GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2023

SESSION LAW 2024-52

SENATE BILL 132

AN ACT to require or authorize the addition of early voting sites in certain counties for the november 2024 election.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  No later than Tuesday, October 29, 2024, and until Saturday, November 2, 2024, each county board of elections shall open at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, in that county. The number of registered voters shall be those evidenced by the voter registration file posted on the website of the State Board of Elections dated October 19, 2024. The county board of elections shall review its Plan for Implementation for compliance with this act establishing a required minimum number of early voting site locations. Nothing in this act shall be construed to supersede or otherwise overrule a Plan for Implementation established by a county board of elections that provides for more than one early voting site per 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, in that county. If the county board of elections determines its current Plan for Implementation provides at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, no additional sites are required but may be added if the county board deems it in the best interest of the voters. If the county board of elections determines its current Plan for Implementation does not provide at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, additional sites shall be added as necessary to meet the required minimum number of early voting site locations, notwithstanding Part IX of S.L. 2024‑51, any Plan for Implementation, G.S. 163‑166.35, or any resolution adopted by the State Board of Elections pursuant to G.S. 163‑27.1.

SECTION 1.(b)  In adding early voting sites to comply with this act, the following shall apply:

(1)        The county board of elections shall seek to provide geographic diversity in locations.

(2)        The hours of operation shall be those established for the county board of elections office or its reasonable proximate substitute under the Plan for Implementation as of October 17, 2024.

(3)        Notwithstanding G.S. 143‑318.12 and G.S. 166A‑19.24, any open meeting held to comply with this act, and during which no other matter is considered, may be properly noticed by posting of the notice at least 12 hours before the time of the meeting.

(4)        All votes of the county board of elections required under this act shall be by bipartisan majority.

SECTION 1.(c)  In securing locations for the minimum number of early voting sites as required by this act, a county board of elections shall strive to use buildings supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by or through tax revenues. Notwithstanding G.S. 163‑166.35(c), the county board of elections needs to give only 24 hours' notice to any State, county, city, local school board, or other entity in control of the building that is supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by or through tax revenues that the building will be used as an early voting site through November 2, 2024.

SECTION 1.(d)  Each county board of elections adding early voting sites as required by this act shall strive to educate all eligible voters of the addition of an early voting site or sites. Educational materials shall, at a minimum, be distributed to State agencies, shelters, groups, and other organizations serving persons impacted or displaced by the disaster and posted on the website of the county board of elections.

SECTION 1.(e)  If a county board of elections is unable to secure staff for any early voting site added as required by this act, that county board of elections shall immediately notify the State Board of Elections.

SECTION 2.  This act shall apply only in the Counties of Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies only for the November 2024 election.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of October, 2024.

                                                                    s/  Warren Daniel

                                                                         Presiding Officer of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Tim Moore

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives