The North Carolina State Board of Elections is sending a second round of Registration Repair letters to voters whose registration records are missing either a driver’s license number (DL#) or the last four digits of their Social Security number (SSN4), as required by state and federal law. These mailings were sent out today.
This second mailing is required under the State Board’s legal settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in United States of America v. North Carolina State Board of Elections. The settlement directs the agency to conduct multiple outreach efforts to ensure voters have the opportunity to provide the identification information necessary to update their registration records.
The State Board is contacting voters whose records still lack a driver’s license number or social security number despite earlier outreach. The letters encourage recipients to provide the required information in one of the following ways:
By mail: Complete and sign the form at the bottom of the letter and return it in the enclosed prepaid envelope.
Online: Voters with an N.C. driver’s license or DMV-issued ID may update their registration through the secure NCDMV website at payments.ncdot.gov at no cost.
In person: Visit the county board of elections office to provide the missing information. Registration cannot be updated by phone.
“It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s free,” said Sam Hayes, executive director of the State Board. “We strongly encourage all voters who receive these letters to act as soon as possible. Providing this information now helps ensure a smooth experience the next time they vote.”
North Carolinians can search whether they are on the list via the Registration Repair Search Tool, which is updated daily. (Note: If you receive a letter but have already repaired your registration and no longer appear on the list, you do not have to take any additional action.)
As with the first mailing, county boards of elections will process any returned letters that contain updated identification information.
County boards should continue to hold undeliverable letters. The State Board is finalizing a process that will limit the work required of counties while ensuring all list-maintenance requirements are properly followed.
In future elections, in-person voters who have not provided the required identification information will be directed to vote a provisional ballot. The provisional application includes prompts for DL# or SSN4, and once provided and validated, the ballot will count. Poll workers will receive training on the process, and a flag will be added to affected voter records in the electronic or paper poll books.