North Carolina is making it easier to register online to vote or to make registration changes through the Division of Motor Vehicles.
The State Board of Elections and the DMV announced this week that people with North Carolina driver's licenses or division-issued IDs can make registration changes on a website without completing a DMV transaction at the same time, which has been required.
The expanded services are free and were already being worked on before the COVID-19 outbreak caused most county election boards to close their offices to the public. The state is also now under a stay-at-home order.
"We’re excited for this new service. It’s another way we can help North Carolina voters while we practice social distancing,” state elections executive director Karen Brinson Bell said in a release.
Registration modifications that can be performed include changing one's address or political party. Name changes can't be completed. Online registration allows the signature DMV has on file for the person to be affixed to the person's registration application.
County boards will still follow voter security protocols and send by regular mail confirmations of these new and updated registrations.
People with neither a driver's license nor DMV-issued ID still must fill out paper voter registration forms and return them to their local election board office.
