News from Senator Todd Johnson | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Using emotionally charged rhetoric wholly unrelated to the legislation, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed SB 74 - Election Law Changes.

    We will override his veto.

    The legislation modernizes NC's election laws.

    North Carolinians across all party lines and beliefs deserve an election process that protects their vote and ensures trust in the process. This legislation does just that.

    Dismissing Governor Cooper's attempts to further sow distrust in our election process, the legislation:

1. Sets a non-arbitary, uniform election deadline for both in-person and absentee ballots - 7:30 pm on election day. This deadline aligns North Carolina with 30 other states. The previous arbitrary post-election acceptance period caused North Carolinians to question an election's validity. Voters have a 60-day period to cast and mail absentee ballots - one of the longest periods in the United States. This simplifies the election process for accepting absentee ballots and ensures no questions arise about when an elections board received a ballot. Currently election officials must scrutinize two data sets when ballots arrive after election day.
2. Prohibits the North Carolina State Board of Elections, county board of elections and county boards of commissioners from accepting private donations for election administration. Allowing private interests to fund election management only raises suspicions and creates conflicts of interest.
3. Requires anyone using the same-day voter registration process during the early voting period to provide a photo identification and proof of residence. We should only accept ballots once we can verify a new voter's registration.
4. Establishes a process to eliminate non-U.S. citizens from voting records. It requires the clerk of superior court to to notify the North Carolina State Board of Elections of individuals disqualified from jury duty because they are not U.S. citizens.
5. Provides clearer rules for election observers. In easy to understand language, the legislation explains to observers, runners and election officials what they can and cannot do.

    I welcome overriding Governor Cooper's veto when the General Assembly returns in September.


   Contact:
   Phone: 919-733-7659
   Email: todd.johnson@ncleg.gov.