House approves two elections changes

State House lawmakers have approved two changes they say will help clean up voter rolls and allow counties to save money on runoff elections. 

Current law allows only a close family member to request a removal, and the family member generally has to go to their county elections board with a death certificate. Sponsor Rep. Pat Hurley, R-Randolph, said making the form available at funeral homes will make voluntary compliance easier. 

The measure also adds will executors, estate administrators, and attorneys to the list of people who can request, with proper documentation, that a deceased voter's name be taken off the rolls.

Co-sponsor Rep. Jamie Boles, R-Moore, said the Department of Health and Human Services currently sends monthly lists of death certificates to counties, but counties aren't always diligent about researching their voter databases for matches. In addition, he said, many people die in medical facilities that aren't located in the county where they're registered to vote. 

House Bill 460 passed unanimously and is headed for the Senate.

A proposal to allow fewer voting sites for second primaries, or runoff elections, also won unanimous support, 112-0. 

County officials would have to apply to the State Elections Board the preceding December for permission to use voting centers. The option would apply to federal and state races only. Local elections in odd-numbered years would be excepted. 

Sponsor Jonathan Jordan, R-Ashe, said Ashe County spent $60.53 per vote in the July 2012 runoff election. The cost was about $15,000, but only 215 people voted.  

Co-sponsor Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, said no county would be forced to use voting centers. "It’s an option for them to do it. If they want to spend the money to open up all those election sites, it’s up to them."  

Both measures now move to the Senate.