As North Carolina enters another cycle of evaluating its democratic foundations, the State Board of Elections has opened a public comment period regarding the necessity of 38 administrative electoral rules. According to an announcement by the N.C. State Board of Elections, this review is a decennial ritual mandated by N.C.G.S. § 150B-21.3A, affording citizens the opportunity to weigh in on the rules that govern the access, security, and uniformity of their electoral process.
The public commentary window opened yesterday and will close on Oct. 17. During this time, the board’s initial verdict endorsing the necessity of all rules under review is open for public debate. Community members can share their opinions through the State Board’s website, via email, or by traditional mail, ensuring multiple avenues for participation in the oversight process. Each comment must clearly reference the specific rule being addressed, providing structure to the upcoming review — a process vital to maintaining civic engagement and ensuring the effective administration of voting rights in the state.
“Administrative rules are extremely important in ensuring that North Carolina’s elections are accessible, secure, and conducted uniformly across the state,” State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes said. After reviewing community feedback, the board will draft responses to each public comment and hold a final vote on the necessity of these rules, which are outlined by chapter in the Administrative Code available on the N.C. State Board of Elections website.
Once the State Board completes its review with public input, a report will be sent to the Rules Review Commission (RRC), which will then forward a final report to the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee. Rules deemed necessary will go through a readoption process, possibly with amendments, while those deemed unnecessary will be removed from the code.
