More time than any other state, according to a Democratic congresswoman from North Carolina, is available for voters to cast ballots in this crucial state. After a divisive redistricting process in her home state, U.S. Representative Deborah Ross unveiled on January 25 a measure to increase transparency in each state’s congressional redistricting process. Legislators from both parties in North Carolina have a history of creating new electoral maps behind closed doors, which has led opponents to believe that they are being swayed by outside political organizations.
Extending the voting period
There are various military bases in North Carolina. At least 45 days before an election, the state distributes absentee votes to qualified U.S. residents serving overseas in accordance with federal voting regulations accommodating military personnel. It’s time to verify some political facts about North Carolina. Less than a week remains until the North Carolina presidential primary. Today, we examine a recent voting-related assertion made by Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross of District 2.
| Fact | Details |
| Longest Voting Period | With absentee ballots being mailed out 60 days prior to Election Day, North Carolina has the longest voting period in the nation for general elections. |
| Primary Election Voting Period | North Carolina normally sends absentee votes 50 days in advance of primary elections; but, owing to a holiday this year, the deadline was shortened to 45 days. |
| Variety of Voting Methods | There are several ways to vote in North Carolina, including provisional voting, curbside voting, early voting in person, absentee voting by mail, and in-person voting on Election Day. |
| No-Excuse Absentee Voting | Because it is a “no-excuse” state, North Carolina permits any voter to use the absentee voting process. |
Ross calculated the time between two dates: the last day a ballot may be postmarked and the day absentee ballots are mailed to voters in order to determine the length of the voting session. The last day on which an absentee ballot may be received was also taken into account by PolitiFact North Carolina. It used data from the National Conference of State Legislators, a nonpartisan group that defends state governments’ interests, to verify Ross’ assertion. Every state’s election laws are tracked by the NCSL. It also reached out to election authorities in states with what seemed to be the longest voting seasons. The only state that mails voters absentee votes 60 days prior to the main election is North Carolina. Election authorities in North Carolina will start sending absentee votes for the general election on November 5 on September 6.
Flexibility for remote participation
As the NCSL pointed out, absentee ballots may be mailed up to 60 days ahead of a general election in Delaware according to state law. However, the state election commissioner’s office in Delaware claims that’s not actually the case. Generally, 30 to 45 days before an election, absentee ballots are mailed, a Delaware office spokesman told PolitiFact. In addition, North Carolina differs from Delaware and other states in that it is a “no-excuse” absentee state, meaning that any voter may submit an application without having to give a justification, such as being ill or traveling.
Put another way, North Carolina has the longest nationwide voting period for general elections, which is accessible to all eligible voters. During primary elections, absentee voters in North Carolina have a considerably shorter window of opportunity to cast their ballot. Election boards in North Carolina are mandated by state legislation to send absentee votes fifty days before a primary, with the state elections board having the authority to reduce this time frame to forty-five days. In order to accommodate the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on January 15, the board decided to do that this year. For the primary on March 5, North Carolina began sending absentee votes on January 19.
In conclusion, North Carolina has a 45-day primary voting process, which is lengthy but not the longest when compared to other states. In Alabama, absentee voting may begin up to 55 days before the election. According to Jeff Elrod, the state director of elections, ballots for the March 5 primary were delivered to eligible absentee voters on January 10. Wisconsin has a presidential primary that is distinct from others. Absentee ballots for congressional and legislative contests will be shipped out 47 days ahead of the August 13 primary, despite the fact that they will be distributed to citizens less than a month before the April 2 presidential preference poll. The period for South Dakota absentee voting is forty-six days. For its June 4 primary, the state will start sending ballots on April 19, according to Rachel Soulek, director of elections for the Secretary of State’s office.
