H 1240

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
1A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH
3     CAROLINA CONSTITUTION TO GUARANTEE VOTERS THE RIGHT TO EARLY
4     VOTING.
5 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
6SECTION 1.1. Section 5 of Article VI of the North Carolina Constitution reads as
7 rewritten:
8 "Sec. 5. Elections by people and General Assembly.
9     (1)     All elections by the people shall be by ballot, and all elections by the General
10 Assembly shall be viva voce. A contested election for any office established by Article III of this
11 Constitution shall be determined by joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly in the
12 manner prescribed by law.
13     (2)     For all primary and general elections conducted in even-numbered years, a voter shall
14 have the right to early vote by casting a ballot in person prior to election day. The General
15 Assembly may appropriate funds for county boards of elections to use in support of
16 administration of early voting. To ensure that voters can exercise the right to early vote, county
17 boards of elections shall do the following:
18(a)     Designate a minimum of 14 days prior to election day for early voting, select
19early voting site locations, and determine staffing needs and hours for each
20site subject to the following minimum requirements:
211.      On weekdays, all early voting sites shall operate uniformly and shall
22be open and operate continuously from at least 8:00 A.M. until at least
237:30 P.M., unless a county board of elections determines that the voter
24demand allows for closure at 6:00 P.M.
252.      If a Sunday is selected as a day for early voting, all sites operating on
26that Sunday shall open and close at the same times.
273.      All early voting sites shall be open on the last Saturday prior to election
28day from at least 8:00 A.M. until at least 3:00 P.M.
29(b)     Increase the staffing, hours, number, and locations for early voting sites to
30match the needs of voters during the days designated for early voting.
31(c)     Provide the opportunity for any individual qualified to register to vote to both
32register and vote on the same day at any early voting site."
33SECTION 1.2. The amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act shall be submitted
34 to the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3,
  *H1240-v-1*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina  Session 2025
1 2026, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that
2 time. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
3"[ ] FOR       [ ] AGAINST
4Constitutional Amendment to do the following:
5(1)     Guarantee voters a minimum of 14 days for early voting in primary and
6general elections.
7(2)     Ensure that early voting sites are open for a designated minimum number of
8hours.
9(3)     Authorize county boards of elections to establish sites, hours, and staffing for
10early voting.
11(4)     Guarantee same-day registration during early voting so that individuals
12qualified to register to vote can both register and vote during early voting."
13SECTION 1.3. The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the
14 referendum conducted under Section 1.2 of this act. If a majority of votes cast on the question
15 are in favor of the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the Secretary of State shall enroll
16 the amendment among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the
17 question are against the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the amendment shall have
18 no effect.
19SECTION 1.4. If the certification from the State Board of Elections under Section
20 1.3 of this act reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment
21 set out in Section 1.1 of this act, the amendment set out in Section 1.1 of this act is effective upon
22 certification.
23SECTION 2. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes
24 law.
 Page 2  House Bill 1240-First Edition