SafeguardElections 2.0
A framework to prevent election subversion — reinforcing voter protections, clarifying certification responsibilities, and establishing guardrails against interference before, during, and after elections.
Voting rights protections at the federal level are under threat. With decisions like Shelby County, Brnovich, and the pending Callais ruling, states cannot wait. North Carolina has the opportunity — and the responsibility — to build stronger safeguards at the state level now.
This memo outlines proposed provisions to strengthen election administration safeguards and prevent election subversion by reinforcing voter protections, clarifying certification responsibilities, and establishing guardrails against interference before, during, and after elections.
Four Priority Areas
What this policy does
Voter Intimidation & Law Enforcement
Prohibit armed federal presence at polling places, establish 250-foot buffer zones, and create criminal penalties with a private right of action for voters.
State Voting Rights Act
Adopt a comprehensive SVRA framework with preclearance, language access, anti-intimidation protections, and enforcement tools — positioning NC ahead of the Callais decision.
Pre-Election Challenges & List Maintenance
Codify the 90-day protection rule, require direct voter notification of eligibility challenges, and guard voter registration data from unauthorized federal disclosure.
Certification & Post-Election Integrity
Disqualify officials who refuse to certify without evidentiary basis, protect voters' reliance on rules in effect when they voted, and prohibit unauthorized ballot reviews.
Full Provisions
Read the memo
250-Foot Buffer Zone
Establish a statutory exclusion zone around polling locations and early voting sites prohibiting ICE or unrelated law enforcement presence absent a specific election-related public safety need.
New Criminal Penalties
Prohibit and penalize threatening voters, filing bad-faith eligibility challenges to deter participation, and knowingly providing false information about a voter's registration status. (See SB 392 framework.)
Statutory Definition of Voter Intimidation
Explicitly define voter intimidation to cover threats, surveillance, impersonation of election officials, deceptive communications, and coordinated challenge campaigns intended to suppress participation.
Private Right of Action
Authorize affected voters to seek injunctive relief, statutory damages, and attorneys' fees in state court for violations of voter intimidation protections.
Voter Intimidation Advisory Committee
Direct NCSBE to convene a standing advisory body including community organizations, election administrators, disability access advocates, and language-access partners to monitor risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
Statewide Reporting Standards
Require uniform collection, classification, and public reporting of intimidation complaints across county boards of elections using standardized procedures developed by NCSBE.
Scenario-Based Training
Mandate training for election officials and poll workers on voter intimidation response protocols, observer interference, coordinated challenge activity, and law enforcement interaction procedures.
Protection for Election Officials
Strengthen statutory protections for election administrators and poll workers against threats, harassment, and interference. Create a removal process for county board members engaging in misconduct.
Enact a North Carolina State Voting Rights Act
Adopt the model SVRA framework released in January 2026 by a coalition including the Legal Defense Fund, Campaign Legal Center, and Harvard Law School Election Law Clinic. Includes preclearance, language access, anti-intimidation, and a democracy canon directing courts to interpret election laws in favor of voter access.
State Preclearance System
Establish a state-level preclearance requirement for jurisdictions with histories of voting discrimination — restoring accountability that federal rollbacks have eroded.
Redistricting Transparency
Use the SVRA as a vehicle to restore transparency to redistricting, revisiting limits created by legislative privilege and the repeal of N.C.G.S. § 120-133 governing access to redistricting communications.
State-Level Enforcement Against Federal Interference
Adopt parallel state prohibitions mirroring 18 U.S.C. §§ 592, 593, 595 against armed personnel at polls and election interference — with civil enforcement mechanisms allowing voters, election officials, or the AG to seek injunctive relief. Model legislation here.
Codify the 90-Day Protection Rule
Prohibit systematic voter eligibility challenges within 90 days of a federal election except where required by federal law or supported by individualized evidence — consistent with the 2018 federal court order in NC NAACP v. NCSBE.
Direct Voter Notification
Mandate timely written notice to voters facing eligibility challenges, including the basis for the challenge, required response steps, and deadlines for resolution.
Voter Registration Data Guardrails
Clarify that statewide voter registration data containing Sensitive PII may only be disclosed pursuant to state law, a court order, or valid federal statutory authority. Prohibit disclosure to federal agencies absent court order or binding statute.
Protect Voter Reliance on Election Rules
Codify that a voter who casts a ballot in compliance with the laws in effect at the time has the right to have that ballot counted. Ballots cast in good-faith reliance on official guidance shall not be invalidated through retroactive post-election changes. (See HB 691; addresses implications of Griffin v. Riggs.)
Disqualify Officials Who Refuse to Certify
Establish enforcement mechanisms for certification obligations where refusal occurs absent a credible legal justification. (See SB 392 framework.)
Permit Provisional Ballot Research Through Canvass
Clarify that counties may continue eligibility verification and counting of provisional ballots through the full statutory canvass timeline. Authorize post-election ballot cure procedures for both provisional and absentee-by-mail ballots during the nine-day canvass period.
Restore Absentee Ballot Request Deadline
Return North Carolina's absentee ballot request deadline to the Tuesday before Election Day — improving voter access and administrative clarity.
Prohibit Sham Ballot Reviews
Clarify that post-election review procedures must follow authorized audit frameworks. Prohibit unauthorized ballot inspections outside statutory processes and prevent interference by poll observers.
"Advancing a framework now positions lawmakers to respond to Callais — while protecting North Carolina voters today."
— NC Democracy Advocates · April 2026
Read the full memo
This policy framework represents coalition work across 30+ partner organizations. Review all provisions, share with your network, and take action before the session window closes.
Prepared by NC Democracy Advocates · Raleigh, NC