North Carolina counties have begun distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who requested them, although the process started roughly two weeks later than expected due to a legal challenge. The State Board of Elections reported that over 207,000 absentee ballot requests had been received as of early Monday, with more than 19,000 coming from military and overseas voters. Completed ballots have already been returned, and the distribution of ballots to military and overseas voters started earlier than regular mail-in ballots in order to comply with federal law.
The deadline to request a traditional absentee ballot by mail is Oct. 29, and a new law that took effect this year requires those mail-in absentee ballots for most voters to be received by election officials by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, whether in person or through the mail. However, military and overseas voters have different request and return deadlines. North Carolina saw a surge in absentee ballots during the 2020 general election due to COVID-19, with about 1 million such ballots cast. The number of absentee ballots for the upcoming November 2022 midterm election is expected to be around 188,000.
State law originally directed that the first absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, which would have made North Carolina the first in the nation to send out ballots for the fall elections. However, the distribution was delayed after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sought his removal as a presidential candidate, leading to the need for election officials to print new ballots and reassemble absentee voter packets. Appeals court judges intervened to prevent ballots containing Kennedy’s name from being sent out, further delaying the process.
The distribution of absentee ballots is a crucial part of the election process, especially as North Carolina anticipates a high voter turnout for the November general election. The State Board of Elections has been working diligently to ensure that all eligible voters who requested absentee ballots receive them in a timely manner. With the challenges posed by the legal dispute over Kennedy’s candidacy, election officials have had to adjust their timelines and procedures to accommodate the changes and maintain the integrity of the voting process.
As the distribution of absentee ballots continues in North Carolina, voters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the deadlines and requirements for requesting and returning their ballots. The State Board of Elections is committed to ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election, whether through mail-in absentee ballots or in-person voting. The delays caused by the legal challenge have presented additional hurdles for election officials, but they remain dedicated to upholding the integrity of the election process and providing voters with the resources they need to cast their ballots.
