GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 457

HOUSE BILL 495

 

AN ACT TO CLARIFY WHEN SEVENTEEN YEAR OLDS CAN REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE PARTY PRIMARY ELECTION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 163-59 reads as rewritten:

"§ 163-59.  Right to participate or vote in party primary.-No person shall be entitled to vote or otherwise participate in the primary election of any political party unless he

(1)       Is a registered voter, and

(2)       Has declared and has had recorded on the registration book or record the fact that he affiliates with the political party in whose primary he proposes to vote or participate, and

(3)       Is in good faith a member of that party.

Any person who will become qualified by age or residence to register and vote in the general election or regular municipal election for which the primary is held, even though not so qualified by the date of the primary, shall be entitled to register for the primary and general or regular municipal election prior to the primary and then to vote in the primary after being registered.  Such person may register not earlier than 60 days nor later than the twenty-first day (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) prior to the primary.  In addition, persons who will become qualified by age to register and vote in the general election or regular municipal election for which the primary is held, who do not register during the special period may register to vote after such period as if they were qualified on the basis of age, but until they are qualified by age to vote, they may vote only in primary elections."

Sec. 2.  G.S. 163-283 reads as rewritten:

"§ 163-283.  Right to participate or vote in party primary.-No person shall be entitled to vote or otherwise participate in the primary election of any political party unless he

(1)       Is a registered voter, and

(2)       Has declared and has had recorded on the registration book or record the fact that he affiliates with the political party in whose primary he proposes to vote or participate, and

(3)       Is in good faith a member of that party.

Any person who will become qualified by age or residence to register and vote in the general election for which the primary is held, even though not so qualified by the date of the primary election, shall be entitled to register while the registration books are open during the regular registration period prior to the primary and then to vote in the primary after being registered, provided however, under full-time and permanent registration, such an individual may register not earlier than 60 days nor later than the 21st day prior to the primary.  In addition, persons who will become qualified by age to register and vote in the general election for which the primary is held, who do not register during the special period may register to vote after such period as if they were qualified on the basis of age, but until they are qualified by age to vote, they may vote only in primary elections."

Sec. 3.  G.S. 163-213.2 reads as rewritten:

"§ 163-213.2.  Primary to be held; date; qualifications and registration of voters.-On the second Tuesday in March, 1988, and every four years thereafter, the voters of this State shall be given an opportunity to express their preference for the person to be the presidential candidate of their political party.

Any person otherwise qualified who will become qualified by age to vote in the general election held in the same year of the presidential preference primary shall be entitled to register and vote in the presidential preference primary.  Such persons may register not earlier than 60 days nor later than the 21st day prior to the said primary.  In addition, persons who will become qualified by age to register and vote in the general election for which the primary is held, who do not register during the special period may register to vote after such period as if they were qualified on the basis of age, but until they are qualified by age to vote, they may vote only in primary elections."

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 1988.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 23rd day of June, 1987.