How to Run Voter Registration Drives: Legal Rules and Best Practices

This guide explains how anyone can organize a voter registration drive to help people sign up to vote. It covers the legal rules you must follow, including what information voters need to provide, how to handle the forms properly, and when to submit them. The guide emphasizes that no special training is required to run a drive, but organizers must follow North Carolina law carefully. Key rules include: voters must complete all required fields themselves, you cannot pay people based on how many forms they collect, all forms (even incomplete ones) must be submitted to the county elections office within 5 business days, and you cannot keep copies of completed forms with personal information. The guide also explains voter eligibility requirements - voters must be US citizens, live in their county for 30 days before an election, be 18 (or 16-17 to pre-register), and not be serving a felony sentence. Breaking these rules can result in fines and jail time. County election offices can provide up to 100 forms per day or 500 per week to drive organizers. This resource helps civic groups, organizations, and individuals understand how to legally and effectively help people register to vote.

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