Bill Summary for S 656 (2017-2018)

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Summary date: 

Oct 5 2017

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2017-2018 Session
Senate Bill 656 (Public) Filed Tuesday, April 4, 2017
AN ACT TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF A "POLITICAL PARTY" BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW POLITICAL PARTY AND FOR UNAFFILIATED CANDIDATES TO OBTAIN BALLOT ACCESS ELIGIBILITY; TO AUTHORIZE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES RECOGNIZED IN A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF STATES IN THE PRIOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION; TO CHANGE TIMING OF FILING OF PETITIONS; TO REDUCE THE THRESHOLD FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PLURALITY TO THIRTY PERCENT; AND TO ELIMINATE JUDICIAL PRIMARIES FOR THE 2018 GENERAL ELECTION.
Intro. by Brock.

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Bill summary

Conference report #2 makes the following changes to the 4th edition.

Makes changes identical to those made in conference report #1 with the following exceptions.

Retains changes to GS 163-122 requiring voters filing a petition to have the voter's name printed on the general election ballot as an unaffiliated candidate for a district office other than General Assembly to file the petition on or before noon on the day of the primary election and requires that the petition be signed by qualified voters of the district equal in number to 1.5% of the total number of registered voters in the district. Adds that the petition must be signed by at least 200 registered voters from each of three (was, at least three) congressional districts in North Carolina. 

Removes district attorneys from the specified offices for which no party primaries are to be held for candidates seeking those offices in the general election held on November 6, 2018. Makes conforming changes. 

Makes a technical correction to the statutory reference in the provisions concerning party affiliation indication on notices for candidacy.