North Carolina § 163-230 - 3. Online request for absentee ballots.

§ 163-230. 3. Online request for absentee ballots.

Notwithstanding G.S. 163-230.1 and G.S. 163-230.2, a qualified voter who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot under G.S. 163-226, or that voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, may submit a request for absentee ballots online using the procedures set forth in this section in lieu of the completed written request on a form established by the State Board. All other provisions in G.S. 163-230.1 and G.S. 163-230.2 shall apply. The State Board shall establish a secure Internet Web site to permit individuals described in subsection (a) of this section to submit an online request for absentee ballots. The Internet Web site must be able to track the IP address of anyone who accesses the Web site. The Web site must require that the voter or the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian provide all of the following information: All information required for a valid written request for absentee ballots in G.S. 163-230.2. An electronic signature, as defined in G.S. 66-312 of the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act, of the voter, or the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, if requesting on the voter's behalf. Upon receipt of an online request for absentee ballots, the State Board shall submit the request to the county board of elections in which the voter resides. The county board of elections shall process the online request in the same manner as processing a completed written request for absentee ballots submitted under G.S. 163-230.1. History (2020-17, s. 7(a).) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2020-17, s. 7(d), made this section effective June 12, 2020, and further provides: "The State Board of Elections shall have the secure Internet Web site available to voters to submit an online request for absentee ballots by September 1, 2020." Session Laws 2020-17, s. 7(b), provides: "Notwithstanding Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, the State Board of Elections is not required to comply with initial purchase and contract requirements for establishing or securing the Internet Web site for online requests for absentee ballots as required by subsection (a) of this section. This exemption expires December 31, 2020." Session Laws 2020-17, s. 7(c), provides: "The State Board of Elections shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee regarding the online requests for absentee ballots under G.S. 163-230.3 , as enacted by this act, including the total number of absentee ballots requested online by county, and the results of any cybersecurity investigations related to online requests during the 2020 general election no later than February 1, 2021."