GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION LAW 2001-292
AN ACT TO ALLOW CHILDREN OF A VOTER TO ACCOMPANY THE VOTER INTO THE VOTING ENCLOSURE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 163-153 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-153. Access to voting enclosure.
In all counties, only the following persons shall be allowed within the voting enclosure while the polls are open to voting:
(1) Officers of election, that is, members of the State Board of Elections, members of the county board of elections, directors of elections, and the precinct chief judge, precinct judges of election, and assistants appointed for the precinct under the provisions of G.S. 163-42.
(2) Voters in the act of voting.
(3) A near relative of a voter, but except as provided in subdivision (3a) of this section only while assisting the voter as authorized in G.S. 163-152.
(3a) Minor children of the voter under the age of 18, or minor children under the age of 18 in the care of the voter, but only while accompanying the voter and while under the control of the voter.
(4) Any voter of the precinct called upon to assist another voter, but only while assisting him as authorized in G.S. 163-152.
(5) Municipal policemen assigned by the municipal authorities to keep the peace at a voting place located within the municipality, but only when requested to come within the voting enclosure by the chief judge and judges for the purpose of preventing disorder; at the request of the chief judge and judges, they shall withdraw from the voting enclosure and remain at least 10 feet from its entrance.
(6) Any voter of the precinct while entering and explaining a challenge, and any voter of the county who has challenged a voter in that precinct if the challenge is heard at the polls under G.S. 163-87 and 163-88, while entering and explaining a challenge.
(7) Observers appointed under the provisions of G.S. 163-45.
(8) Persons working at, supervising, or voting in a simulated election for persons ineligible to vote because of their age."
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 10th day of July, 2001.
s/ Beverly E. Perdue
President of the Senate
s/ James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Michael F. Easley
Governor
Approved 8:17 a.m. this 21st day of July, 2001