08 NCAC 22 .0102             DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Chapter:

(1)           "Board of elections" means the board of elections, county or State, with jurisdiction over a petitioner's petition.

(2)           "Election cycle" means the period of time starting the day after the final canvass of the most recent general election for the contest to which the petition pertains. The election cycle for a political party petition begins on the day after the state canvass of the most recent general election for governor.

(3)           "Entity" means those entities defined in G.S. 55-1-40(9)a. that are utilized by a petitioner to conduct a petition with or on behalf of the petitioner.

(4)           "Petition circulator" means any person collecting signatures on a signature sheet in support of a petition.

(5)           "Petition module" means the software module provided by the State Board to the county boards of elections for the purpose of facilitating the review of a petition.

(6)           "Petition request form" means the form submitted to a board of elections by a petitioner to initiate a petition.

(7)           "Petitioner" means any person, or their designated representative, conducting a petition in accordance with this Chapter.

(8)           "Signature certificate" means the certificate provided by a county board of elections indicating the number of petition signers in the county whose signature will count towards the signature requirement for a petition.

(9)           "Signature sheet" means the document provided by a board of elections that is used by a petitioner to collect signatures in support of a petition.

(10)         "Signature verification" means the act of comparing a petition signer's information and signature on a signature sheet against the county board's registration records to determine whether the petition signer's information matches the information of a registered voter, the petition signer is qualified to sign the petition, and the petition signer's signature bears a reasonable resemblance to the matched voter's signature.

(11)         "Verified signature sheet" means a signature sheet that has been submitted to a board of elections, has been reviewed by a county board official, and has a notation for each signature on the sheet showing the official's determination whether the signature will count towards the signature requirement for the petition.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 163-22; 163-96; 163-107.1; 163-122; 163-123; 163-213.5; 163-218; 163-219; 163-221; 163-296;

Eff. September 1, 2025.