North Carolina will become the First State to send out Ballots for the 2020 General Election. The State will Initiate the Vote-by-Mail Process on Sept. 4th, a full Two months ahead of Election Day, by Mailing Ballots to Eligible Voters who have Requested Absentee Ballots in Advance.
As the COVID-19 Pandemic forces States to Expand their Vote-by-Mail Options, questions about Election Security, Potential Mail Delays, and Confusion over Deadlines, as well as Ballot Rules, have some Voters uncertain about whether or Not their Votes will be Counted.
North Carolina offers Multiple Options to Voters: Early In-Person Voting starting Sept. 25th; Absentee by Mail Voting; and In-Person Voting on Election Day, but Voter Advocacy Groups say Recent Changes to the State's Mail-in-Voting Process are causing Confusion among Voters.
"We're seeing the prospect of a really dramatic change in the method of voting in the state," Tomas Lopez, Executive Director of Democracy North Carolina said. "In the 2016 general [election], 4% of the population voted by mail; our election officials estimate we could have as many as 30 or 40% of the electorate voting by mail this fall," Lopez said.
Election Officials say the Number of Requests for Absentee Ballots is more than 10 times Higher this year than at the same time in 2016. More than 313,000 North Carolinians have Requested Ballots by Mail, compared to just under 28,000 Four years ago. Registered Democrats Account for 53% of the Requests, with 31% Unaffiliated, and 15% Registered Republicans.
After a Lawsuit and Political Pressure to Change Mail-in-Voting Rules, State Lawmakers Passed a Law in June that included Several Changes:
- Voters are Allowed to Request Absentee Ballots by Email or Fax.
- The Creation of a New Ballot Tracking System that will Allow Voters to follow their Ballot as it is sent through the Mail to the Board of Elections.
- Election Officials are now Required to Notify Voters if there is a Problem with their Ballot and give them an Opportunity to Fix it.
- North Carolina used to Require Two Witnesses to Vouch for a Voter's Absentee Ballot, but that rule was Changed so that only One is Required. Even requiring One Witness during a Pandemic has raised concerns and the North Carolina State Board of Elections has been Forced to address concerns about the Possibility of being Exposed to the Virus due to the Witness Requirement. The Board has advised Voters the Witness may be Socially Distanced or through a Window, and even Advised Voters could bring Hand Sanitizer, Gloves or their own Pen.
North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCBE) Officials say they have also been Responding to Voter Questions and Concerns about Mass Mailings, Text Messages, Calls, and In-Person Visits by Political Groups. The Board says these Outreach Efforts by Third Parties are Legal, but can be Confusing to Voters and Unsolicited Contacts can Erode Confidence in Elections. "The state and county boards of elections encourage third-party groups to consider the overwhelming toll that misleading or confusing mailings and other outreach efforts take on election resources," said Karen Brison Bell, the NCSBE's Executive Director.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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