NORTH CAROLINA — A new bill introduced in the North Carolina House aims to ban third-party voter registration drives from using actual voter registration forms, citing concerns over personal information protection.
House Bill 127, filed this week, proposes making it a misdemeanor for voter registration drives to distribute real voter registration forms, allowing only sample forms to be handed out. The bill also mandates that groups conducting these drives register with county boards of elections, detailing their activities.
Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, the bill’s author, argues that the measure is intended to protect personal information and reduce identity theft risks. “By providing the eligible voter with a registration worksheet to take with them, including instructions on where to turn it in or how to register online, [it] protects their personal information,” Warren told WRAL.
Ann Webb, policy director for Common Cause NC, criticized the bill, stating, “This will disenfranchise voters. It’s an extreme bill that will prevent community organizations from supporting other community members directly in registering to vote.”
Katelin Kaiser from Democracy NC expressed concerns about the bill’s impact on communities of color and students, noting, “We know from census data from 2022 that black registrants are nearly twice as likely to report registering through community-based registration programs as white voters.”
The bill has not yet been scheduled for a committee hearing, but it is supported by House Republican leadership, including Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke, chairman of the House Election Law committee, according to WRAL.
According to the Center for Public Integrity, similar measures have been passed in six other states, imposing stricter penalties on voter registration organizations, with some facing legal challenges as potential First Amendment violations.
The proposed legislation has sparked debate over voter access and security, with supporters emphasizing the need for personal data protection and opponents warning of potential voter disenfranchisement. The outcome of the bill remains uncertain as it awaits further legislative action.
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