Bill > H85

This bill clarifies and strengthens provisions related to precinct officials in North Carolina elections. It allows county boards of elections to remove precinct officials (such as chief judges and judges of election) from their positions on election day for incompetence or failure to discharge their duties, and potentially prohibit them from serving in subsequent elections. The bill establishes a minimum of six emergency election-day assistants for each county, who can be assigned to precincts experiencing staffing shortages due to emergencies or official removals. Additionally, the bill mandates comprehensive training for precinct officials, requiring them to be educated on specific duties including voter registration verification, ballot issuance, voter assistance procedures, poll operations, and understanding potential removal consequences. The bill also updates eligibility requirements for precinct officials, explicitly stating that individuals cannot serve if they hold certain political offices, are candidates, or have leadership roles in political organizations. These changes aim to improve election administration by ensuring more qualified and well-trained precinct officials and providing counties with greater flexibility in managing election staffing. The bill becomes effective immediately and applies to elections conducted on or after its enactment.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H85