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HB 278

Elections-voting machine and voting system tests.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Bill Allemand and 8 co-sponsors

Codifies that covered military/overseas NC voters need not attach photo-ID copies or related affidavits with their ballots, easing access and reducing rejections.

H COW:H Did not consider for COW
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Bill Summary · HB 278

Summary — HB 278: "Protect Military Votes"

Status: Passed 1st Reading
Introduced: August 20, 2025
Subject areas: Armed forces; elections; voter ID; ballots (military/overseas voters)

Purpose / Intent

HB 278 codifies an existing State Board of Elections rule so that covered military and overseas voters returning a North Carolina military‑overseas ballot are not required to include a photocopy of photo identification or a related affidavit with their ballot. The bill is intended to remove a documentation barrier for service members and overseas voters and to put that exemption into statute.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statutory section to Part 1 of Article 21A of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes (proposed § 163‑258.21).
  • Provides that a "covered voter" voting under Article 21A (the military/overseas absentee ballot provisions):
    • is not required to include a photocopy of identification described in G.S. 163‑166.16(a) (the statute that lists accepted photo IDs), and
    • is not required to include the affidavits described in G.S. 163‑166.16(d)(1), (d)(2), or (d)(3) when submitting a military/overseas ballot in accordance with Article 21A.
  • Effective immediately upon becoming law; the exemption applies to ballots cast on or after the effective date.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: "Covered voters" as defined by Article 21A — generally members of the armed forces and overseas voters who use the North Carolina military‑overseas absentee ballot process.
  • Election officials and county boards of elections: required to accept military/overseas ballots without the specified photo ID copy or affidavits.
  • Voters generally benefit from clearer statutory guidance aligning law with the State Board rule.

Expected impacts and considerations

  • Access: Lowers documentary burdens for military and overseas voters, potentially reducing the risk of ballot rejection for missing ID or affidavit.
  • Administrative: Minimal operational impact on election administration aside from aligning practice with statute; no new administrative infrastructure required.
  • Legal certainty: Codifying the Board rule reduces ambiguity and makes the exemption explicit in statute, which may reduce disputes or litigation over application of ID requirements to military/overseas ballots.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced August 20, 2025 (per bill header) and has passed first reading.
  • The bill states it is effective when it becomes law and applies to ballots cast on or after that date.

If you want, I can:
- Pull the existing language of G.S. 163‑166.16 to show exactly which IDs and affidavits are referenced; or
- Draft a one‑page explainer for county boards of elections on implementing the change.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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