State Rep. Rodney D. Pierce today introduced legislation proposing a constitutional amendment to guarantee North Carolinians the right to vote early in person and preserve key features of the state's widely used early voting system.

House Bill 1240 would establish a constitutional minimum of 14 days of in-person early voting for primary and general elections, protect same-day registration during the early voting period, and require counties to provide sufficient staffing, polling locations, and resources to meet voter demand while preserving the authority of local election officials to administer elections. 

Democratic Representatives Renee Price, Zack Hawkins, and Marcia Morey join Pierce as primary sponsors of HB 1240.

If approved by three-fifths of the members of both the North Carolina House and Senate, the proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to voters statewide for final approval in November.

"Early voting has become one of North Carolina's greatest election success stories," said Pierce, who represents House District 27. "This amendment doesn't reinvent our election system. It protects the core features of a system that millions of North Carolinians already know, trust, and use."

North Carolina has been recognized nationally for its in-person early voting system since pioneering one-stop early voting in 2000, allowing eligible voters to register and vote during the same visit. 

Today, early voting is the preferred method of voting for most North Carolinians.

In the 2024 general election, more than 4.2 million voters cast ballots during the early

voting period, setting a new state record. 

Nearly three out of every four voters chose to vote before Election Day. 

In March’s primaries, over 712,000 voters voted early, a state record for a midterm primary. Early voting participation has remained consistently strong across urban and rural communities and among voters of every political affiliation.

"Early voting isn't a partisan issue, it’s how North Carolinians vote," Pierce said. "Of the eleven counties with the highest rates of early voting participation in the last general election, eight are represented by Republicans in the General Assembly and three are represented by Democrats. Voters across our state have embraced this system because it provides flexibility while maintaining election integrity."

Pierce emphasized that the amendment protects existing voting opportunities without mandating new requirements for counties.

Specifically, the proposal:

Guarantees the constitutional right to vote early in person in primary and general elections.

Establishes a minimum of 14 days of early voting.

Preserves same-day voter registration during the early voting period.

Requires weekday early voting sites to remain open until at least 6 p.m.

Requires counties to provide sufficient staffing, sites, and resources to accommodate voters while allowing local election officials to determine where early voting sites are located.

The amendment does not require counties to offer Sunday voting, establish a minimum number of early voting sites, or appropriate additional state funding for elections. 

It simply preserves counties' authority to offer Sunday voting and the General Assembly's authority to help counties pay for election administration.

In developing the proposal, Pierce sought input from the North Carolina Association of Directors of Elections, whose members administer elections in all 100 counties.

"Our election administrators understand better than anyone what works for voters," Pierce said. "Their practical experience helped shape this proposal because good election policy should be informed by the professionals responsible for carrying it out."

Pierce said the amendment is intended to provide long-term certainty for voters and election officials by protecting a voting method that has become central to North Carolina elections.

"Constitutions exist to protect principles we believe are fundamental," Pierce said. "Millions of North Carolinians have come to rely on early voting. This amendment ensures that future generations will continue to have meaningful access to the ballot while preserving the flexibility local officials need to administer elections effectively."