Numbered Memo 2012-14: Voter Registration and Voting Process for Second Primaries

1. Before the canvassing of the 2012 primary election can be completed, all in‐person registration issues in the VoterScan Review or Incomplete queues need to be resolved. Please take the following steps to resolve these issues:
   • If the application cannot be processed due to missing information, then the voter must be contacted and asked to correct the deficiency. As long as the registrant meets all of the appropriate qualifications, then his vote should count.
   • If the applicant fails to meet the qualification requirements of voter registration, then the normal denial process must be followed and pursuant to G.S. § 163‐6A, the person's vote cannot be counted.
   • Voters who were already registered prior to the voter registration deadline for the primary, and were otherwise eligible to vote, but attempted to change their party affiliation during the one-stop period, cannot have their partisan votes counted. An individual’s party affiliation may not be changed during the one‐stop voting period before any first or second partisan primary in which the individual is eligible to vote. See G.S. § 163‐82.6A(e). These one‐stop applicants were not qualified to vote a different party’s ballot in the May primary and pursuant to subsection (d) of this statue, “a person’s vote shall be counted unless the county board determines that the applicant is not qualified to vote in accordance with the provisions” of the law. Their nonpartisan votes can be counted. You may process their party affiliation changes after July 17, 2012, the date of the second primary.
2. Processing Voter Registration Applications. In preparation for the second primary, county boards may process the following voter registration applications at this time:
   • Unreported moves within the county that were allowed by provisional ballot or precinct transfer.
   • Any voter registration application, regardless of source, that reports a change of name or address within the county.
   • The following voter registration applications may not be processed at this time:
     • Changes of party affiliation.
     • New registration within a county.
     • Process party affiliation changes and new registrations after July 17, 2012. 
3. In‐Person Registration. There will be no in‐person registration during the one‐stop absentee voting period for the second primary. Name and address changes may be accepted. See G.S. § 163‐82.6A(e).
4. Unaffiliated Voters Participation in the Second Primary. Unaffiliated voters may participate in the second primary under the following guidelines:
   • UNA voters who voted DEM in the first primary, may only vote DEM in the second primary.
   • UNA voters who voted REP in the first primary, may only vote REP in the second primary.
   • UNA voters who voted UNA in the first primary, may not vote in the second primary.
   • UNA voters who did not vote in the first primary, may vote in the second primary and vote their choice of ballot, if a ballot choice is applicable to the county or precinct in which they reside.
5. One‐stop Absentee Voting. One‐stop absentee voting for the second primary will be conducted between June 28, 2012 through July 14, 2012. There will be no one‐stop voting on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 because the date is a state and county holiday. Please be sure that you include this information in your publication notices for the second primary.
6. Civilian Absentee Voting. Any voter who indicated on that voter’s absentee application for the first primary that he or she would like to request an absentee ballot for the second primary if one is called, shall automatically be issued an application and absentee ballot for the second primary. In addition, a voter entitled to request an absentee ballot who did not make application for the primary or who failed to apply for a second primary ballot at the time of application for a first primary ballot may make a written request for absentee ballots for a second primary not later than July 10, 2012.
7. UOCAVA Absentee Voting. As soon as ballots are available, county boards must send all applicable UOCAVA voters a ballot. You must send these ballots no later than Saturday, June 2, 2012 in order to meet the federal 45‐day deadline. No Exceptions! The ballot must be transmitted according to the voters’ preference. You must notify the State Board of Elections no later than Wednesday, May 30, 2012 if there are concerns that you will not have your ballots in time to meet the federal mandate. In addition, please be sure that you link the pdf‐formatted UOCAVA ballots in SEIMS’ Ballot Style application in order to generate UOCAVA ballot packets that will be transmitted electronically.
   
   If the UOCAVA voter is registered as unaffiliated and did not specify a ballot style for the first primary, then the county board is not required to issue a ballot to the voter for the second primary.
   
   County boards must prepare a UOCAVA Election Notice to be used in conjunction with the federal write‑in absentee ballot. It must be prepared, no later than May 17, 2012. The second primary has been added to all counties and the election setup database. Eligible contests (you will need to “create” the contests) and applicable candidates (you can “copy” the candidates) for the second primary can now be added into Election Setup.

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