We are fortunate to live in a state where it is easy to take the right to vote for granted. But not everyone in North Carolina finds the path to the ballot box easy. Many people risk losing wages for taking time off to vote. Others have childcare or transportation considerations that make voting difficult. Still others do not realize they need to change their voter registration information until it is too late.


Although these modern realities all affect democracy, for many, many years the way we voted in NC did not change. Fortunately, NC is finding ways to modify its electoral policies to make sure people are not inadvertently left out of the voting process. Democracy North Carolina has helped win such electoral reforms as Early Voting, Sunday Voting and Same-Day Registration, and we continue to advocate for modern democracy reforms that make voting more accessible without compromising ballot security. Many of these reforms become part of our Democracy Agenda or form the basis for our grassroots organizing.

 

Update: these hard-won rights are coming under systematic attack in the NC General Assembly. Please visit our Take Action Center for more on what you can do to protect these important voting rights.

Working Both Inside & Outside of the System

As we work for change, we remain mindful that our local boards of elections (BOEs) do an amazing job each year with limited staff and resources. That’s why we never pursue reform without consulting with BOE representatives during the advocacy process. We ask for their input on new policies and for help evaluating the impact, costs and practicality of proposed changes.

 

But we also work outside the system, using citizen advocacy and the efforts of our Democracy Advocates to push BOE’s and elected officials to approve needed reforms. This dual approach sets us apart from other groups with a less system-oriented focus.

Our Reform Priorities  

Our current electoral reform priorities include:

• Continued Expansion of Early Voting.
• Same Day Registration on Election Day.
• Instant Run-Off Voting.
• Electoral College Reform.
  

 

You can see how we are advocating for these concerns by taking a look at our Democracy Agenda for 2009 to 2010. We intend to win these reforms by engaging people across North Carolina in our efforts. Review our activities section for more on how we promote electoral reform.