Bill Summary for S 656 (2017-2018)
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| View NCGA Bill Details | 2017-2018 Session |
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
House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.
Amends the long title.
Modifies proposed changes to GS 163-96(a) to reduce the number of required signatures of qualified voters in the State to register a political party to .25% of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for Governor (current law: 2%; 3rd edition: 10,000 votes, regardless of the percentage of votes in the most recent election for Governor).
Modifies proposed changes to GS 163-122(a) as follows.
For elections to statewide office: Changes the deadline by which the required number of signatures of qualified voters to print an unaffiliated candidate's name on the ballot must be filed to the date of the primary election (current law: the second Wednesday prior to the primary election; 3rd edition: the last Friday in June preceding the general election). Reduces the number of required signatures of qualified voters in the state to have an unaffiliated candidate's name printed on the general election ballot to 1.5% of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for Governor (current law: 2%; 3rd edition: 5,000 votes, regardless of the percentage of votes in the most recent election for Governor). Deletes the proposed change to when the State Board of Elections must have such a timely filed petition verified.
For elections to district offices in which the district lies in more than one county: requires a petition for an unaffiliated candidate's name to be printed on the general election ballot to be filed by noon on the day of the primary election (current law: second Wednesday prior to the primary election; 3rd edition: last Friday in June preceding the general election).
For elections to county office, or single-county legislative districts: makes changes identical to those for district offices, described above. Deletes the proposed amendment to when the county board of elections must have such a timely filed petition verified.
For elections to partisan municipal office: deletes the proposed amendment to when the county board of elections have such a timely filed petition verified.
For elections to superior court judge or district court judge: also requires the petition to be filed with the Board of Elections on or before noon on the day of the primary election.