Hickory Sun

State Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said on May 28 that the North Carolina House of Representatives approved legislation to ban “all-mail” elections.

The House legislation does not prohibit the use of absentee ballots, however, it sets up a process to securely request vote-by-mail ballots for those who need to do so, Hall posted to his website. The bill also allocates funds to local elections boards and modifies law to reflect current circumstances such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Maintaining the security of our elections system must be a constant priority,” Hall said on his legislative webpage. “During uncertain times, we cannot allow the system to be exploited. We must safeguard our elections from those who would undermine their integrity.”

The legislation would also permit absentee ballot requests to be submitted by email for a limited time; provide CARES Act and HAVA matching and federal funds for counties for in-person voting and increased absentee ballot costs; and provide temporary flexibility for recruiting precinct officials, according to Hall's website.