HEADS UP! Action required! NC Republicans are trying to make it illegal to register people to vote!

[CousinIT]

From Democracy North Carolina....

House Bill 127 has been calendared for Tuesday!

House Bill 127 would make it a Class 2 Misdemeanor to use the official voter registration form, potentially resulting in a jail sentence of up to 60 days for those simply trying to help others participate in democracy. As a point of reference, this would put registering voters at the same level as assault and reckless driving in terms of criminalization. Criminalizing non-profits and individuals who assist with voter registration is not only an attack on our democratic values, but it also creates an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty for those simply trying to help others exercise their freedom to vote.

HB127 will be heard at 10am on Tuesday, June 3, at the NC General Assembly in Raleigh. If you’re in the area, we encourage you to attend the meeting! Do you have personal experience with voter registration? Would you be interested in sharing your story as part of a public comment? Click here for some guidance on how to develop your remarks, or reply to this email and we’ll help you get signed up!

Fannie Lou Hamer said, "We want to register to vote because we want to be free," highlighting the connection between voting rights and freedom. Voter registration drives are essential for reaching eligible voters, especially Black and Latine communities, naturalized citizens, and those without a high school diploma. Criminalizing voter registration efforts would create another barrier to accessing the ballot, ultimately limiting the freedom to participate in our democracy.

We must keep voter registration decriminalized and vote "NO" on HB 127!

Now is the time to come together and ensure our most vulnerable neighbors are protected and the freedom to participate in our democracy prevails.

LINKS and information:

About HB127:
https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H127

MESSAGE YOUR LAWMAKERS:
https://action.democracync.org/a/hb-127

How to develop your remarks if you attend the hearing at 10am on Tuesday June 3rd at the NC General Assembly in Raleigh:
https://democracync.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HB-127_-Giving-Public-Testimony-Guide.pdf

[kimbutgar]

1. Hopefully between the governor vetoing it or the courts striking it down as illegal

This is insane!

[Jilly_in_VA]

2. Oh FFS

Not this shit again.

[Silent Type]

3. Here's the proposed legislation. Doesn't sound particularly nefarious.

https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewBillDocument/2025/526/0/DRH40090-LUe-4B

[littlemissmartypants]

4. There's not even any information, that I can find, posted that describes this bill as you're referencing it.

Plus, the NCGA no longer has a full Republican supermajority. Therefore, Republicans have lost the power to override vetoes unchallenged.

Please supply more pertinent information because this appears to be incomplete and kind of alarmist,
TBH.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025H


H.B. 127
[Filed:]
Feb 13, 2025

HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
HOUSE BILL DRH40090-LUe-4B

Short Title: Voter Registration Drive Form.

(Public)Sponsors: Representative Warren.

Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO DEVELOP A SAMPLE
3 VOTER REGISTRATION FORM TO BE USED FOR ORGANIZED VOTER
4 REGISTRATION DRIVES.
5 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
6 SECTION 1. G.S. 163-82.5 reads as rewritten:
7 "§ 163-82.5. Distribution of application forms.
8 The State Board of Elections shall make the forms described in G.S. 163-82.3 available for
9 distribution through governmental and private entities, with particular emphasis on making them 10 available for organized voter registration drives.entities."
11 SECTION 2. Article 7A of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by
12 adding a new section to read:
13 "§ 163-82.5A. Sample voter registration drive forms.
14 (a) The State Board shall develop a sample voter registration form to be used for
15 organized voter registration drives. The form shall be given an appearance that clearly
16 distinguishes it from the voter registration application form as described in G.S. 163-82.3. The
17 form shall include a disclaimer that it is not an official registration application form for voting
18 purposes. The form may display the contents of what is required on the application form as set
19 forth in G.S. 163-82.4(a) for informational purposes only and shall not provide spaces for an 20 individual to fill in the individual's personal information. The form shall include the following 21 information:
22 (1) Where to obtain an official voter registration application form.
23 (2) Where to return completed voter registration application forms in person.
24 (3) How to register online.
25 (4) A list of important dates, including the deadline for registering to vote and
26 dates for any primary or general elections during the election cycle, or how to
27 find important dates online.
28 (b) The State Board shall make the sample voter registration forms available to county
29 boards of elections for distribution in accordance with this section.
30 (c) An organization seeking to sponsor or conduct a voter registration drive shall register
31 with the county board of elections in the county in which the voter registration drive is to be held. 32 In registering with the county board of elections, the organization shall provide the following:
33 (1) The name of the organization conducting the voter registration drive.
34 (2) The hierarchical structure within the organization.
35 (3) The number of sample voter registration forms requested.*DRH40090-LUe-4B*

Page Two
General Assembly Of North Carolina
Session 20251
1 (4) Whether individuals participating in the voter registration drive are paid
2 employees or volunteers of the organization.
3 (5) The duration of the voter registration drive.
4 (6)The physical location from which the organization will operate the voter
5 registration drive or whether the drive will be conducted door-to-door, or both.
6 (d) After an organization has registered with the county board of elections as required by
7 subsection (c) of this section, the county board of elections shall provide the organization with
8 the number of sample voter registration forms requested.
9 (e) No individual or organization shall use the voter registration application form
10 described in G.S. 163-82.3 for organized voter registration drives. A violation of this section is a 11 Class 2 misdemeanor."
12 SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to voter
13 registration drives conducted on or after that date.

Please provide the link to "Democracy North Carolina" that you have attributed to the information.

Thank you.

❤️

[CousinIT]

5. The link to Democracy NC was in the OP but it's also below:

https://action.democracync.org/a/hb-127

Their main site: https://democracync.org/

[littlemissmartypants]

7. Thanks so much!

All I see on that first link is the sign up so it's really great that you shared the main link!

I'm sure people in the group will find it interesting and helpful.

Thanks again. ❤️

[hildegaard28]

6. It's clear

That Republicans don’t want you to vote, and it’s because Republicans don’t want you to be free.

[CousinIT]

8. The relevant section of the proposed legislation is here:

(e) No individual or organization shall use the voter registration application form 11 described in G.S. 163-82.3 for organized voter registration drives. A violation of this section is a 12 Class 2 misdemeanor."

https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/House/PDF/H127v1.pdf

Multiple Dem orgs seem concerned about it. I see that some people think this is all a big nothing burger. Maybe it is.

Durham Democrats is also urging people to show up at NCLEG on Tuesday (scroll down on the page):
https://durhamdemsaction.substack.com/p/in-our-town-everyone-is-welcome

[littlemissmartypants]

9. Thanks for the clarification. Of course, showing up at the NCGA is always encouraged. ❤️

[CousinIT]

10. NOTE: They cancelled the meeting. Unknown what that means, but they cancelled for now.

They probably got too many emails against it and word of protests if the meeting happened.

I think they'll wait until they think it died down and try again.

And again, people will be asked to write their state reps and/or show up at NCGA.

Smarmy damned Republicans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKag1o5y1UF/