June 12, 2023 – Today or tomorrow, it’s expected that a rewrite of Senate Bill 747 will be released, and a committee hearing vote will occur. Later this week, the NC Senate will vote on the bill – and then the NC House. 

Please contact your representatives in Raleigh and urge them to reject this bill.

North Carolina elections are free and fair. This anti-voter bill would inject needless meddling by extremists who seek to limit access to the ballot box. 

SB 747 would:

· allow anyone to violate voter privacy and challenge legitimate ballots

· allow less time for voters to return their mail ballot, which could lead to thousands of ballots being rejected 

· undermine same-day registration for hundreds of thousands of North Carolina voters

· further burden local election officials by introducing unnecessary new processes and procedures while, at the same time, limiting potential funding  

The bill was drafted from a playbook designed by the national election denier movement through their local group: the N.C. Election Integrity Network. Local leaders, Jim Womack and Cleta Mitchell, had meetings with legislators, and the bill reads as though it was copied from their wish list. These efforts prioritize the values of an extremist political faction over ordinary voters and those who work diligently to conduct our elections.

More details about the bill were included in last week’s LWVNC Legislative Update.  

Please take action – and urge your networks to do the same! We have included sample messaging below. 

SAMPLE MESSAGING 

Dear Sen./Rep. [NAME] – 

As your constituent, I urge to reject Senate Bill 747. This anti-voter bill would grant extremists control over elections in our state. 

SB 747 would: 

· allow anyone to violate voter privacy and challenge legitimate ballots

· allow less time for voters to return their mail ballot, which could lead to thousands of ballots being rejected 

· undermine same-day registration for hundreds of thousands of North Carolina voters

· further burden local election officials by introducing unnecessary new processes and procedures while, at the same time, limiting potential funding 

Officials and volunteers in our community work diligently to make sure our elections are free and fair in North Carolina. This bill undermines our trust in them, while limiting the resources they need to do their vital work. 

Not only will this legislation have the potential to restrict voters’ ability to cast a ballot, it will cause doubt in the integrity of our elections. 

Sincerely, 

[YOUR NAME]