Who Gets to Vote in North Carolina?

A new federal law -- the "Help America Vote Act of 2002" (HAVA) -- is having
a big impact on every part of the voting process in North Carolina. It is
full of guidelines about

** new voting machines, including machines for disabled voters
** new identification requirements to register to vote
** new rules for using provisional ballots
** new opportunities to help ex-felons and others vote
** new ways to involve youth in the voting process

The North Carolina legislature and State Board of Elections have taken
action to turn those guidelines into new laws and new rules that
are affecting how voter participation takes place.

There is also federal money to help states expand voter registration and
access to polls. Money must be used to buy new machines (at least one per
precinct by 2006) that are accessible for a person who is blind or has another
disability. Money could even be used to begin "same day" registration in
North Carolina. Imagine having a system where people who missed the
registration cutoff could show up on the Saturday before Tuesday's election,
or even on Election Day, to register and vote, all at once. This is called
same-day registration, and a campaign is underway to gain that reform for
North Carolina.

** For more on Same Day Registration, click here.

** For a one-page "Consumer's Guide to HAVA," (PDF format) click here.

** For a statement by Democracy North Carolina on voter machine security and paper trails, click here.

** For a guide to voting rights of ex-felons and misdemeanants, click here.

** For the state legislation to put North Carolina in compliance with the
new federal law, see House Bill 842, which has passed the state House, by
clicking on:
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2003&
BillID=h842

** For the State Board of Elections' plan to implement the guidelines of
HAVA, go to: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/ and click on "Help America Vote
Act (HAVA"

The links below will connect you to more background from
some national groups working on HAVA:

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights:
http://www.civilrights.org/issues/voting/details.cfm?id=11254

American Association of People with Disabilities:
http://www.aapd-dc.org and for
"Recommendations on Implementation of the Help America Vote Act"
http://www.aapd-dc.org/dvpmain/elreform/Recommendhelpamericaact.html

Demos:
http://www.demos-usa.org/HAVA/