North Carolina Republicans Propose Six-Day Early Voting Bill

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have introduced a bill aimed at significantly shortening the in-person early voting period for future elections. The proposed legislation would reduce the voting period from three weeks to just six days, starting the second Monday before Election Day and ending the Saturday prior. Currently, early voting can begin as early as the third Thursday before the election; however, under the new bill, it would not change the end time, which remains at 3 p.m. on the Saturday before the election. The bill has garnered support from ten Republican legislators but has yet to advance in the legislative process. In the last general election, over 4.2 million North Carolinians voted early, highlighting the importance of this voting method in the state. This move has raised concerns among voters regarding access to early voting opportunities.