08 NCAC 22 .0402             PROCESSING UNAFFILIATED CANDIDATE PETITIONS

(a)  Within one business day of the receipt of a completed petition request form for an unaffiliated candidate petition, the board of elections shall inform the prospective unaffiliated candidate of the constitutional and statutory qualifications for the office sought and that the petition will be cancelled if the candidate does not meet those qualifications when submitting the signature sheets for their unaffiliated candidate petition.

(b)  At the time of receipt of the first completed signature sheet submitted in support of an unaffiliated candidate petition, the board of elections shall inspect the registration records of the prospective unaffiliated candidate's county and proceed under G.S. 163-122(d). Before proceeding to cancel an unaffiliated candidate petition, the board of elections shall provide the prospective unaffiliated candidate with an opportunity to submit a voter registration form so that their voter registration record reflects their current qualifications for the office sought.

(c)  Within five business days of the completion of signature verification for an unaffiliated candidate petition, the board of elections with which the petition was filed shall issue a written notice to the prospective unaffiliated candidate stating whether the candidate has met the applicable signature requirement in G.S. 163-122.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 163-22; 163-122; 163-296;

Eff. September 1, 2025.