Felons not in NC jails or prisons may register to vote, starting July 27

Starting Wednesday, July 27, 2022 anyone serving a felony sentence in North Carolina who is not in jail or prison may register to vote. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — Starting Wednesday, anyone serving a felony sentence in North Carolina who is not in jail or prison may register to vote.

The State Board of Elections announced on Tuesday that under an old North Carolina statute, a person needed to wait until the end of their sentence to be eligible to register, even if they were on parole.

A panel of trial judges struck down the law in March, declaring it violates the state constitution largely because it discriminates against Black residents.

Earlier this year, a state superior court determined denying voting rights to paroled felons violates the state constitution.

“This means that, for the time being, any person serving a felony sentence outside of prison or jail is eligible to register to vote and vote,” the State Board of Elections said in a press release. “Those in jail or prison for a felony conviction are not allowed to register or vote. If a person is in jail awaiting trial for a felony but has not yet been convicted, they retain their voting rights. In North Carolina, a person never loses their voting rights for a misdemeanor conviction.”

More than 56,000 people in North Carolina were prevented from registering under the challenged law, according to evidence cited in a 2021 trial. There are more than 7.3 million registered voters in North Carolina.

As of July 27, the State Board will update its website and voter registration forms and other voting-related documents to reflect this new information on felon eligibility. The agency will update this information upon any further order of the courts.

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Felons not in NC jails or prisons may register to vote, starting July 27