HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-05-1997 - 10d 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 5, 1997
Action Agenda
Item No.
SUBJECT: Voter Registration Guidelines
DEPARTMENT: Elections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1S)
BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Voter Registration: Policies and Procedures Bobbie Strickland, ext 2351
State Board of Elections Summary of North Debbie Cheshire, ext 2353
Carolina Mail-In Voter Registration
(both under separate cover) TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
PURPOSE: To receive information about voter registration guidelines in North Carolina.
BACKGROUND: In recent years, changes in federal and state laws were implemented with the
stated goal of increasing the number of citizens registered to vote. Provisions of the National Voter
Registration Act which took effect in January 1995 coincided with implementation of North
Carolina legislation concerning mail-in voter registration. As a result, citizens since that time have
been able to register to vote by mail,by completing forms at the Department of Motor Vehicles, and
by completing forms at many other local governmental offices which receive federal funds, such as
Social Services and Public Health departments.
Several themes underlie these legislative changes. First,the voter registration process is now
designed to be"inclusionary",rather than"exclusionary". Voter registration procedures have been
simplified with the hope that this would encourage more voters to register. That outcome clearly
was achieved is Orange County,where nearly 10,000 new voters were added to the rolls in 1996,
with registered voters in Orange County for the November 1996 elections topping the 80,000 mark.
Second, increased responsibility has been placed on individual voters to ensure that they comply
with statutory requirements concerning age,address, and the like when they take the oath that they
are eligible to vote as they are registering. It is also important to note that county boards of election
have relatively little discretion with regard to voter registration- state statutes grant the authority to
the State Board of Elections to make all rules necessary for the implementation of voter registration
in North Carolina.
Staff will be prepared to respond to Commissioner questions about voter registration procedures.
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RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive this report for
information only.