RALEIGH, N.C. – The N.C. State Board of Elections is seeking public comments from June 1 through July 31 on proposed changes to the Administrative Code regarding various aspects of elections administration.

Among the proposed changes are rules that:

• Establish standards for the Executive Director’s emergency authority to change election schedules. The need for a clearly defined process became clear in Hurricane Matthew’s wake.
• Clarify that county elections officials should not delay election certification, unless post-election protests involve the tabulation of ballots or the qualifications of voters sufficient in number to change an election outcome.
• Largely rewrite the election protest form, requiring the protestor to certify that the facts alleged are true and accurate and requiring attorneys to indicate that they represent the protestor, among other changes.
• Clarify that appointed multi-partisan assistance teams (MATs) may assist the voter in signing/marking the absentee form or to coordinate a return visit for that purpose. 
• Allow a person qualified to assist a disabled voter to deposit the voter’s absentee ballot into the closest U.S. mail depository or mailbox if the voter is unable to do so due to disability.

All of the proposed rules are available here. A public hearing on the rules will be held at noon July 31, 2017, at the State Board of Elections Office, 441 N. Harrington St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

To submit written comments through an online portal, go here. You can also email comments to [email protected] or mail them to N.C. State Board of Elections, Attn: Katelyn Love, Deputy General Counsel, 441 N. Harrington Street, Raleigh, NC 27603.