Fact: N.C.’s Election Reform Puts State In Mainstream

The first day of early voting has generated at least one story that again miscasts North Carolina’s election reform law. From the Daily Tar Heel:

Rep. David Price, D-N.C., said student votes will be especially important in upcoming controversial North Carolina elections.

“We want people to be able to vote early, easily and readily,” he said.

Price said this goal was made more difficult by North Carolina’s recent House Bill 589 , which will require voter ID in elections starting in 2015, shortens the early voting period and eliminates same-day registration for voters.

Now, let’s turn to the facts about North Carolina’s election reform law. Election reform puts North Carolina in the mainstream, NOT on the fringe, which is the Left’s frequent talking point. For example:

• Voter ID: required. Thirty-three states require voters to present identification at the polls. North Carolina is the 34th and joins a national trend of requiring a photo ID. Two-thirds of North Carolinians asked in several polls favor a government-issued photo ID to vote. • Straight-ticket voting: no longer allowed. Fourteen states allow straight-party voting. North Carolina joins the 36 states that do not. 

• Early voting: fewer days but the same number of hours. Fifteen states allow neither early voting nor no-excuse absentee voting. Thirty-two states have early voting periods ranging from four days to 45 days prior to election day, with an average of 19 days. North Carolina allows 10 days but requires the same number of hours of early voting that were available in 2012 and 2010, when the early voting period was 17 days. 

• Same-day registration: no longer allowed during early voting. Only Ohio and North Carolina allowed same-day registration during early voting. Ten states and the District of Columbia allow same-day registration on election day. North Carolina no longer does. 

• Pre-registration: no longer allowed for 16- and 17-year-olds. Five states allow 16- and 
17-year-olds to register before they turn 18. Forty-five states do not, now including North Carolina.