AI Image
‘Don’t let them take away your vote’: North Carolina governor slams 'infuriating' ballot rejections caused by new GOP restrictions
Democracy Docket • • nation
Key Points:
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein criticized the state election board for implementing strict new mail voting rules that have doubled absentee ballot rejection rates compared to 2022, particularly impacting Democratic areas.
- The new rules, approved in a party-line vote shortly before ballots were mailed, require voters to seal an inner envelope containing their ballot before placing it in an outer envelope, with a separate restriction limiting ballot assistance to "near-relatives."
- Some counties report about 2.5% of mail ballots being rejected under the new rules, while certain Democratic strongholds face rejection rates as high as 7-8%.
- A pro-voting group sued to overturn the new absentee ballot rules, but a federal judge upheld them, maintaining the stricter requirements.
- Gov. Stein urged voters to plan to vote in person if possible and, if voting by mail, to carefully follow the new envelope sealing instructions to avoid having their ballots rejected.
