot, the county shall ensure that at least the same number of hours offered in 2012 is offered for absentee ballots to be applied for and voted under this section through a combination of hours and numbers of one‑stop sites during the primary or general election, correspondingly.
(2)	The county board of elections shall calculate the cumulative total number of scheduled voting hours at all sites during the 2010 primary and general elections, respectively, that the county provided for absentee ballots to be applied for and voted under this section. For elections which do not include a presidential candidate on the ballot, the county shall ensure that at least the same number of hours offered in 2010 is offered for absentee ballots to be applied for and voted under this section through a combination of hours and numbers of one‑stop sites during the primary or general election, correspondingly.
As used in this subsection, the phrase "cumulative total number of scheduled voting hours" includes those at the office of the county board of elections or the reasonably proximate alternate site approved under subsection (g) of this section.
The State Board of Elections, to ensure compliance with this subsection, may approve a one‑stop site in a building that the county board of elections is not entitled under G.S. 163‑129 to demand and use as an election‑day voting place, but may deny approval if a member of that board presents evidence that other equally suitable sites were available and the use of the sites chosen would unfairly advantage or disadvantage geographic, demographic, or partisan interests of that county."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 115C‑47 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑47.  Powers and duties generally.
In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C‑36, local boards of education shall have the power or duty:
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(59)	To Encourage Student Voter Registration. – Local boards of education are encouraged to adopt policies to promote student voter registration. These policies may include collaboration with county boards of elections to conduct voter registration in high schools. Completion and submission of voter registration forms shall not be a course requirement or graded assignment for students.
.…"
SECTION 5.  Section 5.3 of S.L. 2013‑381 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 5.3.  Education and Publicity Requirements. – The public shall be educated about the photo identification to vote requirements of this act as follows:
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(4)	Notices of elections published by county boards of elections under G.S. 163‑33(8) for the 2014 primary and 2014 general election shall include a brief statement that photo identification will be required to vote in person beginning in 2016.
.…"
SECTION 6.  G.S. 163‑166.14(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	At any time a voter presents photo identification to a local election official other than on election day, the county board of elections shall have available to the local election official judges of election for the review required under subsection (b) of this section, appointed with the same qualifications as is in Article 5 of this Chapter, except that the individuals may (i) reside anywhere in the county or (ii) be an employee of the county or the State. Neither the local election official nor the judges of election may be a county board member. The county board is not required to have the same judges of election available throughout the time period a voter may present photo identification other than on election day but shall have at least two judges, who are not of the same political party affiliation, available at all times during that period."
SECTION 7.  G.S. 163‑166.13(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	As used in this section, "photo identification" means any one of the following that contains a photograph of the registered voter. In addition, the photo identification shall have a printed expiration date and shall be unexpired, provided that any voter having attained the age of 70 years at the time of presentation at the voting place shall be permitted to present an expired form of any of the following that was unexpired on the voter's 70th birthday. 
(1)	A North Carolina drivers license issued under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, including a learner's permit or a provisional license.
(2)	A special identification card for nonoperators issued under G.S. 20‑37.7.
(3)	A United States passport.
(4)	A United States military identification card, except there is no requirement that it have a printed expiration or issuance date.
(5)	A Veterans Identification Card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for use at Veterans Administration medical facilities facilities, except there is no requirement that it have a printed expiration or issuance date.
(6)	A tribal enrollment card issued by a federally recognized tribe, provided that if the tribal enrollment card does not contain a printed expiration date, it shall be acceptable if it has a printed issuance date that is not more than eight years before it is presented for voting.
(7)	A tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by this State under Chapter 71A of the General Statutes, provided that card meets all of the following criteria:
a.	Is issued in accordance with a process approved by the State Board of Elections that requires an application and proof of identity equivalent to the requirements for issuance of a special identification card by the Division of Motor Vehicles under G.S. 20‑7 and G.S. 20‑37.7.
b.	Is signed by an elected official of the tribe.
(8)	A drivers license or nonoperators identification card issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory or commonwealth of the United States, but only if the voter's voter registration was within 90 days of the election."
SECTION 8.  Section 38.1(b) of S.L. 2013‑381 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 38.1.(b)  Article 22J of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is  repealed, except that the repeal of G.S. 163‑278.99E(d) is governed by subsection (l) of this section, which provides that the repeal becomes effective upon exhaustion of the funds for publication of the Judicial Voter Guide in G.S. 163‑278.69."
SECTION 9.  G.S. 163‑278.40H reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.40H.  Notice of reports due.
The director of the board shall advise, or cause to be advised, no less than five days nor more than 15 days before each report is due each candidate or treasurer whose organizational report has been filed under G.S. 163‑278.40A of the specific date each report is due. The director shall immediately notify any individual, candidate, treasurer, or political committee, to file a statement under this Part if:
(1)	It appears that the individual, candidate, treasurer, or political committee has failed to file a statement as required by law or that a statement filed does not conform to this Part; or
(2)	A written complaint is filed under oath with the State Board of Elections by any registered voter of this State alleging that a statement filed with the board does not conform to this Part or to the truth or that an individual, candidate, treasurer, or political committee has failed to file a statement required by this Part."
SECTION 10.  G.S. 163‑302(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	In any municipal election, including a primary or general election or referendum, absentee voting may, upon resolution of the municipal governing body, be permitted. Such resolution must be adopted no later than 60 days prior to an election in order to be effective for that election. Any such resolution shall remain effective for all future elections unless repealed no later than 60 days before an election. A copy of all resolutions adopted under this section shall be filed with the State Board of Elections and the county board of elections conducting the election within 10 days of passage in order to be effective. In addition, absentee voting shall be allowed in any referendum on incorporation of a municipality."
SECTION 11.  G.S. 163‑231(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Procedure for Voting Absentee Ballots. – In the presence of two persons who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not disqualified by G.S. 163‑226.3(a)(4) or G.S. 163‑237(b1), the voter shall do all of the following:
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(5)	Require those two persons in whose presence the voter marked that voter's ballots to sign the application and certificate as witnesses and to indicate those persons' addresses. Failure to list a ZIP code does not invalidate the application and certificate.
.…"
SECTION 12.(a)  G.S. 163‑82.15(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	Unreported Move to Another Precinct Within the County. – If a registrant has moved from an address in one precinct to an address in another precinct within the same county more than 30 days before an election and has failed to notify the county board of the change of address before the close of registration for that election, the county board shall permit that person to vote in that election. The county board shall permit the registrant described in this subsection to vote at the registrant's new precinct, upon the registrant's written affirmation of the new address, or, if the registrant prefers, at a central location in the county to be chosen by the county board. If the registrant appears at the old precinct, the precinct officials there shall (i) send the registrant to the new precinct or, (ii) if the registrant prefers, to the central location, according to rules which shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections, or (iii) permit the voter to vote a provisional ballot and shall count the individual's provisional official ballot for all ballot items on which it determines that the individual was eligible under State or federal law to vote. At the new precinct, the registrant shall be processed by a precinct transfer assistant, according to rules which shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections."
SECTION 12.(b)  G.S. 163‑166.11(5) is repealed.
SECTION 12.(c)  G.S. 163‑182.2(a)(4) reads as rewritten:
"(4)	If the county board of elections finds that an individual voting a provisional official ballot (i) was registered in the county as provided in G.S. 163‑82.1, (ii) voted in the proper precinct under G.S. 163‑55 and G.S. 163‑57, and (iii) was otherwise eligible to vote, the provisional official ballots shall be counted by the county board of elections before the canvass. Except as provided in G.S. 163‑82.15(e), if the county board finds that an individual voting a provisional official ballot (i) did not vote in the proper precinct under G.S. 163‑55 and G.S. 163‑57, (ii) is not registered in the county as provided in G.S. 163‑82.1, or (iii) is otherwise not eligible to vote, the ballot shall not be counted. If a voter was properly registered to vote in the election by the county board, no mistake of an election official in giving the voter a ballot or in failing to comply with G.S. 163‑82.15 or G.S. 163‑166.11 shall serve to prevent the counting of the vote on any ballot item the voter was eligible by registration and qualified by residency to vote."
SECTION 13.(a)  G.S. 138A‑22 reads as rewritten:
"§ 138A‑22.  Statement of economic interest; filing required.
(a)	Every covered person subject to this Chapter who is elected, appointed, or employed, including one appointed to fill a vacancy in elective office, except for public servants (i) included under G.S. 138A‑3(30)b., e., f., or g. whose annual compensation from the State is less than sixty thousand dollars ($60,000), or (ii) who are ex officio student members under Chapters 115D and 116 of the General Statutes, shall file a statement of economic interest with the Commission prior to the covered person's initial appointment, election, or employment and no later than April 15 of every year thereafter, except as otherwise filed under subsections (c1) and (d) of this section. A prospective covered person required to file a statement under this Chapter shall not be appointed, employed, or receive a certificate of election, prior to submission by the Commission of the Commission's evaluation of the statement in accordance with this Article. The requirement for an annual filing under this subsection also shall apply to covered persons whose terms have expired but who continue to serve until the covered person's replacement is appointed. Once a statement of economic interest is properly completed and filed under this Article, the statement of economic interest does not need to be supplemented or refiled prior to the next due date set forth in this subsection.
(b)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, individuals hired by, and appointees of, constitutional officers of the State may file a statement of economic interest within 30 days after their appointments or employment when the appointment or employment is made during the first 60 days of the constitutional officer's initial term in that constitutional office.
(c)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, public servants, under G.S. 138A‑3(30)j. and k., who have submitted a statement of economic interest under subsection (a) of this section, may be hired, appointed, or elected provisionally prior to submission by the Commission of the Commission's evaluation of the statement in accordance with this Article, subject to dismissal or removal based on the Commission's evaluation.
(c1)	A public servant reappointed to a board between January 1 and April 15 shall file a current statement of economic interest prior to the reappointment.
(c2)	A public servant appointed to a board determined and designated as nonadvisory under G.S. 138A‑10(a)(3) shall file the initial statement of economic interest within 60 days of notification of the designation by the Commission and as provided in this section thereafter.
(d)	A candidate for an office subject to this Article shall file the statement of economic interest with the Commission within 10 days of the filing deadline for the office the candidate seeks. An individual nominated under G.S. 163‑114 shall file the statement within three days following the individual's nomination, or not later than the day preceding the general election, whichever occurs first. An individual seeking to qualify as an unaffiliated candidate under G.S. 163‑122 shall file the statement of economic interest within three days of filing the petition required under that section. An individual seeking to have write‑in votes counted for that individual in a general election shall file a statement of economic interest within three days of the time the candidate files a declaration of intent under G.S. 163‑123. A candidate of a new party chosen by convention shall file a statement of economic interest within three days of the time that the president of the convention certifies the names of its candidates to the State Board of Elections under G.S. 163‑98.
(d1)	In addition to subsections (a) and (d) of this section, a covered person holding elected office or a former covered person who held elected office subject to this Article shall file a statement of economic interest in all of the following instances, as specified:
(1)	Filed on or before April 15 of the year following the year a covered person or former covered person does not file a notice of candidacy or petition for election, or does not receive a certificate of election, to the position making that individual a covered person, with all information provided in the statement of economic interest current as of the last day of December of the preceding year.
(2)	Filed on or before April 15 of the year following the year the covered person or former covered person resigns from the position making that individual a covered person, with all information provided in the statement of economic interest current as of the last day in the position.
(e)	The State Board of Elections shall provide for notification of the statement of economic interest requirements of this Article to be given to any candidate filing for nomination or election to those offices subject to this Article and to any nominee under G.S. 163‑114.
(f)	Within 10 days of the filing deadline for office of a covered person, the executive director of the State Board of Elections shall send to the State Ethics Commission a list of the names and addresses of each candidate who has filed as a candidate for office as a covered person. Within five days of an individual otherwise qualifying to be on the ballot, the State Board of Elections shall send notice of that qualification to the State Ethics Commission.
(g)	The Commission shall issue forms to be used for the statement of economic interest and shall revise the forms from time to time as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. Except as otherwise set forth in this section and in G.S. 138A‑15(h), upon notification by the employing entity, the Commission shall furnish to all other covered persons the appropriate forms needed to comply with this Article."
SECTION 13.(b)  This section becomes effective January 1, 2015, and applies to statements of economic interest filed on or after that date.
SECTION 14.  G.S. 20‑9.2 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(c)	This section does not apply to special identification cards issued pursuant to G.S. 20‑37.7(d)(5) or (6)."
SECTION 15.(a)  G.S. 163‑226.3(a)(7) reads as rewritten:
"(7)	Except as provided in subsections (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this section, G.S. 163‑231(a), and G.S. 163‑227.2(e), for any voter to permit another person to assist the voter in marking that voter's absentee ballot, to be in the voter's presence when a voter votes an absentee ballot, or to observe the voter mark that voter's absentee ballot."
SECTION 15.(b)  G.S. 163‑237(b1) reads as rewritten:
"(b1)	Candidate Witnessing Absentee Ballots of Nonrelative Made Class 2 Misdemeanor. ‑ A person is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor if that person acts as a witness under G.S. 163‑231(a) in any primary or election in which the person is a candidate for nomination or election, unless the voter is the candidate's near relative as defined in G.S. 163‑230.1(f)."
SECTION 15.(c)  G.S. 163‑275(16) reads as rewritten:
"(16)	For any person falsely to make the certificate provided by G.S. 163‑229(b)(2)."
SECTION 15.(d)  G.S. 163‑89(a) reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑89.  Procedures for challenging absentee ballots.
(a)	Time for Challenge. – The absentee ballot of any voter may be challenged on the day of any statewide primary or general election or county bond election beginning no earlier than noon and ending no later than 5:00 P.M., or by the chief judge at the time of closing of the polls as provided in G.S. 163‑232 and G.S. 163‑258.26(b). The absentee ballot of any voter received by the county board of elections pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b)(ii) or (iii) may be challenged no earlier than noon on the day following the election and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day following the deadline for receipt of such absentee ballots."
SECTION 16.  G.S. 163‑82.14 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(e)	Cooperation on List Maintenance Efforts. – The State Board has the authority to perform list maintenance under this section with the same authority as a county board."
SECTION 17.5.(a)  G.S. 163‑287 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑287.  Special elections; procedure for calling.
(a)	Any county, municipality, or any special district shall have authority to call special elections as permitted by law. Prior to calling a special election, the governing body of the county, municipality, or special district shall adopt a resolution specifying the details of the election, and forthwith deliver the resolution to the local board of elections. The resolution shall call on the local board of elections to conduct the election described in the resolution and shall state the date on which the special election is to be conducted. In setting the date, counties, municipalities, and special districts are encouraged to set a date that will result in the highest possible voter turnout. However, the special election may be held only as follows:
(1)	At the same time as any other State or county general election.
(2)	At the same time as the primary election in any even‑numbered year.
(3)	At the same time as any other election requiring all the precincts in the county to be open.
(4)	At the same time as a municipal general election, if the special election is within the jurisdiction of the municipality only.
(b)	Legal notice of the special election shall be published no less than 45 days prior to the special election. The local board of elections shall be responsible for publishing the legal notice. The notice shall state the date and time of the special election, the issue to be submitted to the voters, and the precincts in which the election will be held. This subsection shall not apply to bond elections.
(c)	The last sentence of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any special election related to the public health or safety, including a vacancy in the office of sheriff or a bond referendum for financing of health and sanitation systems, if the governing body adopts a resolution stating the need for the special election at a time different from any other State, county, or municipal general election or the primary in any even‑numbered year.
(d)	The last sentence of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to municipal incorporation or recall elections pursuant to local act of the General Assembly.
(e)	The last sentence of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to municipal elections to fill vacancies in office pursuant to local act of the General Assembly where more than six months remain in the term of office, and if less than six months remain in the office, the governing board may fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term notwithstanding any provision of a local act of the General Assembly.
(f)	This section shall not impact the authority of the courts or the State Board to order a new election at a time set by the courts or State Board under this Chapter."
SECTION 17.5.(b)  This section becomes effective January 1, 2015, and applies to all special elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 18.  G.S. 160A‑102 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A‑102.  Amendment by ordinance.
By following the procedure set out in this section, the council may amend the city charter by ordinance to implement any of the optional forms set out in G.S. 160A‑101. The council shall first adopt a resolution of intent to consider an ordinance amending the charter. The resolution of intent shall describe the proposed charter amendments briefly but completely and with reference to the pertinent provisions of G.S. 160A‑101, but it need not contain the precise text of the charter amendments necessary to implement the proposed changes. At the same time that a resolution of intent is adopted, the council shall also call a public hearing on the proposed charter amendments, the date of the hearing to be not more than 45 days after adoption of the resolution. A notice of the hearing shall be published at least once not less than 10 days prior to the date fixed for the public hearing, and shall contain a summary of the proposed amendments. Following the public hearing, but not earlier than the next regular meeting of the council and not later than 60 days from the date of the hearing, the council may adopt an ordinance amending the charter to implement the amendments proposed in the resolution of intent.
The council may, but shall not be required to unless a referendum petition is received pursuant to G.S. 160A‑103, make any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section effective only if approved by a vote of the people, and may by resolution adopted at the same time call a special election for the purpose of submitting the ordinance to a vote. The date fixed for the special election shall be the next date permitted under G.S. 163‑287(a) that is more than 70 days after adoption of the ordinance.
Within 10 days after an ordinance is adopted under this section, the council shall publish a notice stating that an ordinance amending the charter has been adopted and summarizing its contents and effect. If the ordinance is made effective subject to a vote of the people, the council shall publish a notice of the election in accordance with G.S. 163‑287, and need not publish a separate notice of adoption of the ordinance.
The council may not commence proceedings under this section between the time of the filing of a valid initiative petition pursuant to G.S. 160A‑104 and the date of any election called pursuant to such petition."
SECTION 18.5.(a)  G.S. 163‑278.12(j) reads as rewritten:
"(j)	Treasurers for each of the following entities shall electronically file each report required by this section that shows a cumulative total for the election cycle in excess of the stated amount in contributions, in expenditures, or in loans, according to rules adopted by the State Board of Elections:
(1)	A candidate for statewide office, if more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(2)	A State, district, county, or precinct executive committee of a political party, if the committee makes contributions or independent expenditures in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000) that affect contests for statewide office.
(3)	A political committee that makes contributions in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to candidates for statewide office or makes independent expenditures in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000) that affect contests for statewide office.
(4)	All other political committees, if more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
The State Board of Elections shall provide the software necessary to file an electronic report to a treasurer required to file an electronic report at no cost to the treasurer."
SECTION 18.5.(b)  This section becomes effective January 1, 2017, and applies to elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 19.  Except as provided herein, this act is effective when it becomes law.