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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 17, 2013 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 4 -b <br />SUBJECT: Recent Election/Voting Law Changes Update <br />DEPARTMENT: Board of Elections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Tracy Reams, Elections Director <br />(919) 245 -2351 <br />1 <br />PURPOSE: To receive an update on the ratified Session Law 2013 -131 — House Bill 589 <br />Election law changes. <br />BACKGROUND: House Bill 589 was approved on August 12, 2013. Outlined below are <br />various election law changes in House Bill 589 that will likely have the greatest impact on <br />elections held in Orange County. <br />Effective September 1, 2013 — <br />• G.S. 163 -82.1 (d) is repealed. Preregistration: Prior to September 1, 2013 a person <br />who is at least 16 years of age may preregister to vote and shall be automatically <br />registered upon reaching the age of eligibility. Preregistrations received prior to <br />September 1, 2013 will remain in queue and will be automatically registered upon <br />reaching the age of eligibility. 17 year olds can still register and vote in a Primary <br />Election if they will be 18 years of age by the General Election. <br />Effective October 1, 2013 — <br />• G.S. 163- 226.4.6(b) Multi- partisan Teams: The county board of elections must recruit <br />and train multi - partisan teams to promptly assist patients and residents of any hospital, <br />clinic, nursing home, or rest home in that county in casting absentee ballots. Elections <br />staff has consulted with the League of Women Voters, and the League has expressed its <br />desire to be a part of the team in addition to the Chairs of the Democratic and Republican <br />parties. <br />• G.S. 163 - 82.22.5.2 Photo ID public education: The State Board of Elections (SBOE) <br />and county boards shall disseminate information about photo identification requirements <br />for voting, providing information on how to obtain photo identification appropriate for <br />voting, and assist any registered voter without photo identification appropriate for voting <br />with obtaining such photo identification. Information will be distributed through, public <br />service announcements, print, radio, online and social media. Any mailings from the <br />county boards of elections to voters shall include information about the photo <br />identification requirements. Counties shall also post at the polls and at early voting sites <br />