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North Carolina: Limits on Voter Eligibility Challenges

This resource details state and federal laws that guard voters against unfounded challenges to their eligibility.

Last Updated: September 23, 2024
Published: June 10, 2024
View the entire Limits on Voter Eligibility Challenges series

North Carolina, like most states, allows private individuals to challenge another person’s eligibility to vote. This resource details state and federal laws that protect challenged voters. North Carolina’s strong voter protections include a requirement that most challenges be made in writing under penalty of perjury; a requirement that, for pre-election challenges, the challenger appear in person and provide sworn testimony; and a burden of proof on the challenger to overcome a presumption that the challenged voter is qualified to vote.

Challenges to a voter’s registration or absentee ballot must be in writing and signed under penalty of perjury by a voter registered in that county.

North Carolina law presumes a voter’s eligibility and the burden is on the challenger to affirmatively prove the voter is ineligible.

If voters discover they’ve been mistakenly removed from the rolls, they can re-register and vote at an early voting site, but only during early voting and not on Election Day.footnote29_b79JjIn1W0ZfmxjRrrRNJsVOoVjBfgqGh-sjMnE0KXc_mxDHoLRMrbmB29N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163–82.6B.

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