GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2011

H                                                                                                                                                   2

HOUSE BILL 125

Committee Substitute Favorable 6/8/11

Short Title:        Opt. 2nd Prim. Vote Centers & Suff. Ballots.	(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

February 21, 2011

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to permit counties to open only Approved one-stop sites For a second primary and to require the provision of a sufficient number of ballots for each election that is no less than twenty-five percent greater than the voter turnout in the most recent election with similar ballot items.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 163-111 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(e1) Option for Voting Centers During Second Primary. - A county board of elections may opt to file a plan with the State Board of Elections for approval to open only those one-stop sites approved under G.S. 163-227.2(g) during a potential second primary. The county board shall approve and submit the plan to the State Board no later than 90 days prior to the first primary. The plan shall provide for education of the voters as to the one-stop sites to be open during the second primary. The plan shall include notice of the second primary sites in any legal notice required under this Chapter prior to a primary. If the plan is approved by the State Board prior to the date ballots are printed for the primary, the county board of elections may open only those one-stop sites approved under G.S. 163-227.2(g) for voting during a second primary as stated in the approved plan."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 163-165.3 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(e) Number of Ballots. - The State Board of Elections shall direct that a sufficient number of ballots are provided for all primaries and elections. A sufficient number of ballots shall be a number no less than twenty-five percent (25%) greater than the number of voters who previously voted in the most recent primary or election which included the same or similar offices or ballot items and may be a number higher than that amount for a specific primary or election as determined by the State Board of Elections."

SECTION 3.  The State Board of Elections shall not promulgate rules mandating that ballots equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the number of registered voters be provided in each official election.

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2012, and applies to elections held on or after that date.