Submit a public comment to tell the House Elections and Ethics Committee to amend and expand HB 1169

by midnight on Tuesday, May 26

What is positive about HB 1169?

From Democracy NC:

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, NC House lawmakers filed emergency election legislation on May 22. As drafted, House Bill 1169 would

• relax some poll worker recruitment requirements, 

• reduce vote-by-mail witness requirements to one, 

• and provide a modest financial match to release critical, federal election funds to our counties.

What are the problems with HB 1169?

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From Democracy NC:

[HB 1169] adds unnecessary and potentially confusing photo voter ID language already blocked by two separate courts.

From LVW-NC:

The League of Women Voters has fought for many years against requiring voters to show an ID when voting. [LWV-NC is] concerned that the legislature is using the COVID-19 crisis to bring it back. We cannot, and we should not, be willing to trade the concerns of one group of voters with another.

What should we do?

The House Elections and Ethics Committee needs to make amendments to HB 1169 immediately.

Democracy NC and the League of Women Voters NC are encouraging us to submit public comments about HB 1169 HERE by midnight on Tuesday, May 26. 

Talking points:

• Speak out against photo ID in 2020.

• Extend mail-in and online voter registration deadlines,

• Accept HAVA (Help America Vote Act) IDs (such as a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck) in the absentee ballot request form.

• Give flexibility back to counties to make Early Voting plans that best serve their communities.

• Require the one-witness requirement to be clearly indicated on the absentee ballot container-return envelope.

• Allow the option of contactless drop box returns for absentee ballot container-return envelopes.

See Democracy NC’s full call to action here, along with a sample public comment.

See the League of Women Voters NC full call to action here, along with a link to the lawsuit they filed.