A voter-registration mailing is spreading incorrect information and even mailing forms to dead voters, according to the State Board of Elections.
The SBOE said in a press release that it has received complaints from county boards of elections and citizens about the mailing from Ready to Register, Inc., a group attempting to register voters in North Carolina.
Ready to Register Inc. sent mailings to an unknown number of citizens with an outdated voter registration application which includes four political parties that are no longer recognized in the state.
North Carolina’s only current recognized political parties are the Democratic, Green, Libertarian, and Republican parties. Voters can also register as unaffiliated. Voters who register with a party that is no longer recognized will be registered as unaffiliated.
The State Board has also received reports that mailings are being sent to deceased individuals and that the group may be using outdated voter data.
The State Board has received several reports that QR codes on the mailings may cause information from other people to pre-populate on a form, which has raised privacy concerns among voters. Ready to Register also provided an incorrect county board of elections return mailing address on letters sent to New Hanover County voters.
“Bulk voter registration mailings, when done carelessly, can do more harm than good,” said Sam Hayes, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “They can confuse voters and greatly increase the workload of county boards of elections. State Board staff are available to advise anyone who wishes to send voter registration mailings so that we can minimize potential issues.”
The State Board has contacted Ready to Register with the hope of reducing voter confusion and the impact on county boards with any future mailings.
Election officials also wish to remind voters to contact any organization if there are questions about its registration mailers. Mailers that encourage you to register if you are already registered can be ignored, the SBOE. You can check the staus of your registration by using the State Board’s online Voter Search tool or by contacting the local board of elections.
The regular voter registration deadline is Oct. 9 for the Nov. 3 election. Same day registration is only available at early polls during the one-stop period.
