Constitutional Amendment/Early Voting.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1240

Short Title: Constitutional Amendment/Early Voting. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives R. Pierce, Hawkins, Price, and Morey (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
June 30, 2026
*H1240-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FO R A CONSTITUTIONAL A MENDMENT TO THE NORT H 2
CAROLINA CONSTITUTIO N TO GUARANTEE VOTER S THE RIGHT TO EARLY 3
VOTING. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1.1. Section 5 of Article VI of the North Carolina Constitution reads as 6
rewritten: 7
"Sec. 5. Elections by people and General Assembly. 8
(1) All elections by the people shall be by ballot, and all elections by the General 9
Assembly shall be viva voce. A contested election for any office established by Article III of this 10
Constitution shall be determined by joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly in the 11
manner prescribed by law. 12
(2) For all primary and general elections conducted in even-numbered years, a voter shall 13
have the right to early vote by casting a ballot in person prior to election day. The General 14
Assembly may appropriate funds for county boards of elections to use in support of 15
administration of early voting. To ensure that voters can exercise the right to early vote, county 16
boards of elections shall do the following: 17
(a) Designate a minimum of 14 days prior to election day for early voting, select 18
early voting site locations, and determine staffing needs and hours for each 19
site subject to the following minimum requirements: 20
1. On weekdays, all early voting sites shall operate uniformly and shall 21
be open and operate continuously from at least 8:00 A.M. until at least 22
7:30 P.M., unless a county board of elections determines that the voter 23
demand allows for closure at 6:00 P.M. 24
2. If a Sunday is selected as a day for early voting, all sites operating on 25
that Sunday shall open and close at the same times. 26
3. All early voting sites shall be open on the last Saturday prior to election 27
day from at least 8:00 A.M. until at least 3:00 P.M. 28
(b) Increase the staffing, hours, number, and locations for early voting sites to 29
match the needs of voters during the days designated for early voting. 30
(c) Provide the opportunity for any individual qualified to register to vote to both 31
register and vote on the same day at any early voting site." 32
SECTION 1.2. The amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act shall be submitted 33
to the qualified voters of the S tate at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1240-First Edition
2026, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that 1
time. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be: 2
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST 3
Constitutional Amendment to do the following: 4
(1) Guarantee voters a minimum of 14 days for early voting in primary and 5
general elections. 6
(2) Ensure that early voting sites are open for a designated minimum number of 7
hours. 8
(3) Authorize county boards of elections to establish sites, hours, and staffing for 9
early voting. 10
(4) Guarantee same -day registration during early voting so that individuals 11
qualified to register to vote can both register and vote during early voting." 12
SECTION 1.3. The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the 13
referendum conducted under Section 1.2 of this act. If a majority of votes cast on the question 14
are in favor of the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the Secretary of State shall enroll 15
the amendment a mong the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the 16
question are against the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the amendment shall have 17
no effect. 18
SECTION 1.4. If the certification from the State Board of Elections un der Section 19
1.3 of this act reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment 20
set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act is effective upon 21
certification. 22
SECTION 2. Except as oth erwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 23
law. 24