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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: March 5, 1997 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. <br /> SUBJECT: Voter Registration Guidelines <br /> DEPARTMENT: Elections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1S) <br /> BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Voter Registration: Policies and Procedures Bobbie Strickland, ext 2351 <br /> State Board of Elections Summary of North Debbie Cheshire, ext 2353 <br /> Carolina Mail-In Voter Registration <br /> (both under separate cover) TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> Mebane 227-2031 <br /> PURPOSE: To receive information about voter registration guidelines in North Carolina. <br /> BACKGROUND: In recent years, changes in federal and state laws were implemented with the <br /> stated goal of increasing the number of citizens registered to vote. Provisions of the National Voter <br /> Registration Act which took effect in January 1995 coincided with implementation of North <br /> Carolina legislation concerning mail-in voter registration. As a result, citizens since that time have <br /> been able to register to vote by mail,by completing forms at the Department of Motor Vehicles, and <br /> by completing forms at many other local governmental offices which receive federal funds, such as <br /> Social Services and Public Health departments. <br /> Several themes underlie these legislative changes. First,the voter registration process is now <br /> designed to be"inclusionary",rather than"exclusionary". Voter registration procedures have been <br /> simplified with the hope that this would encourage more voters to register. That outcome clearly <br /> was achieved is Orange County,where nearly 10,000 new voters were added to the rolls in 1996, <br /> with registered voters in Orange County for the November 1996 elections topping the 80,000 mark. <br /> Second, increased responsibility has been placed on individual voters to ensure that they comply <br /> with statutory requirements concerning age,address, and the like when they take the oath that they <br /> are eligible to vote as they are registering. It is also important to note that county boards of election <br /> have relatively little discretion with regard to voter registration- state statutes grant the authority to <br /> the State Board of Elections to make all rules necessary for the implementation of voter registration <br /> in North Carolina. <br /> Staff will be prepared to respond to Commissioner questions about voter registration procedures. <br />