Mass voter registration packets sent across North Carolina have turned into a headache for election officials, after a batch of mailers from Ready to Register Inc. landed in mailboxes with a grab bag of errors. The mailings used an outdated voter registration form that listed political parties the state no longer recognizes, included QR codes that may auto-fill information belonging to someone else, and, in at least one case, were addressed to people who are already deceased. One version of the mailing also listed the wrong return address for the New Hanover County Board of Elections, raising the risk that completed forms will never reach local election staff.
The State Board of Elections laid out the problems in a press release from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, saying it has contacted Ready to Register and is urging any group planning bulk mailings to coordinate with election officials first. "Bulk voter registration mailings, when done carelessly, can do more harm than good," executive director Sam Hayes said in the statement.
County boards and local reporters quickly began flagging specific problems. According to WECT, some packets listed four political parties that are no longer recognized in North Carolina and were even sent to residents who have died. New Hanover County officials also warned that forms addressed to their board might not be delivered at all, since the return address printed on the mailers was wrong. WECT notes the correct mailing address for the New Hanover County Board of Elections is 226 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403.
What to do if you received one
If one of these mailers showed up at your home and you are unsure what to do with it, state officials say you have a few options. Voters are encouraged to contact the organization listed on the packet for clarification; Ready to Register can be reached at [email protected]. You can also confirm your current voter registration directly with the state by using the State Board's online Voter Search tool, Voter Search.
The regular voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 9. If you miss that deadline, you can still register and vote at the same time during the early voting period in your county.
Why data quality matters
Election officials say the episode is a textbook example of why outside groups need to use current voter data and thoroughly test any digital tools they bolt onto registration efforts. The QR codes that appear to pre-populate online forms with another person's information have raised particular privacy concerns for counties, an issue reported by WECT. County boards say that chasing down misdirected or inaccurate forms eats into staff time at the very moment they are trying to gear up for a high-stakes November election.
The State Board says it will keep an eye on the situation and continue working with Ready to Register in an effort to limit any further confusion while counties process returned mail and respond to voter questions. If you believe your information was used incorrectly or you received a form in error, officials recommend contacting your county board of elections so they can document the issue and advise you on next steps.
