AN ACT to prohibit ranked choice voting, clarify the laws regarding election‑related activity, reduce the early voting period, and amend the requirements for acceptable forms of identification when a voter requests an absentee ballot.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 14A of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 163‑165.6A.  Ranked choice voting prohibited.

No ranked choice voting may be used in any referendum, primary, or other election or appointment to any board or commission. The term ranked choice voting refers to a method that allows a voter the option to rank candidates for office in the voter's order of preference.

SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑166.4 reads as rewritten:

§ 163‑166.4.  Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around it.

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(b)        Area for Election‑Related Activity. – Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the county board of elections shall also provide an area adjacent to adjoining the buffer zone for each voting place in which persons or groups of persons may may, but are not restricted to, canvass, distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election‑related activity.

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(d)       Notice About Buffer Zone and Area for Election‑Related Activity. – No later than 30 days before each election, the county board of elections shall make available to the public the following information concerning each voting place:

(1)        The door from which the buffer zone is measured.

(2)        The distance the buffer zone extends from that door.

(3)        Any available information Information concerning where political activity, including sign placement, is permitted provided for beyond the buffer zone.

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SECTION 3.  G.S. 163‑166.40(b) reads as rewritten:

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

SECTION 4.(a)  G.S. 163‑230.1(g), as amended by Section 3A.4(f) of S.L. 2024‑57, reads as rewritten:

(g)      Rules. – The State Board, by rule or by instruction to the county boards of elections, shall establish procedures to provide appropriate safeguards in the implementation of this section. The State Board shall adopt rules to provide for the forms of identification that shall be included with returned application and voted absentee ballots. At a minimum, the rules shall include the following:

(1)        Acceptable photocopies of forms of readable identification, as described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a).

(2)        A process for a voter without acceptable photocopies of forms of readable identification under subdivision (1) of this subsection to complete an alternative affidavit in accordance with G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3) that includes inability to attach a physical copy of the voter's identification with the returned application and voted ballots as a reasonable impediment to compliance with the identification requirement, provided the reasonable impediment document includes the last four digits of the voter's social security number and one of the following:

a.         The number of the voter's North Carolina drivers license issued under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, including a learner's permit or a provisional license.

b.         The number of the voter's special identification card for nonoperators issued under G.S. 20‑37.7.

c.         The last four digits of the voter's social security number.The voter's date of birth.

SECTION 4.(b)  G.S. 163‑230.2(a) reads as rewritten:

(a)      Valid Types of Written Requests. – A completed written request form for absentee ballots as required by G.S. 163‑230.1 is valid only if it is on a form created by the State Board and signed by the voter requesting absentee ballots or that voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian. The State Board shall make the blank request form available at its offices, online, and in each county board of elections office, and that blank request form may be reproduced. A voter may call the State Board or a county board of elections office and request that the blank request form be sent to the voter by mail, e‑mail, or fax. The request form created by the State Board shall require at least the following information:

(1)        The name and address of the residence of the voter.

(2)        The name and address of the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian if that individual is making the request.

(3)        The address of the voter to which the application and absentee ballots are to be mailed if different from the residence address of the voter.

(4)        One The last four digits of the applicant's social security number and one of the following:

a.         The number of the applicant's North Carolina drivers license issued under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, including a learner's permit or a provisional license.

b.         The number of the applicant's special identification card for nonoperators issued under G.S. 20‑37.7.

c.         The last four digits of the applicant's social security number.

(5)        The voter's date of birth.

(6)        The signature of the voter or of the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian if that individual is making the request.

(7)        A clear indicator of the date the election generating the request is to be held, except for annual calendar year requests in accordance with G.S. 163‑226(b).

(8)        The telephone number and e‑mail address of the voter; however, no request shall be denied for failure to include this information and the request shall state that this information is optional and would be used to contact the voter regarding any deficiencies in the returned executed absentee ballots.

SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.