NC Voters Face New Election Deadlines

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NC Voters Face New Election Deadlines

Special Report - February 21, 2008
Those wishing to run for elected office in North Carolina have only one more week to file with the State Board of Elections. The filing period opened on February 11 and closes on February 29 at 5:00 p.m. The public offices that are in play this election cycle are: U.S. Senator (Dole’s seat); U.S. Congress (all thirteen districts); Governor, Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Secretary of State; Auditor; Treasurer; Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Commissioners of Labor and Agriculture; all 50 North Carolina State Senators; all 120 State Representatives; Justice Edmunds’ seat on the Supreme Court; six seats on the Court of Appeals; twelve Superior Court judges; 132 District Court judges; and four District Attorneys. Also, this year under the new State Government Ethics Act, certain candidates are now required to file a Statement of Economic Interest.

North Carolina’s primary election will be held on May 6, and unregistered voters have until April 11 to register to vote. Absentee votes will be allowed between March 17 and April 29 for those voters who cannot vote on the May 6 primary date. Also, North Carolina’s new one-stop absentee voting law allows voters to both register and vote at the same time between April 17 and May 3 at the voter’s county board of election. One-stop voters must show some proof of residence, such as a North Carolina drivers license or other form of government issued identification. Their vote will be a retrievable absentee ballot until the county and State Board of Elections verifies the voter’s eligibility.

Shortly after the primary election, the General Assembly will open its short session on May 13 to review the budget adopted last year, take up any revenue bills, and possibly consider bills that passed in either the House or Senate 2007, or Constitutional amendments. Since all current members of the General Assembly will be running for re-election or retiring at the end of the session, the short session is expected to be just that—short—so lawmakers can return to their districts to campaign.

The general election will be held on November 4. The last day to register to vote is October 10, and absentee voting will take place between September 15 and October 28. One-stop absentee voting (allowing voters to both register and vote at the same time at the county board of elections) will take place between October 16 and November 1.

North Carolina Family Policy Council attorney Tami Fitzgerald encouraged all North Carolinians to exercise their constitutional right to vote, saying: “With the convenient options of absentee voting and one-stop absentee voting, every citizen should be able to vote. It is one of our greatest privileges and duties as citizens and should not be taken lightly. Everyone should spend the time and effort to research the candidates, formulate opinions about which ones will govern righteously and justly, and get out and vote.”

The North Carolina Family Policy Council will publish a Voter Guide on its website before the May primary and both on the website and in print before the November general election. The guide will outline the positions of the candidates in state races on key issues.