A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make various changes regarding elections law.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 163‑22 is amended by adding two new subsections to read:
"(s)	Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Board shall ensure voted ballots, election results tapes, and executed ballot applications are retained and preserved for a period of 22 months after the corresponding election or as otherwise specified in federal law, whichever is greater.
(t)	Nothing in this Chapter shall grant authority to the State Board to accept private monetary donations, directly or indirectly, for conducting elections or employing individuals on a temporary basis."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑33 is amended by adding two new subdivisions to read:
"(17)	Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to retain and preserve all voted ballots, election results tapes, and executed ballot applications for a period of 22 months after the corresponding election or as otherwise specified in federal law, whichever is greater.
(18)	Nothing in this Chapter shall grant authority to county boards of elections to accept private monetary donations, directly or indirectly, for conducting elections or employing individuals on a temporary basis."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 163‑37 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑37.  Duty of county board of commissioners.
(a)	The respective boards of county commissioners shall appropriate reasonable and adequate funds necessary for the legal functions of the county board of elections, including reasonable and just compensation of the director of elections.
(b)	Nothing in this Chapter shall grant authority to county boards of commissioners to accept private monetary donations, directly or indirectly, for conducting elections or employing individuals on a temporary basis."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 163‑45(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The chair of each political party in the county shall have the right to designate two observers to attend each voting place at each primary and election and such observers may, at the option of the designating party chair, be relieved during the day of the primary or election after serving no less than four hours and provided the list required by this section to be filed by each chair contains the names of all persons authorized to represent such chair's political party. An observer relieved after serving no less than the four hours provided in this subsection may serve an additional four hours during the same primary or election day at any voting place in that same county upon designation by the party chair. The chair of each political party in the county shall have the right to designate 10 additional at‑large observers who are residents of that county who may attend any voting place in that county. The chair of each political party in the State shall have the right to designate up to 100 additional at‑large observers who are residents of the State who may attend any voting place in the State. The list submitted by the chair of the political party may be amended between the one‑stop period under G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6 and general election day to substitute one or all at‑large observers for election day. Not more than two observers from the same political party shall be permitted in the voting enclosure at any time, except that in addition one of the at‑large observers from each party may also be in the voting enclosure. This right shall not extend to the chair of a political party during a primary unless that party is participating in the primary. In any election in which an unaffiliated candidate is named on the ballot, the candidate or the candidate's campaign manager shall have the right to appoint two observers for each voting place consistent with the provisions specified herein. Persons appointed as observers by the chair of a county political party must be registered voters of the county for which appointed and must have good moral character. Persons appointed as observers by the chair of a State political party must be registered voters of the State and must have good moral character. No person who is a candidate on the ballot in a primary or election may serve as an observer or runner in that primary or election. Observers shall take no oath of office."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 163‑47(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The chief judges and judges of election shall conduct the primaries and elections within their respective precincts fairly and impartially, and they shall enforce peace and good order in and about the place of registration and voting. The county boards of elections shall ensure that the position of chief judge and judges of election shall be filled at the voting place for the duration of their duties on the day of each primary and general and special election."
SECTION 6.  Article 7A of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163‑82.6B.  Same‑day registration; when provisional ballot required.
(a)	Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an individual who is qualified to register to vote may register in person and then vote at a one‑stop voting site in the individual's county of residence during the period for one‑stop voting provided under G.S. 163‑227.2.
(b)	An individual registering and voting under subsection (a) of this section shall vote by provisional ballot unless one of the following applies:
(1)	The address on the individual's photo identification required under G.S. 163‑166.16 is the same as the address listed on a copy of a HAVA document.
(2)	The individual's photo identification required under G.S. 163‑166.16 lacks an address and the individual provides a document from the institution issuing the photo identification showing the name and address of the individual and a copy of a HAVA document showing the same name and address for that individual.
(c)	A provisional ballot cast in accordance with this section shall be counted under one of the following circumstances only:
(1)	Prior to the close of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board of elections pursuant to G.S. 163‑182.5, the individual returns to the county board of elections and presents a photo identification required under G.S. 163‑166.16 and a copy of a HAVA document, and the address on both forms of identification is the same.
(2)	Prior to the close of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board of elections pursuant to G.S. 163‑182.5, the individual returns to the county board of elections and presents a copy of two different HAVA documents, and the name and address on both documents is the same.
(d)	For purposes of this section, a "HAVA document" is any of the following that shows the name and address of the voter:
(1)	A current utility bill.
(2)	A current bank statement.
(3)	A current government check.
(4)	A current paycheck.
(5)	Another government document showing the name and address of the voter.
(6)	A document from the institution issuing the photo identification showing the name and address of the individual."
SECTION 7.  G.S. 163‑88.1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	The chairman of the county board of elections shall preserve challenged ballots in the sealed envelopes for a period of 22 months after the corresponding election or as otherwise specified in federal law, whichever is greater. However, in the case of a contested election, either party to such action may request the court to order that the sealed envelopes containing challenged ballots be delivered to the board of elections by the chairman. If so ordered, the board of elections shall then convene and consider each challenged ballot and rule as to which ballots shall be counted. In such consideration, the board may take such further evidence as it deems necessary, and shall have the power of subpoena. If any ballots are ordered to be counted, they shall be added to the vote totals."
SECTION 8.  G.S. 163‑89 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑89.  Procedures for challenging absentee ballots.
(a)	Time for Challenge. – The absentee ballot of any voter received by the county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on the day of any statewide primary or general election or county bond election may be challenged beginning no earlier than noon and ending no later than7:30 p.m. on the day of the primary or election. The absentee ballot of any voter received by the county board of elections may also be challenged 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)(2) 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.
(b)	Who May Challenge. – Any registered voter of the same county as the absentee voter may challenge that voter's absentee ballot.
…."
SECTION 9.  G.S. 163‑90.2(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	A decision by a county board of elections on any challenge made under the provisions of this Article shall be appealable to the Superior Court of the county in which the offices of that board are located within 10 days. If the appeal is made by the State Board, that appeal shall be to the Superior Court of the county in which the challenge originated. Only those persons against whom a challenge is sustained or persons who have made a challenge which is overruled shall have standing to file such appeal."
SECTION 10.  G.S. 163‑123(h) reads as rewritten:
"(h)	Certain Elections Excluded. – This section does not apply to the following elections:
(1)	Municipal elections or special district elections conducted under Subchapter IX of this Chapter.
(2)	Nonpartisan board of education elections conducted under G.S. 115C‑37."
SECTION 11.  G.S. 163‑166.01 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑166.01.  Hours for voting.
(a)	In every election, the voting place shall be open at 6:30 a.m. and shall be closed at 7:30 p.m. If the polls are delayed in opening for more than 15 minutes, or are interrupted for more than 15 minutes after opening, the State Board may extend the closing time by an equal number of minutes. As authorized by law, the State Board shall be available either in person or by teleconference on the day of election to approve any such extension. If any voter is in line to vote at the time the polls are closed, that voter shall be permitted to vote. No voter shall be permitted to vote who arrives at the voting place after the closing of the polls.
(b)	If the statutory poll closing time of 7:30 p.m. on election day is extended by court order in one or more counties, the poll closing time shall be extended on election day in all counties by an equal amount of time.
(c)	Any voter who votes after the statutory poll closing time of 7:30 p.m. by virtue of a federal or State court order or any other lawful order, including an order of a county board of elections, shall be allowed to vote, under the provisions of that order, only by using a provisional official ballot. Any special provisional official ballots cast under this section shall be separated, counted, and held apart from other provisional ballots cast by other voters not under the effect of the order extending the closing time of the voting place. If the court order has not been reversed or stayed by the time of the county canvass, the total for that category of provisional ballots shall be added to the official canvass."
SECTION 12.  G.S. 163‑166.8(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	A qualified voter seeking assistance in an election shall, upon arriving at the voting place, request permission from the chief judge to have assistance, stating the reasons. If the chief judge determines that such assistance is appropriate, the chief judge shall ask the voter to point out and identify the person the voter desires to provide such assistance. If the identified person meets the criteria in subsection (a) of this section, the chief judge shall request the person indicated to render the assistance. The chief judge, one of the judges, or one of the assistants may provide aid to the voter if so requested, if the election official is not prohibited by subdivision (a) (2) of this section. Under no circumstances shall any precinct official be assigned to assist a voter qualified for assistance, who was not specified by the voter. Precinct officials shall maintain a log of any individual who is not a near relative of the voter who goes into the voter booth to render assistance to a voter in marking that voter's ballot. The log shall include the printed name and address of the individual assisting the voter in marking that voter's ballot and a space for that individual's signature."
SECTION 13.  G.S. 163‑166.12(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Notation of Identification Proof. – The county board of elections shall note the type of identification proof submitted by the voter under the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this section. The type of identification proof shall be listed on the voter rolls that are available to the public."
SECTION 14.  G.S. 163‑182.4(a)(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3)	Offices of municipalities. Where voters in more than one county cast ballots for a municipal office, the State Board shall prepare a composite abstract upon the completion of the canvass by the county boards and deliver that abstract to all county boards responsible for canvassing votes for the contest, and each of those county boards shall issue a certificate of nomination or election."
SECTION 15.  G.S. 163‑182.15 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b1)	Report on Revisions to Elections Records After Certification. – The State Board shall submit an annual report on any revisions made to any voter's voter history records other than routine updates following each election, including the rationale for and timing of the revisions, to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government."
SECTION 16.(a)  G.S. 163‑210 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑210.  Governor to proclaim results; casting State's vote for President and Vice‑President.
Upon receipt of the certifications prepared by the State Board and delivered in accordance with G.S. 163‑182.15, the Secretary of State, under seal of the office, shall notify the Governor of the names of the persons elected to the office of elector for President and Vice‑President of the United States as stated in the abstracts of the State Board. Thereupon, the Governor shall immediately issue a proclamation setting forth the names of the electors and instructing them to be present in the old Hall of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in the City of Raleigh at noon on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December next after their election, at which time the electors shall meet and vote on behalf of the State for President and Vice‑President of the United States. The Governor shall cause this proclamation to be published in the daily newspapers published in the City of Raleigh. Notice may additionally be made on a radio or television station or both, but such notice shall be in addition to the newspaper and other required notice. The Secretary of State is responsible for making the actual arrangements for the meeting, preparing the agenda, and inviting guests.
Before the date fixed for the meeting of the electors, the Governor shall send by the most expeditious method available to the Archivist of the United States, either three duplicate original certificates, or one original certificate and two authenticated copies of the Certificates of Ascertainment, under the great seal of the State setting forth the names of the persons chosen as presidential electors for this State and the number of votes cast for each. These Certificates of Ascertainment shall contain a security feature for purposes of verifying their authenticity and should be sent as soon as possible after the election, but must be received before the Electoral College meeting. At the same time the Governor shall deliver to the electors six duplicate originals of the same certificate, each bearing the great seal of the State. At any time prior to receipt of the certificate of the Governor or within 48 hours thereafter, any person elected to the office of elector may resign by submitting his resignation, written and duly verified, to the Governor. Failure to so resign shall signify consent to serve and to cast his vote for the candidate of the political party which nominated such elector.
In case of the absence, ineligibility or resignation of any elector chosen, or if the proper number of electors shall for any cause be deficient, the first and second alternates, respectively, who were nominated under G.S. 163‑1(c), shall fill the first two vacancies. If the alternates are absent, ineligible, resign, or were not chosen, or if there are more than two vacancies, then the electors present at the required meeting shall forthwith elect from the citizens of the State a sufficient number of persons to fill the deficiency, and the persons chosen shall be deemed qualified electors to vote for President and Vice‑President of the United States."
SECTION 16.(b)  G.S. 163‑213(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	Proclamation Before Electors' Meeting Day Controls. – If the proclamation of any Presidential Elector under G.S. 163‑210 is made any time before the day set for the meeting of Presidential Electors by 3 U.S.C. § 7, then that proclamation shall control over an appointment made by the General Assembly or the Governor. This section does not preclude litigation otherwise provided by law to challenge the validity of the proclamation or the procedures that resulted in that proclamation."
SECTION 17.(a)  G.S. 163‑227.6 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(a1)	At each one‑stop voting site other than the county board of elections office, precinct officials shall be allocated according to all of the following:
(1)	Chief judges and judges shall be allocated to each voting place in the same manner as allocated to each precinct in the county as provided in G.S. 163‑41.
(2)	Assistants shall be allocated to each voting place in the same manner as allocated to each precinct in the county as provided in G.S. 163‑42.
(3)	The provisions of G.S. 163‑41.1 apply."
SECTION 17.(b)  This section becomes effective January 1, 2024, and applies to elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 18.  G.S. 163‑227.10 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(c)	At least once per primary or election, each county board of elections and the State Board shall publish on its website or in any mailing sent to voters the date by which absentee ballots are available for voting."
SECTION 19.  G.S. 163‑229 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑229.  Absentee ballots, applications on container‑return envelopes, and instruction sheets.
(a)	Absentee Ballot Form. – In accordance with the provisions of G.S. 163‑230.1, persons entitled to vote by absentee ballot shall be furnished with official ballots.
(b)	Application on Container‑Return Envelope. – In time for use not later than 60 days before a statewide general election in an even‑numbered year, and not later than 50 days before a statewide primary, other general election or county bond election, the county board of elections shall print a sufficient number of envelopes in which persons casting absentee ballots may transmit their marked ballots to the county board of elections. However, in the case of municipal elections, sufficient container‑return envelopes shall be made available no later than 30 days before an election. Each container‑return envelope shall have printed on it an application which shall be designed and prescribed by the State Board, providing for all of the following:
(1)	The voter's certification of eligibility to vote the enclosed ballot and of having voted the enclosed ballot in accordance with this Part.
(2)	A space for identification of the envelope with the voter and the voter's signature.
(3)	A space for the identification of the two persons witnessing the casting of the absentee ballot in accordance with G.S. 163‑231, those persons' signatures, those persons' printed names, and those persons' addresses.
(4)	A space for the name and address of any person who, as permitted under G.S. 163‑226.3(a), assisted the voter if the voter is unable to complete and sign the certification and that individual's signature.
(5)	A space for approval by the county board of elections.
(6)	A space to allow reporting of a change of name as provided by G.S. 163‑82.16.
(7)	A prominent display of the unlawful acts under G.S. 163‑226.3 and G.S. 163‑275, except if there is not room on the envelope, the State Board may provide for that disclosure to be made on a separate piece of paper to be included along with the container‑return envelope.
(8)	An area to attach additional documentation necessary to comply with the identification requirements in accordance with State Board rules, as provided in G.S. 163‑230.1.
(9)	A bar code or other unique identifier, affixed by the county board of elections, to allow both the county board of elections and the voter to track the ballot following return of the voted ballot to the county board of elections by the voter.
The container‑return envelope shall be printed in accordance with the instructions of the State Board, which shall prohibit the display of the voter's party affiliation on the outside of the container‑return envelope.
(c)	Instruction Sheets. – In time for use not later than 60 days before a statewide general election in an even‑numbered year, and not later than 50 days before a statewide primary or general election or county bond election, the county board of elections shall prepare and print a sufficient number of sheets of instructions on how voters are to prepare absentee ballots and return them to the county board of elections, including the means by which the voter's marked absentee ballot must be returned to the county board of elections and the date and time that the ballot must be received by the county board of elections. However, in the case of municipal elections, instruction sheets shall be made available no later than 30 days before an election."
SECTION 20.  G.S. 163‑230.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑230.1.  Simultaneous issuance of absentee ballots with application.
(a)	Written Request. – A qualified voter who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot under G.S. 163‑226, or that voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, shall complete a request form for an absentee application and absentee ballots so that the county board of elections receives that completed request form not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election. That completed written request form shall be in compliance with G.S. 163‑230.2. The county board of elections shall enter in the register of absentee requests, applications, and ballots issued the information required in G.S. 163‑228 as soon as each item of that information becomes available. Upon receiving the completed request form, the county board of elections shall cause to be mailed to that voter a single package that includes all of the following:
(1)	The official ballots the voter is entitled to vote.
(2)	A container‑return envelope for the ballots, printed in accordance with G.S. 163‑229.
(3)	An instruction sheet.
(4)	A clear statement of the requirement for a photocopy of identification described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a) or an affidavit as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3) with the returned ballot.
(a1)	Mailing of Application and Ballots. – The ballots, envelope, and instructions shall be mailed to the voter by the county board's chair, member, officer, or employee as determined by the board and entered in the register as provided by this Article.
(a2)	Publish Deadline for Written Request and Ballot. – At least once per primary or election, each county board of elections and the State Board shall publish on its website or in any mailing sent to voters the following information:
(1)	The date by which a completed request form as described in subsection (a) of this section must be received by a county board of elections.
(2)	The means by which the voter's marked absentee ballot must be returned to the county board of elections and the date and time the ballot must be received by the county board of elections.
(b)	Absence for Sickness or Physical Disability. – Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, if a voter expects to be unable to go to the voting place to vote in person on election day because of that voter's sickness or other physical disability, that voter or that voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian may make the request for absentee ballots in person to the board of elections of the county in which the voter is registered after 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election but not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election. The county board of elections shall treat that completed request form in the same manner as a request under subsection (a) of this section but may personally deliver the application and ballots to the voter or that voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, and shall enter in the register of absentee requests, applications, and ballots issued the information required in G.S. 163‑228 as soon as each item of that information becomes available. The county board of elections shall personally deliver to the requester in a single package:
(1)	The official ballots the voter is entitled to vote.
(2)	A container‑return envelope for the ballots, printed in accordance with G.S. 163‑229.
(3)	An instruction sheet.
(4)	A clear statement of the requirement for a photocopy of identification described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a) or an affidavit as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3) with the returned application and voted ballots.
(c)	Delivery of Absentee Ballots and Container‑Return Envelope to Applicant. – When the county board of elections receives a completed request form for applications and absentee ballots from the voter, or the near relative or the verifiable legal guardian of that voter, the county board shall promptly issue and transmit them to the voter in accordance with the following instructions:
(1)	On the top margin of each ballot the applicant is entitled to vote, the chair, a member, officer, or employee of the board of elections shall write or type the words "Absentee Ballot No. ____ " or an abbreviation approved by the State Board and insert in the blank space the number assigned the applicant's application in the register of absentee requests, applications, and ballots issued. That person shall not write, type, or print any other matter upon the ballots transmitted to the absentee voter. Alternatively, the board of elections may cause to be barcoded on the ballot the voter's application number, if that barcoding system is approved by the State Board.
(2)	The chair, member, officer, or employee of the board of elections shall fold and place the ballots (identified in accordance with the preceding instruction) in a container‑return envelope and write or type in the appropriate blanks thereon, in accordance with the terms of G.S. 163‑229(b), the absentee voter's name, the absentee voter's application number, and the designation of the precinct in which the voter is registered. If the ballot is barcoded under this section, the envelope may be barcoded rather than having the actual number appear. The person placing the ballots in the envelopes shall leave the container‑return envelope holding the ballots unsealed.
(3)	The chair, member, officer, or employee of the board of elections shall then place the unsealed container‑return envelope holding the ballots together with printed instructions for voting and returning the ballots, in an envelope addressed to the voter at the post office address stated in the request, seal the envelope, and mail it at the expense of the county board of elections: Provided, that in case of a request received after 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, in lieu of transmitting the ballots to the voter in person or by mail, the chair, member, officer, or employee of the board of elections may deliver the sealed envelope containing the instruction sheet and the container‑return envelope holding the ballots to a near relative or verifiable legal guardian of the voter.
The county board of elections may receive completed written request forms for applications at any time prior to the election but shall not mail applications and ballots to the voter or issue applications and ballots in person earlier than 60 days prior to the statewide general election in an even‑numbered year, or earlier than 50 days prior to any other election, except as provided in G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6. No election official shall issue applications for absentee ballots except in compliance with this Article.
(d)	Voter to Complete. – The application shall be completed and signed by the voter personally, the ballots marked, the ballots sealed in the container‑return envelope, and the certificate completed as provided in G.S. 163‑231.
(e)	Approval of Applications. – At its next official meeting after return of the completed container‑return envelope with the voter's ballots, the county board of elections shall determine whether the container‑return envelope has been properly executed. If the board determines that the container‑return envelope has been properly executed, it shall approve the application and deposit the container‑return envelope with other container‑return envelopes for the envelope to be opened and the ballots counted at the same time as all other container‑return envelopes and absentee ballots.
If a container‑return envelope contains a curable deficiency, the county board of elections shall promptly notify the voter of the deficiency and the manner in which the voter may cure the deficiency. Curable deficiencies are deficiencies that can be cured with supplemental documentation or attestation provided by the voter, including when any of the following occurs:
(1)	The voter did not sign the voter certification as required by G.S. 163‑231(a)(4).
(2)	The voter signed the application in the wrong place on the application.
(3)	The voter failed to include with the container‑return envelope a photocopy of identification described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a) or an affidavit as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3), as required by subsection (f1) of this section.
Any container‑return envelope with a curable deficiency that is transmitted to the county board shall be considered timely if cure documentation is received no later than the end of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board of elections held pursuant to G.S. 163‑182.5. The notification of voters regarding curable deficiencies is an administrative task that may be performed by county board staff and is not required to be performed at an absentee meeting as provided for in subsection (f) of this section.
(f)	Required Meeting of County Board of Elections. – During the period commencing on the fifth Tuesday before an election, in which absentee ballots are authorized, the county board of elections shall hold one or more public meetings each Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of action on applications for absentee ballots. At these meetings, the county board of elections shall pass upon applications for absentee ballots, provided the county board does so in a way that allows the public to observe the actual applications for absentee ballots.
If the county board of elections changes the time of holding its meetings or provides for additional meetings in accordance with the terms of this subsection, notice of the change in hour and notice of the schedule of additional meetings, if any, shall be published in a newspaper circulated in the county at least 30 days prior to the election.
At the time the county board of elections makes its decision on an application for absentee ballots, the board shall enter in the appropriate column in the register of absentee requests, applications, and ballots issued opposite the name of the applicant a notation of whether the applicant's application was "Approved" or "Disapproved".
The decision of the board on the validity of an application for absentee ballots shall be final subject only to such review as may be necessary in the event of an election contest. The county board of elections shall constitute the proper official body to pass upon the validity of all applications for absentee ballots received in the county; this function shall not be performed by the chair or any other member of the board individually.
(f1)	Each container‑return envelope returned to the county board with application and voted ballots under this section shall be accompanied by a photocopy of identification described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a) or an affidavit as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3).
(g)	Rules. – The State Board, by rule or by instruction to the county board of elections, shall establish procedures to provide appropriate safeguards in the implementation of this section. The State Board shall adopt rules to provide for the forms of identification that shall be included with returned application and voted ballots. At a minimum, the rules shall include the following:
(1)	Acceptable photocopies of forms of readable identification, as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a).
(2)	A process for a voter without acceptable photocopies of forms of readable identification under subdivision (1) of this subsection to complete an alternative affidavit in accordance with G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3) that includes inability to attach a physical copy of the voter's identification with the written request as a reasonable impediment to compliance with the identification requirement. If a reasonable impediment under this subdivision states inability to attach a physical copy of the voter's identification with the written request, the reasonable impediment shall include one of the following:
a.	The number of the voter's North Carolina drivers license issued under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, including a learner's permit or a provisional license.
b.	The number of the voter's special identification card for nonoperators issued under G.S. 20‑37.7.
c.	The last four digits of the voter's social security number.
(h)	Recodified as G.S. 163‑226(f) by Session Laws 2019‑239, s. 1.2(a), effective January 1, 2020, and applicable to elections conducted on or after that date."
SECTION 21.(a)  G.S. 163‑231 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑231.  Voting absentee ballots and transmitting them to the county board of elections.
(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(c), the voter shall do all of the following:
(1)	Mark the voter's ballots, or cause them to be marked by that person in the voter's presence according to the voter's instruction.
(2)	Fold each ballot separately, or cause each of them to be folded in the voter's presence.
(3)	Place the folded ballots in the container‑return envelope and securely seal it, or have this done in the voter's presence.
(4)	Make the application printed on the container‑return envelope according to the provisions of G.S. 163‑229(b) and make the certificate printed on the container‑return envelope according to the provisions of G.S. 163‑229(b).
(5)	Require those two persons in whose presence the voter marked that voter's ballots to sign and print their names on 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.
(6)	Do one of the following:
a.	Have the application notarized. The notary public may be the person in whose presence the voter marked that voter's ballot.
b.	Have the two persons in whose presence the voter marked that voter's ballots to certify that the voter is the registered voter submitting the marked ballots.
Alternatively to the prior paragraph of this subsection, any requirement for two witnesses shall be satisfied if witnessed by one notary public, who shall comply with all the other requirements of that paragraph. The notary shall affix a valid notarial seal to the envelope, and include the word "Notary Public" below his or her signature.
The persons in whose presence the ballot is marked shall at all times respect the secrecy of the ballot and the privacy of the absentee voter, unless the voter requests assistance and that person is otherwise authorized by law to give assistance. When thus executed, the sealed container‑return envelope, with the ballots enclosed, shall be transmitted in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section to the county board of elections which issued the ballots.
(b)	Transmitting Executed Absentee Ballots to County Board of Elections. – The sealed container‑return envelope in which executed absentee ballots have been placed shall be transmitted to the county board of elections who issued those ballots as follows:
(1)	All ballots issued under the provisions of this Article and Article 21A of this Chapter shall be transmitted by one of the following means:
a.	Mail or commercial courier service, at the voter's expense, and received by the county board not later than 7:30 p.m. on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election.
b.	Delivered in person, by the voter or the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, to the county board not later than 7:30 p.m. on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election.
c.	Electronically transmitted to the county board, if the ballot was issued under the provisions of Article 21A of this Chapter.
(2)	If ballots are received later than the hour stated in subdivision (1) of this subsection, those ballots shall not be accepted unless federal law so requires or the ballots are received in accordance with Article 21A of this Chapter or the State Board or court order extended the closing time of the polls for every poll in the county in accordance with G.S. 163‑166.01. If the State Board or court order so extended the closing time of the polls, the ballots shall be received by the closing time as extended by the State Board or court order in order to be counted.

	
(c)	Delivering Executed Absentee Ballots in Person. – For purposes of this section, "Delivered in person" includes delivering the ballot to an election official at a one‑stop voting site under G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6 during any time that site is open for voting. The ballots shall be kept securely and delivered by election officials at that site to the county board of elections office for processing."
SECTION 21.(b)  G.S. 163‑231, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(d)	Signature Verification on Executed Absentee Ballots. – The State Board shall require county boards of elections to use verification software to check the signatures of voters noted on executed absentee ballots before those ballots are accepted by the county boards."
SECTION 21.(c)  Subsection (b) of this section becomes effective July 1, 2024, and applies to elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 22.(a)  Article 20 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163‑231.1.  Require two‑factor authentication process for absentee ballots cast by mail.
The State Board shall establish and implement a two‑factor authentication process for executed absentee ballots transmitted by mail to a county board of elections. A county board of elections shall use the process established by this section before an executed absentee ballot is opened and counted by elections officials."
SECTION 22.(b)  This section becomes effective July 1, 2024, and applies to elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 23.  G.S. 163‑232.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑232.1.  Certified list of executed absentee ballots received on or after election day; publication of list.
(a)	The county board of elections shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a list in at least triplicate, of all absentee ballots issued under this Article returned to the county board of elections to be counted, which have been approved by the county board of elections, have not been included on the certified list prepared pursuant to G.S. 163‑232, and have been received by the county board of elections not later than 7:30 p.m., or the time provided in G.S. 163‑231(b), on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. The list shall be supplemented with new information each business day following the day of the election until the deadline for receipt of such absentee ballots. At the end of the list, the chair shall execute the following certificate under oath:
"State of North Carolina
County of ____
I, ____, chair of the ____ County Board of Elections, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a list of all executed absentee ballots to be voted in the election to be conducted on the ____ day of ____ , which have been approved by the county board of elections and have been received by the county board of elections not later than 7:30 p.m., or the time provided in G.S. 163‑231(b), on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. I certify that the chair, member, officer, or employee of the board of elections has not delivered ballots for absentee voting to any person other than the voter, by mail or by commercial courier service or in person, except as provided by law, and have not mailed or delivered ballots when the request for the ballot was received after the deadline provided by law.
This the ____ day of ____, ____
_____________
(Signature of chair of
county board of elections)
Sworn to and subscribed before me this ____ day of ____, ____.
Witness my hand and official seal.
__________
(Signature of officer
administering oath)
________
(Title of officer)"
(b)	The county board of elections shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a list in at least triplicate, of all military‑overseas ballots issued under Article 21A of this Chapter and returned to the county board of elections to be counted, which have been approved by the county board of elections, have not been included on the certified list prepared pursuant to G.S. 163‑232, and which have been received by the county board of elections not later than 7:30 p.m., or the time provided in G.S. 163‑231(b), on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. The list shall be supplemented with new information each business day following the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election until the deadline for receipt of such absentee ballots. At the end of the list, the chair shall execute the following certificate under oath:
"State of North Carolina
County of ____
I, ____, chair of the ____ County Board of Elections, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a list of all executed military‑overseas ballots to be voted in the election to be conducted on the ____ day of ____, ____, which have been approved by the county board of elections, and which have been received by the county board of elections not later than 7:30 p.m., or the time provided in G.S. 163‑231(b), on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. I further certify that I have issued ballots to no other persons than those listed herein and further that I have not delivered military‑overseas ballots to persons other than those listed herein; that this list constitutes the only precinct registration of covered voters whose names have not heretofore been entered on the regular registration of the appropriate precinct.
This the ____ day of ____, ____
     _____________
     (Signature of chair of
     county board of elections)
Sworn to and subscribed before me this ____ day of ____, ____.
Witness my hand and official seal.
     __________
     (Signature of officer
     administering oath)
     ________
     (Title of officer)"
…."
SECTION 24.(a)  Article 20 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163‑232.2.  Ballot reporting.
(a)	Each county board of elections shall report the following to the State Board during each day of the one‑stop early voting period:
(1)	The number of mail‑in absentee ballots that have been spoiled due to the voter voting in person at a one‑stop voting site after requesting a mail‑in absentee ballot.
(2)	The number of outstanding mail‑in absentee ballots, including the total number of mail‑in absentee ballots sent to date and the total number of mail‑in absentee ballots received to date.
(b)	Each county board of elections shall report the following to the State Board on the day after the day of the election:
(1)	The number of mail‑in absentee ballots that have been counted.
(2)	The number of outstanding mail‑in absentee ballots, including the total number of mail‑in absentee ballots sent to date and the total number of mail‑in absentee ballots received to date.
(3)	The number of provisional ballots cast.
(c)	The reports required by this section shall be completed in the manner specified by the State Board. The State Board shall publish each report received by a county board of elections pursuant to this section on its website each day. Each list shall be made publicly available and published in a readable and usable format."
SECTION 24.(b)  This section becomes effective January 1, 2024, and applies to elections held on or after that date.
SECTION 25.  G.S. 163‑233(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	All applications for absentee ballots shall be retained by the county board of elections for a period of 22 months after the corresponding election or as otherwise specified in federal law, whichever is greater."
SECTION 26.  G.S. 163‑234 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑234.  Counting absentee ballots by county board of elections.
All absentee ballots returned to the county board of elections in the container‑return envelopes shall be retained by the county board of elections to be counted by the county board of elections as follows:
(1)	Only those absentee ballots returned to the county board of elections in a properly executed container‑return envelope and received pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b) shall be counted. Absentee ballots received prior to election day shall be counted on election day. An absentee ballot returned in an executed container‑return envelope containing a deficiency listed in G.S. 163‑230.1(e) shall be counted if documentation curing the deficiency is timely received by the county board of elections in accordance with the requirements of G.S. 163‑230.1(e).
(2)	The county board of elections shall meet at 5:00 p.m. on election day in the board office or other public location in the county courthouse for the purpose of counting all absentee ballots except those which have been challenged before 5:00 p.m. on election day, those received on election day, and those received pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b)(2). Any elector of the county shall be permitted to attend the meeting and allowed to observe the counting process, so long as the elector does not in any manner interfere with the election officials in the discharge of their duties.
The county board of elections may begin counting absentee ballots issued under Article 21A of this Chapter between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and may begin counting all absentee ballots between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. upon the adoption of a resolution at least two weeks prior to the election in which the hour and place of counting absentee ballots shall be stated. The resolution also may provide for an additional meeting following the day of the election and prior to the day of canvass to count absentee ballots received on election day as provided in subdivision (11) of this section. A copy of the resolution shall be published once a week for two weeks prior to the election, in a newspaper having general circulation in the county. Notice may additionally be made on a radio or television station or both, but the notice shall be in addition to the newspaper and other required notice. The count shall be continuous until completed and the members shall not separate or leave the counting place except for unavoidable necessity, except that if the count has been completed prior to the time the polls close, it shall be suspended until that time pending receipt of any additional ballots. Nothing in this section prohibits a county board of elections from taking preparatory steps for the count earlier than the times specified in this section, as long as the preparatory steps do not reveal to any individual not engaged in the actual count election results before the times specified in this subdivision for the count to begin. By way of illustration and not limitation, a preparatory step for the count would be the entry of tally cards from direct record electronic voting units into a computer for processing. The board shall not announce the result of the count before 7:30 p.m.
(3)	Notwithstanding subdivision (2) of this section, a county board of elections may, at each meeting at which it approves absentee ballot applications pursuant to G.S. 163‑230.1(e) and (f), remove those ballots from their envelopes and have them read by an optical scanning machine, without printing the totals on the scanner. The board shall complete the counting of these ballots at the times provided in subdivision (2) of this section. The State Board of Elections shall provide instructions to county boards of elections for executing this procedure, and the instructions shall be designed to ensure the accuracy of the count, the participation of board members of both parties, and the secrecy of the results before election day. This subdivision applies only in counties that use optical scan devices to count absentee ballots.
(4)	The counting of absentee ballots shall not commence until a majority and at least one board member of each political party represented on the board is present and that fact is publicly declared and entered in the official minutes of the county board.
(5)	The county board of elections may employ such assistants as deemed necessary to count the absentee ballots, but each board member present shall be responsible for and observe and supervise the opening and tallying of the ballots.
(6)	As each ballot envelope is opened, the board shall cause to be entered into a pollbook designated "Pollbook of Absentee Voters" the name of the absentee voter, or if the pollbook is computer‑generated, the board shall check off the name. Preserving secrecy, the ballots shall be placed in the appropriate ballot boxes, at least one of which shall be provided for each type of ballot. The "Pollbook of Absentee Voters" shall also contain the names of all persons who voted under G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6, but those names may be printed by computer for inclusion in the pollbook.
After all ballots have been placed in the boxes, the counting process shall begin.
If one‑stop ballots under G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6 are counted electronically, that count shall commence at the time the polls close. If one‑stop ballots are paper ballots counted manually, that count shall commence at the same time as other absentee ballots are counted.
If a challenge transmitted to the board on canvass day by a chief judge is sustained, the ballots challenged and sustained shall be withdrawn from the appropriate boxes, as provided in G.S. 163‑89(e).
As soon as the absentee ballots have been counted and the names of the absentee voters entered in the pollbook as required in this subdivision, the board members and assistants employed to count the absentee ballots shall each sign the pollbook immediately beneath the last absentee voter's name entered in the pollbook. The county board of elections is responsible for the safekeeping of the pollbook of absentee voters.
(7)	Upon completion of the counting process the board members shall cause the results of the tally to be entered on the absentee abstract prescribed by the State Board of Elections. The abstract shall be signed by the members of the board in attendance and the original mailed immediately to the State Board of Elections. The county board of elections may have a separate count on the abstract for one‑stop absentee ballots under G.S. 163‑227.2, 163‑227.5, and 163‑227.6.
(8)	One copy of the absentee abstract shall be retained by the county board of elections and the totals appearing on the absentee abstract shall be added to the final totals of all votes cast in the county for each office as determined on the official canvass.
(9)	In the event a political party does not have a member of the county board of elections present at the meeting to count absentee ballots due to illness or other cause of the member, the counting shall not commence until the county party chair of the absent member, or a member of the party's county executive committee, is in attendance. The person shall act as an official witness to the counting and shall sign the absentee ballot abstract as an "observer".
(10)	The county board of elections shall retain all container‑return envelopes and absentee ballots, in a safe place, for at least 22 months, and longer if any contest is pending concerning the validity of any ballot.
(11)	The county board of elections shall meet after election day and prior to the date of canvass to determine whether the container‑return envelopes for absentee ballots received on election day pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b) have been properly executed. The county board of elections shall comply with the requirements of G.S. 163‑230.1 for approval of applications. Any absentee ballots received pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b)(2) shall be counted by the county board of elections on the day of canvass. The county board of elections may also meet following the day of the election and prior to the day of canvass to count absentee ballots received pursuant to G.S. 163‑231(b)(2) upon the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (2) of this section. The county board of elections shall comply with all other requirements of this section and G.S. 163‑230.1 for the counting of these absentee ballots."
SECTION 27.(a)  G.S. 163‑274(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Class 1 Misdemeanor. – Any person who shall, in connection with any primary or election in this State, do any of the acts and things declared in this subsection to be unlawful shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. It shall be unlawful to do any of the following:
(1)	For any person who has access to an official voted ballot or record to knowingly disclose in violation of G.S. 163‑165.1(e) how an individual has voted that ballot.
(2)	For any person to impersonate a chief judge, judge of election, or other precinct official while in the discharge of duties in the registration of voters or in conducting any primary or election.
(3)	For any person other than the State Board or a county board of elections, or any employee of the State Board or a county board of elections, to affix or print a barcode on any absentee ballot request form."
SECTION 27.(b)  This section becomes effective December 1, 2023, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
SECTION 28.(a)  G.S. 163‑275 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑275.  Certain acts declared felonies.
(a)	Any person who shall, in connection with any primary, general or special election held in this State, do any of the acts or things declared in this section to be unlawful, shall be guilty of a Class I felony. It shall be unlawful:
…
(b)	Any violations of this section shall be investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation."
SECTION 28.(b)  G.S. 163‑22(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	The State Board shall investigate when necessary or advisable, the administration of election laws, frauds and irregularities in elections in any county and municipality and special district, and shall report violations of the election laws to the State Bureau of Investigation for further investigation and prosecution."
SECTION 28.(c)  G.S. 143B‑919 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b2)	The State Bureau of Investigation shall be involved in any investigation involving the commission or attempted commission of a crime under Chapter 163 of the General Statutes."
SECTION 28.(d)  This section becomes effective December 1, 2023.
SECTION 29.  G.S. 163‑275(a)(5), as amended by this act, reads as rewritten:
"(5)	For any person convicted of a crime which excludes the person from the right of suffrage, to vote in any primary or election knowing the right of citizenship has not been restored in due course and by the method provided by law."
SECTION 30.(a)  G.S. 9‑3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 9‑3.  Qualifications of prospective jurors.
(a)	A person is qualified to serve as a juror and is to be included on the master jury list if the person meets all of the following:
(1)	Is a citizen of the United States.
(2)	Is a resident of the State.
(3)	Is a resident of the county.
(4)	Has not served as a juror during the preceding two years.
(5)	Has not served a full term of service as a grand juror during the preceding six years.
(6)	Is 18 years of age or over.
(7)	Is physically and mentally competent.
(8)	Can understand the English language.
(9)	Has not been convicted of a felony or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to an indictment charging a felony, or if convicted of a felony or having plead guilty or nolo contendere to an indictment charging a felony, has had that person's citizenship restored pursuant to law.
(10)	Has not been adjudged non compos mentis.
(b)	A person not qualified under this section is subject to challenge for cause."
SECTION 30.(b)  G.S. 9‑6 reads as rewritten:
"§ 9‑6.  Jury service a public duty; excuses to be allowed in exceptional cases; procedure.
…
(a1)	All applications for excuses from jury duty, including applications based on disqualification under G.S. 9‑3, shall be made on a form developed and furnished by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Applications shall allow prospective jurors to specify the reason for excusal based on disqualification, including lack of United States citizenship.
(b)	Pursuant to the foregoing policy, each chief district court judge shall promulgate procedures whereby the chief district court judge or any district court judge of the chief district court judge's district court district designated by the chief district court judge, prior to the date that a jury session (or sessions) of superior or district court convenes, shall receive, hear, and pass on applications for excuses from jury duty. The procedures shall provide for the time and place, publicly announced, at which applications for excuses will be heard, and prospective jurors who have been summoned for service shall be so informed. The chief district court judge, after consultation with and with the consent of the clerk of superior court, may delegate the authority to receive, hear, and pass on applications for excuses from jury duty to the clerk of superior court. The chief district judge may also assign the duty of passing on applications for excuses from jury service to judicial support staff. In all cases concerning excuses, the clerk of superior court or judicial support staff shall notify prospective jurors of the disposition of their excuses.
…
(e)	The judge shall inform the clerk of superior court of persons excused under this section, and the clerk of superior court shall keep a record of excuses separate from the master jury list in accordance with G.S. 9‑6.2.
…."
SECTION 30.(c)  G.S. 9‑6.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 9‑6.1.  Requests to be excused.
(a)	Any person summoned as a juror who is a full‑time student and who wishes to be excused pursuant to G.S. 9‑6(b1) or who is 72 years or older and who wishes to be excused, deferred, or exempted, may make the request without appearing in person by filing a signed statement of the grounds for the request with the chief district court judge of that district, or the district court judge, clerk of superior court, or judicial support staff member, if so designated by the chief district court judge pursuant to G.S. 9‑6(b), at any time five business days before the date the person is summoned to appear.
(b)	Any person summoned as a juror who has a disability that could interfere with the person's ability to serve as a juror and who wishes to be excused, deferred, or exempted may make the request without appearing in person by filing a signed statement of the ground of the request, including a brief explanation of the disability that interferes with the person's ability to serve as a juror, with the chief district court judge of that district, or the district court judge, clerk of superior court, or judicial support staff member, if so designated by the chief district court judge pursuant to G.S. 9‑6(b), at any time five business days before the date the person is summoned to appear. At the request of the court, medical documentation of any disability may be submitted. Any privileged medical information or protected health information described in this section is confidential and is exempt from the provisions of Chapter 132 of the General Statutes or any other provision requiring information and records held by State agencies to be made public or accessible to the public.
(c)	A person may request either a temporary or permanent exemption under this section, and the judge, clerk of superior court, or judicial support staff member may accept or reject either in the exercise of discretion conferred by G.S. 9‑6(b), including the substitution of a temporary exemption for a requested permanent exemption. In the case of supplemental jurors summoned under G.S. 9‑11, notice may be given when summoned. In case the chief district court judge, or the judge, clerk of superior court, or judicial support staff member designated by the chief district court judge pursuant to G.S. 9‑6(b), rejects the request for exemption, the prospective juror shall be immediately notified by the judicial support staff member or the clerk of court by telephone, letter, or personally."
SECTION 30.(d)  Article 1 of Chapter 9 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 9‑6.2.  Reports of excusals from jury duty based on disqualification.
(a)	The name and address provided by each person who requests to be excused from jury duty on the basis that the person is not qualified to serve as a juror, along with the reason for that request, shall be retained by the clerk of superior court for the remainder of the biennium as described in G.S. 9‑2. The records retained by the clerk are not public records under G.S. 132‑1. The clerk of superior court may destroy the records at the end of each biennium as described in G.S. 9‑2.
(b)	If a person is disqualified from jury duty because the person is not a citizen of the United States, the clerk of superior court shall, at least on a quarterly basis, communicate this information to the State Board of Elections, including the person's name, address, date of birth, and other personal information from the master jury list, along with the reasons for the person's disqualification and the date of disqualification. The State Board of Elections shall use this information to conduct list maintenance efforts in accordance with G.S. 163‑82.14. This communication shall not be a public record.
(c)	Nothing in this section should be construed to restrict the authority of a local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to determine a person's eligibility to vote."
SECTION 30.(e)  G.S. 163‑82.14 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑82.14.  List maintenance.
(a)	Requirement for List Maintenance. – In accordance with this section, the State Board and county boards of elections shall maintain the list of eligible voters in the State by providing for the following:
(1)	The removal of the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters.
(2)	Updates to the addresses and other necessary data of persons who remain on the official lists of eligible voters.
(a1)	Methods of List Maintenance; Cross State Checks. – List maintenance efforts under this section shall be nondiscriminatory and shall comply with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, and with the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act. The State Board, in addition to the methods set forth in this section, may use other methods toward the ends set forth in subsection (a) of this section, including address‑updating services provided by the Postal Service and entering into data sharing agreements with other states to cross‑check information on voter registration and voting records. Any data sharing agreement shall require the other state or states to comply with G.S. 163‑82.10 and G.S. 163‑82.10B.
(b)	Death. – In order to remove the names of deceased persons from the list of eligible voters in this State, the following shall occur:
(1)	At a minimum of once per week, the Department of Health and Human Services shall furnish free of charge to the Executive Director, in a format prescribed by the State Board, the names of deceased persons who were residents of the State. Upon receipt of the list from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Executive Director shall distribute to each county board of elections the names on that list of deceased persons who were residents of that county. Upon the receipt of those names, each county board of elections shall remove from its voter registration records any person the list shows to be dead each week.
(2)	Upon receipt of a signed statement of a near relative or personal representative of the estate of a deceased voter indicating that the person has deceased, a county board of elections shall remove the person identified as deceased from its voter registration records within one week of receipt of the signed statement. The county board does not need to send any notice to the address of the person before removing the person from its voter registration records.
(c)	Conviction of a Felony. – In order to remove the names of ineligible individuals from the list of eligible voters in this State, the following shall occur:
(1)	At a minimum of once per week, the Executive Director shall compile a list of individuals against whom a final judgment of conviction of a felony within this State has been entered. The Executive Director shall report to each appropriate county board of elections the names of individuals from that county appearing on such list each week.
(2)	At a minimum of once per week, the Executive Director shall compile a list of individuals against whom a federal conviction has been reported, based on a notice of conviction sent by a United States Attorney pursuant to section 8(g) of the National Voter Registration Act. The Executive Director shall report to each appropriate county boards of elections the names of individuals from that county appearing on such list each week.
(3)	When a county board of elections receives a notice pursuant to subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection relating to a resident of that county and that person is registered to vote in that county, the county board of elections shall, after giving 30 days' written notice to the voter at the address associated with that voter registration, and if the voter makes no objection, remove the person's name from its registration records. If the voter notifies the county board of elections of his objection to the removal within 30 days of the notice, the chair of the county board of elections shall enter a challenge under G.S. 163‑85(c)(5), and the notice the county board of elections received pursuant to this subsection shall be prima facie evidence for the preliminary hearing that the registrant was convicted of a felony.
(c1)	Noncitizens. –
(1)	Within 30 days of receipt of the communication in accordance with G.S. 9‑6.2, the State Board shall do each of the following:
a.	Review the voter registration and citizenship status of each person identified, including matching of available information in State and federal databases.
b.	Distribute to each county board of elections a report of the persons identified who are registered to vote in that county. The report shall include the information provided by the clerk of superior court under G.S. 9‑6.2, the voter registration number of the person, and the results of the State Board review of the person's voter registration and citizenship status. The State Board shall not include a person's name in the report if the State Board review determines that the individual became a citizen of the United States after the date of that person's jury disqualification.
c.	In the event that the prospective juror voted prior to becoming a United States citizen, the State Board shall furnish the State Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney a copy of its investigation for prosecution of the violation as provided in G.S. 163‑278.
(2)	Within 30 days of receipt by a county board of elections of a report pursuant to this subsection relating to a person registered to vote in that county, the following shall occur:
a.	The county board of elections shall give 30 days' written notice to the voter by sending notice to the voter's residential address and, if different from the voter's residential address, the voter's registration address and mailing address. If the voter makes no objection, the county board of elections shall remove the person's name from its registration records and shall provide written notice of the removal to the voter in the same manner as notice was previously provided under this sub‑subdivision. The county board of elections shall indicate within the statewide computerized voter registration system any individual removed from the voter registration records on the basis of noncitizenship status.
b.	If, within 30 days of the date on which notice was sent of the removal of a voter's name from registration records pursuant to sub‑subdivision a. of this subdivision, the voter notifies the county board of elections of the voter's objection to the removal, the chair of the county board of elections shall enter a challenge under G.S. 163‑85(c)(7), and the notice provided to the county board of elections by the receipt of the report from the State Board pursuant to this subdivision shall be prima facie evidence in the preliminary hearing heard pursuant to G.S. 163‑85(d) that the person is not a citizen of the United States. This presumption may be rebutted by evidence as presented by the person of any of the following: (i) birth certificate, (ii) citizenship naturalization occurring after the excusal from jury service due to disqualification, or (iii) other federal documentation of citizenship.
(3)	Except as provided by State and federal law, the records retained pursuant to this subsection are public records under G.S. 132‑1, notwithstanding the requirements of G.S. 20‑43.4(c). The State Board and county board of elections shall retain the electronic records for four years and may destroy the records thereafter.
(d)	Change of Address. – In order to remove the names of individuals who have moved out of the county, the following shall occur:
(1)	At a minimum of once per week, a county board of elections shall remove from its voter registration records the names of individuals who give confirmation in writing of a change of address for voting purposes out of the county. "Confirmation in writing" for purposes of this subdivision shall include any of the following:
a.	A report to the county board from the Department of Transportation or from a voter registration agency listed in G.S. 163‑82.20 that the voter has reported a change of address for voting purposes outside the county.
b.	A notice of cancellation received under G.S. 163‑82.9.
c.	A notice of cancellation received from an election jurisdiction outside the State.
(2)	Following each congressional election, the county board of elections shall send to each registered voter who has not voted or confirmed the voter's address by another means a confirmation mailing. The county board of elections shall remove from its voter registration records the names of individuals who fail to respond to the confirmation mailing sent by the county board in accordance with this subdivision and who do not vote or appear to vote in an election beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the day after the date of the second general election for the United States House of Representatives that occurs after the date of the notice. A county board of elections sends a confirmation notice in accordance with this subdivision if the notice complies with all of the following:
a.	Is a postage prepaid and preaddressed return card, sent by forwardable mail, on which the registrant may state current address.
b.	Contains or is accompanied by a notice to the effect that if the registrant did not change residence but remained in the county, the registrant should return the card not later than the deadline for registration by mail in G.S. 163‑82.6(d)(1).
c.	Contains or is accompanied by information as to how the registrant may continue to be eligible to vote if the registrant has moved outside the county.

(3)	Any registered voter who is removed from the list of registered voters pursuant to this subsection shall be reinstated if the voter appears to vote and gives oral or written affirmation that the voter has not moved out of the county but has maintained residence continuously within the county. That person shall be allowed to vote as provided in G.S. 163‑82.15(f).
(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.
(f)	Annual Report on List Maintenance Efforts. – County board of elections shall submit to the State Board an annual report, on or before September 1 of each year, of its list maintenance under this section. The State Board shall compile annual reports received from the county board of elections and submit the reports to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee on or before October 1 of each year."
SECTION 30.(f)  This section becomes effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 31.  In any notice given to a voter prior to an election regarding the requirement to show photo identification to vote in person, whether by mail or posted on a website, the State Board of Elections and a county board of elections shall clearly and initially state in the notice the following: "Voters will now be asked to present a valid photo identification when voting in person. If you do not have a valid photo ID card, you may obtain one from your county board of elections prior to the election, through the end of the early voting period. If you do not have a valid photo ID card on election day, you may still vote and have your vote counted by signing an affidavit of reasonable impediment as to why you have not presented a valid photo ID."
SECTION 32.  The Department of Information Technology shall study and report to the General Assembly, on or before December 1, 2023, as to the feasibility of replacing the statewide voter registration system, including the timetable for replacement and the possibility of establishing periodic communications, up to and including daily, between the State Board of Elections and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Vital Records; the Division of Motor Vehicles, Division of Prisons of the Department of Adult Corrections, and the Administrative Office of the Courts for the purposes of list maintenance and voter registration. The report shall be delivered to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations.
SECTION 33.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.