Reduce Early Voting Period.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1084

Short Title: Reduce Early Voting Period. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Hollo, Daniel, and Overcash (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 19, 2026
*S1084-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REDUCE THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD FOR ALL ELECTIONS. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. G.S. 163-166.40(b) reads as rewritten: 4
"(b) Not earlier than the third second Thursday before an election in which a voter seeks 5
to vote and not later than 3:00 P.M. on the last Saturday before that election, the voter may appear 6
in person only at the office of the county board of elections, board, except as provided in 7
G.S. 163-166.35. A county board of elections shall conduct early voting on the last Saturday 8
before the election from 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M." 9
SECTION 2. G.S. 163-13(b) reads as rewritten: 10
"(b) Nominating Procedures. – If a congressional vacancy occurs beginning on the tenth 11
day before the filing period ends under G.S. 163-106(c) preceding the next succeeding general 12
election, candidates for the special election to fill the vacancy shall not be nominated in primaries. 13
Instead, nominations may be made by the politica l party congressional district executive 14
committees in the district in which the vacancy occurs. The chairman chair and secretary of each 15
political party congressional district executive committee nominating a candidate shall 16
immediately certify his or her name and party affiliation to the State Board so that it may be 17
printed on the special election ballots. 18
If the congressional vacancy occurs before the tenth day before the filing period ends under 19
G.S. 163-106(c) prior to the next succeeding general elec tion, the Governor shall call a special 20
primary for the purpose of nominating candidates to be voted on in a special election called by 21
the Governor in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Such a primary 22
election shall be conducted in accordance with the general laws governing primaries, except that 23
the opening and closing dates for filing notices of candidacy with the State Board shall be fixed 24
by the Governor in his or her call for the special primary. The Governor may fix the early voting 25
period for each county board to conduct early voting for the special election and for the special 26
first primary, and such period shall be for 10 consecutive days. The Governor may also fix the 27
absentee voting period for the special election and for the special first primary, but such period 28
shall not be less than 30 days." 29
SECTION 3. G.S. 163-287 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 30
"(a1) For any special election not held at a time specified under subsection ( a) of this 31
section, the resolution adopted by the governing body, municipality, or special district may set 32
the time period for early voting in the special election, which shall be for 10 consecutive days." 33
SECTION 4. G.S. 163-302(a) reads as rewritten: 34
"(a) In any municipal election, including a primary or general election or referendum, 35
mail-in absentee voting and early voting may, upon resolution of the municipal governing body, 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1084-First Edition
be permitted. The resolution, if adopted by the municipal governing body, may set the time period 1
for each county board conducting the election to conduct early voting, and such period shall be 2
for 10 consecutive days. Such resolution must be adopted no later than 60 days prior to an election 3
in order to be effective for that election. Any such resolution shall remain effective for all future 4
elections unless repealed no later than 60 days before an election. A copy of a ll resolutions 5
adopted under this section shall be filed with the State Board and the county board of elections 6
conducting the election within 10 days of passage in order to be effective. In addition, mail-in 7
absentee voting and early voting shall be allow ed in any referendum on incorporation of a 8
municipality." 9
SECTION 5. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held 10
on or after that date. 11