ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Proposed changes to North Carolina’s absentee voting rules could affect how mail-in ballots are handled, but Buncombe County election officials stress the changes are not yet in effect and voters should continue following the current absentee ballot instructions.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted July 20 along party lines, 3-2, to advance a package of permanent absentee voting rules that supporters say would strengthen election security and opponents argue could lead to more ballots being rejected over technical mistakes.

Among the proposed changes are stricter standards for processing absentee ballots, including requiring some ballots to be rejected if they are not sealed correctly in the required absentee container envelope. The rules also require county election staff to document when absentee ballots are received and keep more detailed records when voters are contacted about ballot deficiencies.

However, Buncombe County Election Services Director Corinne Duncan said the rules are still in the rulemaking process and have not been adopted.

“The rules from the July 20 State Board of Elections meeting have not been fully adopted,” Duncan said in a statement. “If adopted, they may not be in the final form, and the State Board of Elections has not sent guidance to county election offices.”

The proposed rules now move to the North Carolina Rules Review Commission, which is expected to consider them Aug. 27. Even if approved, the effective date has not yet been determined, meaning it is still unclear whether the changes would apply to the 2026 elections.

Until then, counties cannot implement the proposed rules.

“The steps that voters can take to make sure their absentee ballots are properly completed are still valid,” Duncan said.

During the state board meeting, members debated whether ballots should be rejected when voters fail to properly seal the inner absentee container envelope before placing it inside the outer mailing envelope.

Republican board members argued the proposal creates a more secure and consistent statewide process while giving counties clear instructions on handling defective ballots.

Democratic members raised concerns that elderly voters, rural residents and others unfamiliar with absentee voting could lose their votes over technical errors, particularly if they receive notice of a problem too late to correct it.

One of the most contentious proposals would require certain improperly sealed ballots to be spoiled and reissued rather than accepted after county election staff contact the voter.

Duncan said Buncombe County voters can reduce the chance of problems by carefully following the instructions included with their absentee ballot packet.

She encouraged voters to:

  • Apply for an absentee ballot as early as possible.
  • Return completed ballots well before Election Day since ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
  • Have two witnesses or one notary complete the required certification.
  • Make sure witnesses print their names, provide their full addresses and sign where required.
  • Seal the voted ballot inside the absentee container envelope before placing that envelope inside the outer mailing envelope and sealing it.

Absentee voting represented a relatively small share of ballots cast in Buncombe County during this year’s primary.

According to the Buncombe County Board of Elections, 1,609 absentee ballots were requested for the March 3 primary. Of those, 831 were accepted, accounting for about 1.5 percent of all ballots cast.

The county rejected 211 absentee ballots, but officials said 200 of those arrived after the Election Day deadline. Among ballots rejected for other reasons, witness-related errors were the most common.