NCEIT’s POLL OBSERVER BILL
§ 163-45. Observers; appointment, access and permitted activity
(a) The chair of each political party in the county shall have the right to designate two observers to attend each voting place at eachlocation during early voting one stop early voting, the primary and during each election day, and such observers may, at the option of the designating party chair, be relieved during the day of the primary or election after serving no less than four hours and provided the list required by this section to be filed by each chair contains the names of all persons authorized to represent such chair's political party. The chair of each political party in the county shall have the right to designate 10 additional at-large observers who are residents of that county who may attend any voting place in that county. The chair of each political party in the State shall have the right to designate up to 100 additional at-large observers who are residents of the State who may attend any voting place in the State. The list submitted by the chair of the political party may be amended between the one-stop period under G.S. 163-227.2, 163-227.5, and 163-227.6 and general election day to substitute one or all at-large observers for election day. Not more than two site-specific observers from the same political party shall be permitted in the voting enclosure at any time, except that in addition one of the and up to two at-large observers from each party may also be in the voting enclosure, provided no more than a total of three observers from the same political party are physically present in the voting enclosure at any time. This right shall not extend to the chair of a political party during a primary unless that party is participating in the primary. In any election in which an unaffiliated candidate is named on the ballot, the candidate or the candidate's campaign manager shall have the right to appoint two observers for each voting place consistent with the provisions specified herein. Persons appointed as observers by the chair of a county political party must be registered voters of the county for which they are appointed and must have good moral character. Persons appointed as at-large observers by the chair of a State political party must be registered voters of the State and must have good moral character. No person who is a candidate on the ballot in a primary or election may serve as an observer or runner in that primary or election. Observers shall take no oath of office.
(b) Individuals authorized to appoint observers County or State political party chairs maymust submit a list of names of observers appointed by them electronically or in writing to the Director of the County Board of Elections. The Director shall supply the lists of site-specific observers for each voting location and the at-large observers to the chief judge and site supervisor for each voting location. of each precinct a signed list of the observers appointed for that precinct except that the list of at-large observers authorized in subsection (a) of this section shall be submitted to the county director of elections. Individuals authorized to appoint observers must provide their lists of appointed observers, prior to 10:00 A.M. on the fifth day before the observer is to serve prior to any.day, primary or general election, submit in writing to the chair of the county board of elections two signed copies of a list of observers appointed by them, designating the precinct or at-large status for which each observer is appointed. Before the opening of the voting place on the day(s) of a primary or general election, the chairDirector shall deliver one copiesy of the precinct specific observer lists and the list of at-large observers, to the chief judge or site supervisor for each affected precinct voting location. except that the list of at-large observers shall be provided by the county director of elections to the chief judge. The chair shall retain the other copy. The chair, or the chief judge and judges for each affected precinct, may for good cause reject any appointee and require that another be appointed. The names of any persons appointed in place of those persons rejected shall be furnished in writing to the chief judge of each affected precinct no later than the time for opening the voting place on the day of any primary or general election, either by the chair of the county board of elections or the person making the substitute appointment.