{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-163-82.20","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-82.20","heading":"Voter registration at other public agencies.","body":"(a)\tVoter Registration Agencies. - Every office in this State which accepts:\n(1)\tApplications for a program of public assistance under Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes or under Article 13 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes;\n(2)\tApplications for State-funded State or local government programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities, with such office designated by the State Board of Elections; or\n(3)\tClaims for benefits under Chapter 96 of the General Statutes, the Employment Security Law, is designated as a voter registration agency for purposes of this section.\n(b)\tDuties of Voter Registration Agencies. - A voter registration agency described in subsection (a) of this section shall, unless the applicant declines, in writing, to register to vote:\n(1)\tDistribute with each application for service or assistance, and with each recertification, renewal, or change of address relating to such service or assistance:\na.\tThe voter registration application form described in G.S. 163-82.3(a) or (b); or\nb.\tThe voter registration agency's own form, if it is substantially equivalent to the form described in G.S. 163-82.3(a) or (b) and has been approved by the State Board of Elections, provided that the agency's own form may be a detachable part of the agency's paper application or may be a paperless computer process, as long as the applicant is required to sign an attestation as part of the application to register.\n(2)\tProvide a form that contains the elements required by section 7(a)(6)(B) of the National Voter Registration Act; and\n(3)\tProvide to each applicant who does not decline to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the registration application as is provided by the office with regard to the completion of its own forms.\n(c)\tProvided that voter registration agencies designated under subdivision (a)(3) of this section shall only be required to provide the services set out in this subsection to applicants for new claims, reopened claims, and changes of address under Chapter 96 of the General Statutes, the Employment Security Law.\n(d)\tHome Registration for Disabled. - If a voter registration agency provides services to a person with disability at the person's home, the voter registration agency shall provide the services described in subsection (b) of this section at the person's home.\n(e)\tProhibitions. - Any person providing any service under subsection (b) of this section shall not:\n(1)\tSeek to influence an applicant's political preference or party registration, except that this shall not be construed to prevent the notice provided by G.S. 163-82.4(d) to be given if the applicant refuses to declare his party affiliation;\n(2)\tDisplay any such political preference or party allegiance;\n(3)\tMake any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; or\n(4)\tMake any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision to register or not to register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.\n(f)\tConfidentiality of Declination to Register. - No information relating to a declination to register to vote in connection with an application made at a voter registration agency may be used for any purpose other than voter registration.\n(g)\tTransmittal From Agency to Board of Elections. - Any voter registration application completed at a voter registration agency shall be accepted by that agency in lieu of the applicant's mailing the application. Any such application so received shall be transmitted to the appropriate board of elections not later than five business days after acceptance, according to rules which shall be promulgated by the State Board of Elections.\n(h)\tTwenty-Five-Day Deadline for an Election. - Applications to register accepted by a voter registration agency shall entitle a registrant to vote in any primary, general, or special election unless the registrant shall have made application later than the twenty-fifth calendar day immediately preceding such primary, general, or special election, provided that nothing shall prohibit voter registration agencies from continuing to accept applications during that period.\n(i)\tIneligible Applications Prohibited. - No person shall make application to register to vote under this section if that person is ineligible on account of age, citizenship, lack of residence for the period of time provided by law, or because of conviction of a felony. (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 762, s. 2; 1995, c. 507, s. 25.10(c); 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 608, s. 1; 2009-541, s. 14(a); 2013-381, s. 12.1(f); 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), (b).)","path":["Chapter 163. Elections and Election Laws.","subchapter iii. qualifying to vote.","Article 7A. Registration of Voters."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_163/GS_163-82.20.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T18:26:22Z","sha256":"391cd7da25df5bb2894b178863be077a2e4d8679d4571949667795c85cc0cb5d","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-163-82.19","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-163-82.20a"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}