New voting laws change elections for New Hanover County

The North Carolina General Assembly recently passed three landmark legislative bills that change the way local candidates run for office and, among other things, provide an easier means for elderly and military voters to cast their ballots.
The new session laws were approved by Governor Beverly Perdue in late August.
The laws become effective in December, after this year’s county-wide municipal elections. The changes will have no bearing on how candidates or voters conduct themselves leading up to Election Day this November.
“But this is very important for anyone looking to become a candidate in the 2010 election and from that point forth,” said Bonnie Williams, director of the New Hanover County Board of Elections.
For candidates, the campaign finance reporting threshold was lowered by $2,000, a clear attempt to promote greater public oversight of campaign spending.
This election season, municipal candidates in New Hanover County do not have to file campaign finance reports unless they collect or spend more than $3,000.
Candidates in 2010 will have to file reports as soon as they reach $1,000.
In Wrightsville Beach, mayoral candidate David Cignotti has already filed over that mark; incumbent Mayor Stephen K. Whalen has not.
Also, none of the Board of Aldermen candidates have filed over the threshold.
For voters, the most significant changes were made to absentee balloting.
Presently, voters who use absentee ballots are required to have two eyewitnesses present to observe the marking of the ballot. After December, absentee voters will only need one eyewitness.
The changes make it easier for members of the military, couples that live in remote areas and elderly married couples that live by themselves to cast their ballots, Williams said.
The laws also extend the deadline for returning absentee ballots, a measure that is clearly designed to jump the hurdles of getting mail to and from the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, underscoring a national initiative to make it easier on the country’s military men and women.
“A sincere effort has been put forth to see how we can better the process for these military voters so they’re not disenfranchised,” Williams said, “because they (the military) are working outside of a normal situation.”
Also included in the laws is a provision that allows qualified 16-year-olds to preregister to vote.
By preregistering, that person will be automatically registered upon reaching the age of 18, following verification of the person’s qualifications and address.

-- Brian Freskos