08 NCAC 22 .0104             PETITION SIGNATURE SHEETS

(a)  Within one business day of the receipt of a completed petition request form, the board of elections with which the form was filed shall issue to the petitioner a signature sheet template for the petition in the manner requested by the petitioner on the petition request form.

(b)  The signature sheet template shall include the following:

(1)           a title identifying the type of petition and applicable North Carolina General Statute section;

(2)           any petition header required by law for that type of petition, including designated areas for the petitioner to fill in the required information;

(3)           a designated area for the petition circulator to write their first and last name and sign an affirmation that they witnessed the signing of the signatures on the signature sheet;

(4)           the following statement: "It is illegal to sign the name of another person to a petition. N.C.G.S. § 163-221.";

(5)           prompts for a petition signer to include their printed first and last name, current residential address (street number, street name, and zip code), date of birth, signature, and date of signature;

(6)           an identification of the board of elections where the petitioner will file the petition;

(7)           a designated area for the board of elections receiving the signature sheet to notate the signature sheet with the date it is received at the board of elections office and the batch and page number assigned to it; and

(8)           designated areas for the board of elections receiving the signature sheet to notate the board's determination of approval or disapproval for each petition signature pursuant to Rules .0201 and .0202 of this Chapter.

(c)  If the petition type is to form a political party under Rule .0101(a)(1) of this Section, the signature sheet shall include a designated area for the petition signer to place their initials indicating that they were informed of the general purpose and intent of the new party.

(d)  If the petition type is one identified in Rule .0101(b) of this Section, and the board of elections is providing a template signature sheet for a local jurisdiction, the board of elections shall include on the template prompts for any additional information required by the local jurisdiction's applicable statute, local act, charter, or ordinance.

(e)  The petitioner shall complete the information required by Subparagraphs (b)(2) and (b)(6) of this Rule before collecting signatures on that signature sheet. The board of elections may, at the petitioner's request, complete this information on the petitioner's behalf using the corresponding information provided in the petition request form.

(f)  A signature shall not be counted toward the signature requirement for the petition if it is signed to a signature sheet that does not either match the template issued to the petitioner or contain the information required by this Rule.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 163-22; 163-96; 163-107.1; 163-122; 163-123; 163-213.5; 163-221; 163-296;

Eff. June 1, 2026.