Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 163. Elections and Election Laws § 163-166.4. Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around it

Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

(a) Buffer Zone.--No person or group of persons shall hinder access, harass others, distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election-related activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone which shall be prescribed by the county board of elections around the voting place. In determining the dimensions of that buffer zone for each voting place, the county board of elections shall, where practical, set the limit at 50 feet from the door of entrance to the voting place, measured when that door is closed, but in no event shall it set the limit at more than 50 feet or at less than 25 feet.

(b) Area for Election-Related Activity.--Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the county board of elections shall also provide an area adjacent to the buffer zone for each voting place in which persons or groups of persons may distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election-related activity.

(c) Special Agreements About Election-Related Activity.--The Executive Director of the State Board of Elections may grant special permission for a county board of elections to enter into an agreement with the owners or managers of a nonpublic building to use the building as a voting place on the condition that election-related activity as described in subsection (b) of this section not be permitted on their property adjacent to the buffer zone, if the Executive Director finds all of the following:

(1) That no other suitable voting place can be secured for the precinct.

(2) That the county board will require the chief judge of the precinct to monitor the grounds around the voting place to ensure that the restriction on election-related activity shall apply to all candidates and parties equally.

(3) That the pattern of voting places subject to agreements under this subsection does not disproportionately favor any party, racial or ethnic group, or candidate.

(4) That the county board has attempted to secure as a term of the agreement at least 36 hours prior to the opening of the voting place and at least 36 hours after the close of the voting place, as provided in G.S. 163-166.01, for candidates to place and retrieve political advertising. The agreement may also provide that any political advertising placed outside the times specified in this subsection may be removed by the property owner.

An agreement under this subsection shall be valid for as long as the nonpublic building is used as a voting place.

(d) Notice About Buffer Zone and Area for Election-Related Activity.--No later than 30 days before each election, the county board of elections shall make available to the public the following information concerning each voting place:

(1) The door from which the buffer zone is measured.

(2) The distance the buffer zone extends from that door.

(3) Any available information concerning where political activity, including sign placement, is permitted beyond the buffer zone.

(e) Buffer Zone and Area for Election-Related Activity at One-Stop Sites.--Except as modified in this subsection, the provisions of this section shall apply to one-stop voting sites in G.S. 163-227.2, 163-227.5, and 163-227.6.

(1) Subsection (c) of this section shall not apply.

(2) The notice in subsection (d) of this section shall be provided no later than 10 days before the opening of one-stop voting at the site.

Back to chapter list
Previous part of code Next part of code
Back to chapter list

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 163. Elections and Election Laws § 163-166.4. Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around it - last updated January 01, 2023 | https://codes.findlaw.com/nc/chapter-163-elections-and-election-laws/nc-gen-st-sect-163-166-4/

Read this complete North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 163. Elections and Election Laws § 163-166.4. Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around it on Westlaw

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Search all North Carolina Codes

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About the Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to find an attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

    More Options
    Copied to clipboard