{"id":2654795,"date":"2026-09-04T17:20:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T21:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-carolina-republicans-force-mail-in-ballot-rule-change\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T17:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T21:25:01","slug":"north-carolina-republicans-force-mail-in-ballot-rule-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-carolina-republicans-force-mail-in-ballot-rule-change\/","title":{"rendered":"North Carolina Republicans force mail-in ballot rule change"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnorth-carolina-republicans-force-mail-in-ballot-rule-change%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2654795&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The North Carolina Board of Elections,which has a Republican majority,approved new,stricter rules for mail-in ballots shortly before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stimulus-update-five-states-to-send-out-one-time-direct-payments-in-august-2023\/\" title=\"August 2023: Five ...s to distribute one-time direct payments as stimulus update.\">state began sending<\/a> out ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. These rules specify that ballots with certain errors, such as unsealed envelopes or mismatched signatures, will no longer be accepted, limiting previous flexibility.Only the voter or their immediate relative or legal guardian can return a ballot. The changes were implemented thru memos after proposed permanent rules faced procedural delays and legislative review. Democratic officials and the governor criticized the move, arguing it could disenfranchise eligible voters and circumvent standard rulemaking processes. Despite these changes, absentee ballots are being sent to voters, with a deadline for receipt set for Election Day, November 3.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The GOP-majority <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"552\">North Carolina<\/a> Board of Elections approved stricter rules for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mail-in-voting\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"9918\">mail-in <\/a>ballots Friday, just hours before the state became the first in the country to begin sending ballots for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The State Board of Elections voted along party lines to direct county officials to reject certain absentee ballots for certain errors that previously would not have prevented a vote from being counted. Republican board members said the changes are necessary to enforce state election law, while Democrats warned they could bar otherwise eligible voters from casting their ballots.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4713536\/trump-warns-of-disaster-in-britain-says-country-is-at-a-tipping-point\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump warns of \u2018disaster\u2019 in Britain, says country is at a \u2018tipping point\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4712266\/maria-bartiromo-out-fox-news\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Maria Bartiromo no longer with Fox News<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4711771\/farm-backlash-charlie-kirk-corn-maze-indiana\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Our hope remains simple\u2019: Indiana farm addresses backlash over Charlie Kirk corn maze design<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The biggest change involves problems with the envelope used to return a ballot. In some cases, county officials previously had more flexibility to accept a ballot when it was clear which voter had cast it, despite an error with the envelope or paperwork. Under<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/dl.ncsbe.gov\/State_Board_Meeting_Docs\/2026-09-02\/DRAFT%20Numbered%20Memo%202020-23_In%20Person%20Return%20of%20Absentee%20Ballots.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/dl.ncsbe.gov\/State_Board_Meeting_Docs\/2026-09-02\/DRAFT%20Numbered%20Memo%202020-23_In%20Person%20Return%20of%20Absentee%20Ballots.pdf\"> the new guidance<\/a>, election officials are instructed not to count ballots returned with an unsealed inner envelope or when required signatures do not match.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, only the voters themselves or their near relative or legal guardian may return a ballot for it to be cast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is simply guidance, updated guidance, I might add, as to what the board and staff at the county level will do and how they will process things,\u201d said Stacy Eggers, a Republican board member.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The changes came after proposed permanent absentee voting rules hit a procedural roadblock. The state Rules Review Commission approved a package of rules in July, but objections triggered a legislative review that prevented some of them from taking place before the November elections, as state lawmakers will not return until after voters head to the polls.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NCSBE, which is composed of three Republicans and two Democrats, instead moved Friday to implement portions of the policy through memos to county election officials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic member Siobhan Millen said the new rules risk disenfranchising otherwise eligible voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt may not affect you as you\u2019re filling it out, but it affects whether your ballot counts \u2014 that\u2019s huge,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, an effort to say this is just a process thing, I think is incorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) also criticized the decision and accused the board of circumventing the normal rulemaking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4700367\/what-to-know-rnc-republican-midterm-convention\/\">WHAT TO KNOW AS TRUMP AND VANCE HEADLINE FIRST-EVER GOP MIDTERM CONVENTION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe State Board\u2019s decision is a slap in the face to voters who stood up to these changes and a blatant circumvention of the law,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JoshStein_\/status\/2095939798858899728?s=20\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JoshStein_\/status\/2095939798858899728?s=20\">Stein said on social media<\/a>. \u201cNorth Carolina voters deserve transparency in their elections, not last-minute workarounds that could keep their vote from counting. I will continue to stand up for voters\u2019 access to the ballot box.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">North Carolina\u2019s 100 county election boards began sending absentee ballots Friday to open the 2026 general election. The state requires completed civilian absentee ballots to reach county officials by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NC GOP Board tightens mail-in ballot rules before midterms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2654796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/iStock-2155347006-e1785878163532.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[39540,32258,3756,66160],"class_list":["post-2654795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-mail-in-ballots","tag-north-carolina","tag-republicans","tag-voting-regulations"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/iStock-2155347006-e1785878163532.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2654795"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654795\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654799,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654795\/revisions\/2654799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}