Felons receive their voting rights again after they serve their sentence, including probation and/or parole. Like most of the other states in the US, North Carolina does not allow felons to vote while in prison or when they are outside of prison and on parole.
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Felon Voting Law in North Carolina
The ACLU basically outlines the voting law for felons residing in North Carolina. If you are convicted of a felony crime in the state, you will temporarily, as mentioned, lose your voting rights. Any prior voter registration you had before your conviction is cancelled. This is done by the County Board of Elections with no intervention on your part. If you try to register to vote while incarcerated or on parole, the act is considered a felony.
However, once your serve your sentence and the requirements for probation or parole are met, you can again register to vote (N.C. Gen. State. 13-1). If you have completed all the portions of your sentence for a felony crime or have been pardoned, the eligibility to vote is automatically reinstated.
Re-registering to vote should be done in the county where you live after your discharge. To avoid any possible difficulties with voting or registering, you should ask for a Certificate of Forfeited Rights of Citizenship from a releasing officer (N.C. Gen. Stat.13-3). While this document is not required to register or vote, it will make it easier for you to re-exert your voting rights if you encounter any difficulties. You can read more about the state’s voting law by clicking on the State Board of Elections site.
How a Felon in North Carolina Can Restore Their Voting Rights
To re-register to vote, you can download an application from the voter registration website for the state of North Carolina. In order to register, you must be –
· A US citizen and at least 18 years old by the next election date; and
· A resident of North Carolina and the county where voting takes place 30 days prior to the election.
You must also not vote in another state or county after the submission of the voter registration form to the State Board of Elections. You should have fully completed your prison sentence and parole or probation.
Your voting rights, as indicated, are automatically made available to you after your sentence is served. No special document is required to sign, date and send the voter registration form. To falsely complete the form is considered a Class I Felony under Chapter 163 of North Carolina’s General Statutes. You can obtain further information by clicking on this link.
When you do get ready to cast your vote at the polls, a photo identification is required. If you don’t have a photo identification, you can obtain one at the state’s DMV for free.
Other Resources For Felons in North Carolina
Getting Started: If this is your first time to our website, we highly recommend that you visit our getting started page to understand everything we have to offer. You can do so by clicking here.
Jobs For Felons: If you’re a felon looking for a job in North Carolina, we have all of the resources you need including job listings by city, companies that hire felons, and our own job board. Click Here to learn more.
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