AN ACT to reduce the early voting period for all elections other than the general election from seventeen days to six days.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 163‑166.40(b) reads as rewritten:

(b)      Each county board shall conduct early voting in accordance with the following:

(1)        Not earlier than the third Thursday before an the general election in which a voter seeks to vote and not later than 3:00 P.M. on the last Saturday before that general election, the voter may appear in person only at the office of the county board of elections, board, except as provided in G.S. 163‑166.35. A county board of elections shall conduct early voting on the last Saturday before the general election from 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M.

(2)        Not earlier than the second Monday before a primary election, a second primary, or a runoff election in which a voter seeks to vote and not later than 3:00 P.M. on the last Saturday before that primary, second primary, or runoff election, the voter may appear in person only at the office of the county board, except as provided in G.S. 163‑166.35. A county board shall conduct early voting on the last Saturday before a primary, a second primary, or a runoff election from 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M.

SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑13(b) reads as rewritten:

(b)      Nominating Procedures. – If a congressional vacancy occurs beginning on the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c) preceding the next succeeding general election, candidates for the special election to fill the vacancy shall not be nominated in primaries. Instead, nominations may be made by the political party congressional district executive committees in the district in which the vacancy occurs. The chairman chair and secretary of each political party congressional district executive committee nominating a candidate shall immediately certify his or her name and party affiliation to the State Board so that it may be printed on the special election ballots.

If the congressional vacancy occurs before the tenth day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163‑106(c) prior to the next succeeding general election, the Governor shall call a special primary for the purpose of nominating candidates to be voted on in a special election called by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Such a primary election shall be conducted in accordance with the general laws governing primaries, except that the opening and closing dates for filing notices of candidacy with the State Board shall be fixed by the Governor in his or her call for the special primary. The Governor may fix the early voting period for each county board to conduct early voting for the special election and for the special first primary, but such period shall not be for more than six days. The Governor may also fix the absentee voting period for the special election and for the special first primary, but such period shall not be less than 30 days.

SECTION 3.  G.S. 163‑287 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

(a1)    For any special election not held at a time specified under subsection (a) of this section, the resolution adopted by the governing body of the county, municipality, or special district may set the time period for early voting in the special election, which shall be for six consecutive days.

SECTION 4.  G.S. 163‑302(a) reads as rewritten:

(a)      In any municipal election, including a primary or general election or referendum, mail‑in absentee voting and early voting may, upon resolution of the municipal governing body, be permitted. The resolution, if adopted by the municipal governing body, may set the time period for each county board conducting the election to conduct early voting, but such period shall not be for more than six days. Such resolution must be adopted no later than 60 days prior to an election in order to be effective for that election. Any such resolution shall remain effective for all future elections unless repealed no later than 60 days before an election. A copy of all resolutions adopted under this section shall be filed with the State Board and the county board of elections conducting the election within 10 days of passage in order to be effective. In addition, mail‑in absentee voting and early voting shall be allowed in any referendum on incorporation of a municipality.

SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2026, and applies to elections held on or after that date.