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Boards of Elections Observations in Buncombe, Madison, and McDowell Counties – March
All three counties certified their Primary Election results on March 15. The NC State Board of Elections met on March 26 to complete the statewide Canvass.
The state certification came after the 100 county Boards of Elections certified results at the county level in mid-March and after post-election audits conducted in the past couple of weeks verified the counts.
After every election, elections officials conduct a series of audits and, when necessary, recounts, to confirm the election results. The audits confirmed that results tabulated by machine are accurate and that there is no evidence of fraud or other irregularities that could have affected outcomes in the primary.
Make your plan to Vote in the Second Primary – May 14
In North Carolina, when no candidate in a given race receives 30% or more of the votes, candidates may ask for a second primary. In 2024, no Republican candidate for the offices of Lieutenant Governor and State Auditor received 30% of the votes and candidates requested a second primary. The second Primary Election will take place on May 14, 2024. In Western North Carolina, these are the only two races in the second primary. Additional races may appear on ballots in other counties.
Eligible voters for the second primary consist of all registered Republicans and all Unaffiliated voters who either voted a Republican ballot in the March 5 Primary Election or who did not vote at all in the March 5 Primary Election. County Boards of Elections will mail notices to all eligible voters.
Because new registration applications are not accepted during the time between the first and second primaries, same day registration will not occur during Early Voting. However, individuals who become newly eligible to vote, such as those who have completed their parole or probation following a felony conviction and those who become newly naturalized citizens, may register on May 14, second Primary Election Day.
Be prepared:
1. CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION
2. GET AN ACCEPTABLE ID: NC DRIVERS LICENSE OR COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ID
3. REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR ID WITH YOU WHEN YOU VOTE
4. USE VOTE411 TO FIND CANDIDATE AND OTHER VOTING INFORMATION
LWV Observer Data Echoes WRAL and WFAE Studies of Ballots Not Counted
LWVNC reported that data collected by observers in 22 counties across the state echoed the results reported by Raleigh, NC television station WRAL and Charlotte, NC public radio station WFAE. Specifically, of the 1.8 million votes cast in the March 5 Primary Election, 473 ballots were rejected because the voter did not have an acceptable form of Photo ID. In 413 of these cases, the voter did not complete an ID Exception form. These 413 voters could have taken their Photo ID to their County Board of Elections to help ensure their ballots were counted but did not do so. In the remaining 60 cases the voters’ ID Exception forms were not accepted, although it is unclear why County Boards did not accept them.
According to WFAE, the affiliations of the 473 voters are as follows:
- 174 Republican
- 171 Democratic
- 127 Unaffiliated
- 1 Libertarian
According to WRAL, 1,124 ballots from across the state were rejected because they were received after 7:30pm on March 5, Primary Election Day. In 2023, the NC General Assembly did away with the 3-day grace period which allowed mailed Absentee Ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received and counted by County Boards of Elections.
LWV observers reported that in many counties, most provisional ballots that were not counted were from voters who were not registered in the county or had registered to vote after the deadline.
In addition, LWV Observers reported that the "No Photocopy Available" reason on the ID Exception form was accepted, particularly if the voter completed the SSN# or NCDL# section, which BOE staff could match to their records.
LWVNC offers voters an updated video: "WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA."
Observers needed for the Meetings for the Second Primary
One down and one more to go! We will have a second primary on May 14 for two state-wide Republican races: Lieutenant Governor and State Auditor. We need your help to cover all the meetings! Help be our eyes and ears on the electoral process in Western North Carolina. During election years, the number of opportunities for virtual or in person observations expands tremendously. For example, each county will hold Absentee Ballot review meetings each Tuesday between now and May 14, Second Primary Election Day. If the volume of absentee ballots is large, extra meetings will be held on Wednesdays. Then, following the May 14 Second Primary Election Day, the Boards will meet to hear challenges and conduct audits, culminating in the final certification of the election results, known as the canvass, on May 24. Seeing the process firsthand is an incredible learning experience. All observers share their notes and Aiden Carson turns them into a final report that we post on our website.
Sign up to attend meetings of the Boards of Elections in Buncombe, Madison, and McDowell Counties here.
Voter Outreach - Registration Training Video and Slides Updated for 2024
With all the changes to voting that were made by the NC General Assembly in 2023, voter registration has also changed - but remains of vital importance, especially in a year when we vote on the President, members of Congress, and a range of state and local officials.
Check out our updated step-by-step slides and training video for 2024, using the newly adopted Voter Registration application. The new form mandates that people must supply either the last four digits of their Social Security Number or their complete driver’s license number, or state, on the form, that they have neither form of identification.
Now is a good time to brush up on your voter registration skills and familiarize yourself with the new form. Go to our website, review the materials, and take the quiz at the bottom of the page. Watch this newsletter and/or attend our Voter Services team meetings, then sign up for registration events as we get them scheduled. Find the new training materials here.
Registration Volunteer Opportunities – April/May
Asheville Community Theater has graciously allowed us to staff a table at each of their productions, with the exception of opening nights. Volunteers are invited to stay for the performances! The next production is "Matilda", the story of a precocious little girl with a love for books and a touch of telekinesis who challenges authority and transforms her world. The play will run from April 13 to May 5. Shifts for Matilda are from 6:15-7:30pm on Friday nights and from 1:15-2:30pm for the Saturday and Sunday matinees. Sign up to register and inform voters here.
If you would like to be on our list of volunteers, or have an idea about an event we should attend, contact us at lwvabvoters@gmail.com and let us know.
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