NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 809

HOUSE BILL 207

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 163 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES SO AS TO INSURE CONTINUITY IN THE DESIGN OF BALLOTS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Article 13 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to be numbered and to read as follows:

"§ 163-140.1.  Political party alignment on ballots. — All ballots printed for use in general elections in the State, district, county or any other political subdivision, shall be aligned with the number of political party columns required pursuant to instructions contained in G.S. 163‑140(b) and the columns shall be assigned in strict alphabetical order, beginning with the left column, to the political parties entitled to ballot position provided such political parties reflect at least five percent (5%) of the total statewide voter registration, according to the latest statistical report published by the State Board of Elections. Political parties having less than five percent (5%) of the total statewide voter registration, but otherwise eligible for ballot position shall be assigned column alignment to the right of all other qualified political parties. The State Board of Elections shall be responsible for implementing the procedures required by this section and shall issue instructions to those counties using voting machines so as to accomplish the effect of this section whether such counties utilize voting machines that list party columns in a horizontal or vertical alignment. Every county board of elections shall follow the column alignment prescribed by the State Board of Elections."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 24th day of June, 1975.