North Carolina § 163-82 - 12. Promulgation of guidelines relating to computerized voter registration.

§ 163-82. 12. Promulgation of guidelines relating to computerized voter registration.

The State Board of Elections shall make all guidelines necessary to administer the statewide voter registration system established by this Article. All county boards of elections shall follow these guidelines and cooperate with the State Board of Elections in implementing guidelines. These guidelines shall include provisions for all of the following: Establishing, developing, and maintaining a computerized central voter registration file. Linking the central file through a network with computerized voter registration files in each of the counties. Interacting with the computerized drivers license records of the Division of Motor Vehicles and with the computerized records of other public agencies authorized to accept voter registration applications. Protecting and securing the data. Converting current voter registration records in the counties in computer files that can be used on the statewide computerized registration system. Enabling the statewide system to determine whether the voter identification information provided by an individual is valid. Enabling the statewide system to interact electronically with the Division of Motor Vehicles system to validate identification information. Enabling the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide real-time interface for the validation of the drivers license number and last four digits of the social security number. Notifying voter-registration applicants whose drivers license or last four digits of social security number does not result in a validation, attempting to resolve the discrepancy, initiating investigations under G.S. 163-33(3) or challenges under Article 8 of this Chapter where warranted, and notifying any voters of the requirement under G.S. 163-166.12(b2) to present identification when voting. Enabling the statewide system to assign a unique identifier to each legally registered voter in the State. Enabling the State Board of Elections to assist the Division of Motor Vehicles in providing to the jury commission of each county, as required by G.S. 20-43.4, a list of all registered voters in the county and all persons in the county with drivers license records. History (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 762, s. 2; 2003-226, s. 7(a); 2007-391, s. 21(b); 2008-187, s. 33(a); 2013-410, s. 14(a); 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 4.5(c).) Editor's Note. - This section was recodified as now former G.S. 163A-875 by Session Laws 2017-6, s. 3. Former G.S. 163A-875 was then re-recodified as this section by Session Laws 2018-146, s. 3.1(a), effective January 31, 2019. The historical citation from the former section has been added to this section as re-recodified. Session Laws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 769, ss. 16 and 16.1, provided for a needs assessment and requirements analysis for computerized voter registration, Session Laws 1995, c. 507, s. 13.2 provided for the promulgation of rules for a statewide computerized voter registration system, and Session Laws 1997-443, s. 31, provided for a statewide data elections management system to prescribe data format, data communication, and data content standards. Session Laws 2003-226, s. 1, provides: "The purpose of this act is to ensure that the State of North Carolina has a system for all North Carolina elections that complies with the requirements for federal elections set forth in the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252, 116 Stat. 1666 (2002), codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 15481-15485. "The General Assembly finds that the education and training of election officials as required by G.S. 163-82.34 has met and continues to meet the mandate for the education and training of precinct officials and other election officials in section 254(a)(3) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The General Assembly further finds that the establishment, development, and continued operation of the statewide list maintenance program for voter registration set forth in G.S. 163-82.14 has met and continues to meet the mandates of section 303(a)(2) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. "In certain other areas of the election statutes and other laws, the General Assembly finds that the statutes must be amended to comply with the Help America Vote Act." Session Laws 2007-391, s. 1(c), was amended by Session Laws 2008-198, s. 33(a), to eliminate any confusion as to the effective dates of the 2007 act. Session Laws 2007-391, s. 20, is effective August 19, 2007. Session Laws 2018-146, s. 3.1(b), effective January 31, 2019, repealed Session Laws 2017-6, s. 3, which had recodified this section. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2007-391, s. 21(b), effective August 19, 2007, added subdivision (8b). Session Laws 2013-410, s. 14(a), effective August 23, 2013, substituted "G.S. 163-166.12(b2)" for "G.S. 163-166.2(b2)" in subdivision (8b). Session Laws 2018-146, s. 4.5(c), effective December 27, 2018, deleted the undesignated paragraph at the end of this section. Legal Periodicals. - For comment, "Applying Risk Regulation Principles to New Public Policy Domains: A Case Study on Voter Identification Laws," see 48 Wake Forest L. Rev. 515 (2013).