Elections 2020: Voting & COVID-19

With the spread of COVID-19, some people are concerned about how elections will be conducted safely this fall. Voting laws were changed in June to make it easier for people to vote from home using absentee ballots.

The general election on Nov. 3 will elect a variety of officials who can influence issues related to autism, disabilities, education, health and human services, and rights. As a nonprofit organization, ASNC does not become directly involved in elections or campaigns, but we want you to understand your right to vote, how to vote, and where to get accurate information.

How to Register to Vote

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9. To register, you must fill out a registration form and mail it to your county board of elections office. Download the form from the NC State Board of Elections (SBOE) website. You can also register online through the NC Division of Motor Vehicles website at https:// bit.ly/30i6HTa.

To update your registration, see the SBOE website for instructions and forms or update your info online through the DMV.

Absentee Ballot Voting

At home/absentee ballot request forms can be found on the SBOE website or by calling your local board of elections. All request forms are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 25.

Two important features of the new rules:

1. Only one witness is required to sign your absentee ballot.

2. People with disabilities who need assistance and do not have a close relative to help them can ask for a local Multipartisan Assistance Team to help them get and complete a ballot.

Other Absentee Ballot reminders:

• Follow the instructions on the form for providing proof of the voter’s information, including an ID number.

• Your ballot must be marked in the presence of a witness then sealed into the return envelope (specifically for the ballot). The witness must complete the Absentee Application and Certificate on the envelope and sign it. Anyone assisting must also sign.

• Ballots can be mailed or delivered in person, but only the voter, guardian, or relative/near relative can deliver them. If delivered in person, ballots must be received by the county board of elections by 5 p.m. Nov. 3. If mailed, ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received within three days after the election.

• Note: By federal law, those who live overseas or are in the military stationed out of the country have other options and requirements. Please consult the SBOE website.

Accessible Voting and Voting in a Facility

Do you need assistance to vote, or live in a facility and don’t have a relative to request an absentee ballot?

• Voting sites should be accessible to all voters, including those with disabilities.

• By law, voters can receive assistance from an immediate family member in the voting booth and with ballots. Voters who have physical disabilities, are illiterate, or are blind and prevented by those conditions from accessing the voting booth and filling out a ballot may request assistance from non-relatives (but not union reps, employers, or agents thereof).

• Voters at all locations can also receive help to vote curbside at or in their vehicle if they encounter barriers or have difficulties leaving their vehicle to vote. The voter must swear an oath that they need to vote in this manner and are not required to show proof of a condition or disability.

• People living in facilities can request help to vote absentee from Multipartisan Assistance Teams. Typically, the facility can contact the local board of elections to schedule a visit from the local team, but the request must be initiated by the voter/residents; facility staff are prohibited from being involved in the voting activities of residents. There is a checkbox on the absentee ballot request to ask whether assistance is needed.

Voting in Person

You can vote in person at an early voting site Oct. 15-31 or at your polling place on Nov. 3. Check with your local board of elections or the SBOE website for early voting locations and times. If you plan to vote Nov. 3, be sure to check your polling place, as some may have changed.

Do I need identification? NO, except for one-stop voting.

Can I register and vote the same day? Yes, but ONLY at onestop early voting sites. For details about what documents and forms are required, visit the SBOE website. One-stop voting does require you to provide a photo ID. g

Have questions about public policy or advocating? Contact Jennifer Mahan, Director of Public Policy at ASNC, at 919-865-5068 or by email at jmahan@autismsociety-nc.org.