CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On March 15, every county election board in North Carolina will vote to officially certify the 2024 Primary election results.
The primary was the first election under a new state law that says mail-in ballots must be in by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Before the new law was passed, there was a three-day grace period for mail-in ballots.
Voting activists say the change discounts legitimate votes but supporters call the law "common sense."
"It was very unnecessary, very unfair to voters," Bob Phillips with Common Cause told WCNC Charlotte.
According to data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections given to WCNC Charlotte, the 2020 Presidential Primary had 800 absentee ballots that were marked as "returned after deadline" and not counted. That election had a 31% turnout of registered voters and a three-day grace period for mail-in ballots.
So far this year, 999 absentee ballots have been received after the 7:30 p.m. Election Day deadline. These ballots cannot be counted since they missed the new deadline. The NC primary election had a 24% voter turnout and no grace period. A board spokesperson said that number will increase since they are still receiving ballots.
"There are people right now who did everything right … and through no fault of their own, but the mail service not getting their ballot in time to the county board of elections, their vote won't count," Phillips said.
Phillips argued the new deadline hurts all absentee voters, regardless of their party affiliation.
"This law ... is going to contribute to that feeling that something is wrong with our elections," Phillips added.
Supporters, like the North Carolina Republican Party, argue the new voting laws restore trust in elections.
An NCGOP spokesperson provided the following statement to WCNC Charlotte:
"The changes enacted by the General Assembly to strengthen election integrity and create one singular deadline worked as intended. These laws are reasonable, common sense efforts to create certainty and transparency in the election process."
County election boards are required to notify voters if their vote was not counted and explain why. That process will begin after the election is certified.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.