RALEIGH – A day after the NC General Assembly approved House Bill 1169 on a bipartisan vote, Gov. Roy Cooper signed the measure into law on Friday. The bill incorporates a variety of key recommendations from election administrators and democracy advocates to make voting safer and more accessible amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the provisions in House Bill 1169:

• Binabawasan ang kinakailangan ng testigo sa balota ng absentee mula dalawa hanggang isa
• Allows voters to submit an absentee ballot request form via email, online portal, fax, mail or in person (prior to this bill, NC voters could submit an absentee ballot request form only by mail or in person)
• Nagbibigay ng higit na kakayahang umangkop sa mga county kung saan sila nagtatalaga ng mga manggagawa sa botohan, na mas mahusay na nagpapahintulot sa kanila na tugunan ang mga posibleng kakulangan ng manggagawa sa botohan sa mga presinto
• Naglalaan ng katugmang pondo ng estado upang samantalahin ang pederal na CARES Act at pera ng HAVA
• Naglalaan ng mga pondo sa mga county upang maghanda para sa mga halalan sa gitna ng COVID-19, kabilang ang pagbili ng mga personal na kagamitan sa proteksyon para gamitin sa mga lugar ng botohan at pagtaas ng recruitment at kompensasyon ng mga manggagawa sa botohan
• Naglalaan ng mga pondo para sa seguridad sa halalan at pagpapatuloy ng mga operasyon kung sakaling magkaroon ng sakuna

“As we’ve seen recently in states such as Georgia and Wisconsin, we face unprecedented challenges in holding elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The clock is ticking with less than five months before Election Day and it is crucial that North Carolina prepares now to meet those challenges. While it is not perfect and more could be done, House Bill 1169 is a significant and positive step toward ensuring every voter is able to safely and securely cast a ballot in this year’s elections. We applaud this bipartisan effort,” said Bob Phillips, executive director ng Common Cause NC. “The key next step is to make sure all voters are aware of these changes, especially when it comes to the additional ways that absentee ballots can be requested at a time when we’re likely to see record numbers of North Carolinians wishing to vote by mail.”

A controversial provision in the bill that is unrelated to COVID-19 relief – and that was opposed by Common Cause NC and other pro-democracy groups – deals with voter ID. It is important to note that a court injunction has blocked the implementation of voter ID requirements in North Carolina. This bill’s provision does not supersede the court order that remains in place blocking voter ID. As such, voter ID will not be required unless the court rules otherwise. Common Cause NC opposes discriminatory voter ID requirements that create unfair barriers to voting.

Ang Common Cause NC ay isang nonpartisan, grassroots na organisasyon na nakatuon sa pagtataguyod ng mga pangunahing halaga ng demokrasya ng Amerika.