North Carolina 2017-2018 Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 656 — Electoral Freedom Act of 2017.

Last action — Veto Overridden

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 04, 2017. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    0 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

126 added · 151 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Senate Bill 656 include the addition of the official title of the bill and the removal of some clerical information that was no longer necessary. These updates streamline the document and clarify it for readers. This matters because a clearer bill is easier for lawmakers and the public to understand, helping ensure transparency in the legislative process.

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Latest
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2017 S 2 SENATE BILL 656 Select Committee on Elections Committee Substitute Adopted 4/25/17 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2017 S 1 SENATE BILL 656 Short Title:
Senator Brock (Primary Sponsor).
April 5, 2017 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF A "POLITICAL PARTY" BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW POLITICAL PARTY AND FOR UNAFFILIATED CANDIDATES TO OBTAIN BALLOT ACCESS ELIGIBILITY, AND TO REDUCE THE THRESHOLD FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PLURALITY TO THIRTY PERCENT.
Rules and Operations of the Senate April 5, 2017 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF A "POLITICAL PARTY" BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW POLITICAL PARTY AND FOR UNAFFILIATED CANDIDATES TO OBTAIN BALLOT ACCESS ELIGIBILITY.
These petitions must be filed with the State Board of Elections on or before 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday prior to the primary election and must be *S656-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters of the State equal in number to two percent (2%) of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for Governor.State.
These petitions must be filed with the State Board of Elections on or before 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday prior to the primary election and must be signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters of the State equal in number to two *S656-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 percent (2%) of the total number of voters who voted in the most recent general election for Governor.State.
These petitions must be filed with the county board of elections on or before 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday prior to the primary election and must be signed by qualified voters of the county equal in number to four three percent (4%)(3%) of the total number of registered voters in the county as reflected by the voter registration records of the State Board of Elections as of January 1 of the year in which the general election is to be held, except if the office is for a district consisting of less than the entire county and only the voters in that district vote for that office, the petitions must be signed by qualified voters of the district equal in number to four three percent Page 2 Senate Bill 656-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 (4%)(3%) of the total number of voters in the district according to the voter registration records of the State Board of Elections as of January 1 of the year in which the general election is to be held.
These petitions must be filed with the county board of elections on or before 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday prior to the primary election and must be signed by qualified voters of the county equal in number to four three percent (4%)(3%) of the total number of registered voters in the county as reflected by the voter registration records of the State Board of Elections as of January 1 of the year in which the general election is to be held, except if the office is for a district consisting of less than the entire county and only the voters in that district vote for that office, the petitions must be signed by qualified voters of the district equal in number to four three percent (4%)(3%) of the total number of voters in the district according to the voter Page 2 Senate Bill 656-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 registration records of the State Board of Elections as of January 1 of the year in which the general election is to be held.
Upon compliance with the provisions of subdivisions (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection, the board of elections with which the petitions have been timely filed shall cause the unaffiliated candidate's name to be printed on the general election ballots in accordance with Article 14A of this Chapter." SECTION 2.5.
Upon compliance with the provisions of subdivisions (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection, the board of elections with which the petitions have been timely filed shall cause the unaffiliated candidate's name to be printed on the general election ballots in accordance with Article 14A of this Chapter." SECTION 3.
G.S.
163-111(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) Nomination Determined by Substantial Plurality;
Definition of Substantial Plurality.
– Except as otherwise provided in this section, nominations in primary elections shall be determined by a substantial plurality of the votes cast.
A substantial plurality within the meaning of this section shall be determined as follows:
(1) If a nominee for a single office is to be selected, and there is more than one person seeking nomination, the substantial plurality shall be ascertained by multiplying the total vote cast for all aspirants by forty percent (40%).thirty percent (30%).
Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a substantial plurality, and the aspirant who obtains a substantial plurality shall be declared the nominee.
If two candidates receive a substantial plurality, the candidate receiving the highest vote shall be declared the nominee.
(2) If nominees for two or more offices (constituting a group) are to be selected, and there are more persons seeking nomination than there are offices, the substantial plurality shall be ascertained by dividing the total vote cast for all Senate Bill 656-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 aspirants by the number of positions to be filled, and by multiplying the result by forty percent (40%).thirty percent (30%).
Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a substantial plurality, and the aspirants who obtain a substantial plurality shall be declared the nominees.
If more candidates obtain a substantial plurality than there are positions to be filled, those having the highest vote (equal to the number of positions to be filled) shall be declared the nominees." SECTION 3.
Page 4 Senate Bill 656-Second Edition
Senate Bill 656-First Edition Page 3
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View plain text versions (7)

Action History

  1. Veto Overridden

  2. Ch. SL 2017-214

  3. Withdrawn From Com

  4. Placed on Today's Calendar

  5. Veto Overridden

  6. Veto Received From Senate

  7. Placed On Cal For 10/17/2017

  8. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  9. Vetoed 10/09/2017

  10. Conf Rept Withdrawn

  11. Conf Rpt Withdrawn

  12. Conf Com Reported

  13. Added to Calendar

  14. Conf Com Reported

  15. Placed on Today's Calendar

  16. Conf Report #2 Adopted

  17. Conf Report Adopted

  18. Ordered Enrolled

  19. Ratified

  20. Pres. To Gov. 10/5/2017

  21. Conf Com Reported

  22. Placed On Cal For 10/05/2017

  23. Conf Com Reported

  24. Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  25. Reptd Fav For Adoption

  26. Cal Pursuant Rule 44(d)

  27. Placed On Cal For 10/05/2017

  28. Special Message Received For Concurrence in H Com Sub

  29. Placed on Today's Calendar

  30. Failed Concur In H Com Sub

  31. Conf Com Appointed

  32. Conf Com Appointed

  33. Reptd Fav Com Sub 2

  34. Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)

  35. Added to Calendar

  36. Passed 2nd Reading

  37. Passed 3rd Reading

  38. Special Message Sent To Senate

  39. Withdrawn From Cal

  40. Re-ref Com On Elections and Ethics Law

  41. Placed On Cal For 06/26/2017

  42. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  43. Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)

  44. Withdrawn From Com

  45. Re-ref Com On Elections and Ethics Law

  46. Regular Message Sent To House

  47. Regular Message Received From Senate

  48. Passed 1st Reading

  49. Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  50. Reptd Fav

  51. Placed on Today's Supplemental Calendar

  52. Passed 2nd Reading

  53. Passed 3rd Reading

  54. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  55. Com Substitute Adopted

  56. Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  57. Withdrawn From Com

  58. Re-ref to Select Committee on Elections. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

  59. Passed 1st Reading

  60. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  61. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

0 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 178 not signed on · 21 voted No

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (178)

178 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 178 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Veto Override

Passed 72 Yea · 40 Nay · 8 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 452506
Democratic 11301
Republican 26101
U 0100
Total 724008
% of votes cast 60%33%0%7%
How each member voted (120)
Member Party Vote
McElraft — Yea
McNeill — Yea
Michaux — Nay
Presnell — Yea
Rogers — Yea
Szoka — Yea
Williams — Yea
Zachary — Yea
Beasley — Nay
Boles — Yea
Boswell — Yea
Burr — Yea
Dobson — Yea
Faircloth — Yea
Fisher — Nay
Floyd — Yea
Fraley — Yea
Garrison — Nay
Gill — Nay
J.Bell — Yea
BertJones — Yea
Brawley — Yea
BrendenJones — Yea
DestinHall — Yea
K.Hall — Yea
Johnson — Yea
Malone — Yea
T.Moore(Speaker) — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Bumgardner — Yea
Cleveland — Yea
Collins — Yea
Dollar — Yea
Dulin — Yea
Elmore — Yea
Grange — Yea
Hardister — Yea
Henson — Yea
Horn — Yea
Hurley — Yea
Jordan — Yea
Lewis — Yea
McGrady — Yea
Muller — Yea
Saine — Yea
Speciale — Yea
Steinburg — Yea
Stone — Yea
R.Turner — Yea
G.Adcock — Nay
L.Bell — Nay
DuaneHall — Nay
C.Graham — Nay
G.Graham — Nay
Jackson — Nay
G.Martin — Nay
R.Moore — Nay
W.Richardson — Nay
B.Turner — Nay
B.Richardson — Not Voting
S.Martin — Not Voting
Autry — Nay
Black — Nay
Conrad — Not Voting
Earle — Nay
Farmer-Butterfield — Not Voting
Goodman — Nay
Hanes — Nay
Holley — Nay
Hunter — Nay
Insko — Nay
Lucas — Nay
Murphy — Not Voting
Terry — Not Voting
Wray — Nay
Yarborough — Yea
Amos L. Quick, III Democratic Nay
Becky Carney Democratic Not Voting
Cecil Brockman Democratic Nay
Cynthia Ball Democratic Nay
Dante Pittman Democratic Yea
Deb Butler Democratic Nay
Eric Ager Democratic Nay
Garland E. Pierce Democratic Nay
Graig Meyer Democratic Nay
Joe John Democratic Nay
Marcia Morey Democratic Nay
Mary Belk Democratic Nay
Pricey Harrison Democratic Nay
Robert T. Reives, II Democratic Nay
Shelly Willingham Democratic Nay
Carl Ford Republican Yea
Dean Arp Republican Yea
Dennis Riddell Republican Yea
Donna McDowell White Republican Yea
Donny Lambeth Republican Yea
Frank Iler Republican Yea
Harry Warren Republican Yea
Hugh Blackwell Republican Not Voting
Jay Adams Republican Yea
Jimmy Dixon Republican Yea
John A. Torbett Republican Yea
John M. Blust Republican Yea
John Sauls Republican Yea
Julia C. Howard Republican Yea
Kelly E. Hastings Republican Yea
Kevin Corbin Republican Yea
Larry C. Strickland Republican Yea
Larry W. Potts Republican Yea
Mark Brody Republican Yea
Mike Clampitt Republican Yea
Mitchell S. Setzer Republican Yea
Phil Shepard Republican Yea
Sam Watford Republican Yea
Sarah Stevens Republican Yea
Stephen M. Ross Republican Yea
Ted Davis, Jr. Republican Yea
W. Ted Alexander Republican Nay
William D. Brisson Republican Yea
Carla D. Cunningham U Nay

Official roll call →

Motion 11 Veto Override

Passed 26 Yea · 15 Nay · 9 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 7102
Unaffiliated 18906
Democratic 1501
Total 261509
% of votes cast 52%30%0%18%
How each member voted (50)
Member Party Vote
McKissick — Nay
Pate — Not Voting
Randleman — Yea
Wells — Yea
Ballard — Yea
Barefoot — Yea
Barrett — Yea
Barringer — Nay
Curtis — Yea
Brown — Yea
J.Davis — Yea
B.Jackson — Yea
Tucker — Yea
D.Davis — Nay
J.Jackson — Nay
Smith — Nay
VanDuyn — Nay
Bishop — Yea
Foushee — Nay
Gunn — Yea
Horner — Yea
Meredith — Yea
Rabin — Yea
Tarte — Yea
Tillman — Yea
Wade — Yea
Newton — Not Voting
Bryant — Not Voting
Dunn — Nay
Edwards — Not Voting
Harrington — Not Voting
Krawiec — Not Voting
Woodard — Nay
Amanda P. Cook Democratic Yea
Dan Blue Democratic Nay
Gladys A. Robinson Democratic Not Voting
Jay J. Chaudhuri Democratic Nay
Joyce Waddell Democratic Nay
Paul A. Lowe, Jr. Democratic Nay
Tracy Clark Democratic Nay
Bill Rabon Republican Yea
Carl Ford Republican Nay
Danny Earl Britt, Jr. Republican Not Voting
Michael V. Lee Republican Yea
Norman W. Sanderson Republican Yea
Phil Berger Republican Yea
Ralph Hise Republican Not Voting
Tom McInnis Republican Yea
W. Ted Alexander Republican Yea
Warren Daniel Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 656?
SB 656 is sponsored by Ralph Hise (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 656?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 04, 2017. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 656?
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