• By Tim Tsujii
• Posted Monday, May 15, 2023

New Information Regarding the Voting Rights of Individuals Convicted of Felonies

The North Carolina Supreme Court recently ruled that North Carolinians convicted of felonies must complete their sentences—including any period of probation, post-release supervision, or parole—before they regain their right to vote. Any individual convicted of a felony cannot register or vote until their sentence is complete, including any periods of probation, post-release supervision, or parole.

As a result of the Supreme Court ruling, the North Carolina State Board of Elections will receive lists of people currently serving felony sentences from the N.C. Department of Adult Correction and U.S. Department of Justice and forward them to the county boards of elections to cancel the registrations of anyone who is now ineligible.

The State Board is urging all groups that conduct voter registration drives to print and use the new forms immediately to ensure that no ineligible individual registers to vote. For groups conducting voter registration drives:

• Download and print the North Carolina Voter Registration Application (Form 17W) from the State Board website.
• Download and print the Spanish North Carolina Voter Registration Application (Form 09w).

The State Board is working with its printing vendor to print copies of the new voter registration applications to be sent to the county boards of elections, government agencies that provide voter registration services, and third-party organizations that conduct registration drives. As always, existing NCDMV customers may submit a voter registration application online. Learn more at Complete Your Registration Online Through the DMV. The State Board also will work with the DMV to update the language on the online application to comply with the court order.