Can you vote in North Carolina with a criminal record? Here’s what to know

Millions of North Carolinians will vote in the statewide primary on May 17, but some people who have been convicted of felonies won’t be able to cast a ballot.

A 2020 report from The Sentencing Project, which aims to prevent extreme punishments for those with criminal records, estimated that more than 83,000 N.C. residents were banned from voting due to a felony conviction.

According to North Carolina state law, people serving felony sentences cannot vote – but that could change soon.

If you have a felony or misdemeanor on your criminal record, here’s what you need to know about voting on Election Day in N.C.

Voting while serving a felony sentence

A recent decision from a North Carolina superior court would give those serving felony sentences outside of prison or jail the right to vote, but the decision is on hold while the case is being appealed, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections.

Judges in Wake County concluded that the law preventing people from serving felony sentences from voting “was enacted with the intent of discriminating against African American people and has a demonstrably disproportionate and discriminatory impact,” the court said in the March 28 judgment.

If approved, the rule will restore voting rights to roughly 55,000 people on probation, parole or post-release supervision in the state, the News & Observer reported.

Right now, according to NCSBE, people who are serving felony sentences outside of prison can submit a voter registration application, which will be held by the county board of elections until further direction is given by the court.

Voting with a felony or misdemeanor

According to NCSBE, a person is eligible to vote once a felony sentence is completed.

A person can also vote if they have been released from probation, even if debt is owed or they have a civil lien, NCSBE says.

When is the deadline to register to vote?

The voter registration deadline for the upcoming primary is April 22. Eligible voters who complete their felony sentences after the deadline, but before Election Day, can register and vote during early voting or on Election Day, according to NCSBE.

This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM.

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.