GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

S                                                                                                                                                     2

SENATE BILL 98

State and Local Government Committee Substitute Adopted 6/1/05

Short Title:     Orange County Super Precinct.	(Local)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

February 10, 2005

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to authorize the ORANGE county Board of elections to conduct a pilot program in which the methods used in one-stop voting would continue through election day as the voting method, to be known as "super precincts" or "vote centers".

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  With the approval of the State Board of Elections, the Orange County Board of Elections may conduct a pilot program for any or all primaries or elections occurring prior to January 1, 2007, where the requirements of this act prevail over any other requirement concerning voting on election day. The pilot program shall consist of continuing one-stop voting as provided in G.S. 163-227.2 through election day as the method of voting.  The program consists of the following elements:

(1)       Any voter properly registered in the county may vote at any one-stop site during the one-stop period established in G.S. 163-227.2 or on election day.

(2)       No polling places are open on election day other than the one-stop sites.

(3)       The county board of elections may also refer to the sites (whether before the election or on election day) as "super precincts" or "vote centers".

(4)       All one-stop sites shall have real-time online connection to the voter registration system so that voters can be checked.

(5)       Notwithstanding G.S. 163-227.2(e1), votes cast under this act (other than provisional ballots) shall not be marked with an absentee ballot number, as the real-time online voter registration system will ensure that no voter can vote more than once.

(6)       A larger number of one-stop sites may be open on election day than during the earlier part of the one-stop period.

(7)       Where technically feasible, the election returns shall be reported by precinct as well as by voting site.

(8)       Notwithstanding G.S. 163-227.2(g), the State Board of Elections may allow the county board of elections to designate one-stop sites in commercial buildings that are not public buildings.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law. The State Board of Elections shall closely monitor the pilot program and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly at its 2006 Regular Session and to the 2007 General Assembly.