July 14, 2022 – On Thursday, the State Board of Elections rejected a request to require a "signature-match" process that had the potential to invalidate legitimate absentee ballots.
The initiative by the NC Republican Party aimed to allow county boards of elections to compare voters' signatures on their registration forms to today's signature on an absentee ballot. This plan was fraught with problems. It had the potential to create an opportunity for human error and create disparate standards. And the process could have resulted in the invalidation of ballots, particularly of older voters or those with disabilities, whose signatures may have changed over time.
We brought this issue to the attention of our League members, and you responded in a big way! We heard about so many public comment submissions from League members throughout the state. We contributed greatly to the nearly 8,000 submissions that the NCBOE received. Thank you for making your voices heard!
This ruling is a victory for voters. But we must be on the lookout for future tactics designed to disenfranchise voters, cast doubt on the integrity of our elections, and discourage North Carolinians from making their views count at the ballot box.
Thank you for standing up for voters!
Until the next battle,
Marian Lewin
1st Vice President
League of Women Voters of North Carolina
P.S. There is an election happening July 26 in North Carolina! Early voting is underway and will conclude on July 23. Learn more about it on our website, and be sure to direct your networks to VOTE411.org to get all the nonpartisan election information they need. Six municipalities – Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Hickory, Mooresville, and Sanford – will hold local general elections on July 26. Other municipalities and boards of education will hold runoff elections that day – Cary, New Bern, Rocky Mount, Statesville, Franklin County Board of Education, and Jackson County Board of Education District 2. And two second primary elections will take place – Graham County Sheriff (Republican) and Wake County Sheriff (Democratic).
