GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 415

HOUSE BILL 1040

 

AN ACT TO ALLOW MILITARY ABSENTEE VOTERS TO APPLY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR ALL THE ELECTIONS IN A CALENDAR YEAR.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 163-247 reads as rewritten:

"§ 163-247.  Methods of applying for absentee ballots.-An individual entitled to exercise the rights conferred by this Article and who is absent from the county of his residence may apply for absentee ballots in either of the ways provided in this section.

(1)       Federal Postcard Application Form.  At any time prior to the  statewide primary or general election in which he seeks to vote, the applicant may make and sign a written application to the Secretary of State  County Board of Election in County of Voter's Residence for absentee ballots on the postcard form prescribed in Public Law 712 of the Seventy- seventh Congress specified in or promulgated by regulation under 42 U.S.C. 1973cc-14Upon receiving such an application, the Secretary of State shall record the applicant's name and residence address on a record maintained for that purpose and immediately send the application to the chairman of the board of elections of the county in which the applicant has his residence, together with instructions for handling the application under the provisions of this Article.

(2)       Application to Chairman of County Board of Elections.  In lieu of applying on the federal post card as provided in the preceding subdivision, at any time prior to the statewide primary or general election in which he seeks to vote the applicant may make and sign a written application to the chairman of the board of elections of the county of his residence upon a form prepared and furnished him upon request by the county board of elections. This form shall require the applicant's signature and shall elicit from him:

a.         A request for absentee ballots to be voted in a specified statewide primary or general election.

b.         A statement of his political party affiliation if he seeks to vote by absentee ballot in a primary election.

c.         A statement of his membership in the armed forces of the United States, or his membership in one of the other categories to which this Article is made applicable in G.S. 163-245.

d.         A statement of the precinct in which he is registered to vote, or, if the applicant is not registered, a statement of his address before entering military or other qualifying service and the period of time he resided at that address.

e.         A statement of the address to which the absentee ballots should be mailed.

(3)       Notwithstanding subdivisions (1) or (2) of this section, if the application under either of those subdivisions so requests, it shall constitute an application for more than one or for all of the primaries and elections held during the calendar year when the application is received.

In lieu of using a form prepared and furnished by the county board of elections, the voter may apply in an informal writing. If the written application is signed by the voter and if it contains all the information required by this subdivision, it shall be regarded as sufficient to permit the chairman of the county board of elections to act upon it."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective with respect to primaries and elections held on or after January 1, 1988.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 18th day of June, 1987.