Public Comment Period Opens For Rules On List Maintenance on the Basis on Non-Citizenship

This week, the North Carolina State Board of Elections officially opened its public comment period on several proposed permanent rules related to voter roll list maintenance on the basis of non-citizenship. The public comment period is open and runs through March 16, 2026.  

The following rules are included in this public comment period: 

• 08 NCAC 23 .0101: Definitions 

• 08 NCAC 23 .0102: Entry of Challenge 

• 08 NCAC 23 .0103: Preliminary Challenge 

• 08 NCAC 23 .0104: Challenge Hearing 

Bottom Line: the rules would make it easier to remove noncitizens from North Carolina’s voter rolls.  

Members of the public may comment in any of the following ways through Mar. 16, 2026: 

• Online: Public Comment Portal: 2026 List Maintenance Rules Review 

• Email: rulemaking.sboe@ncsbe.gov (Note: Commenter should identify the specific rule being commented on.) 

• Mail: Attn: Rulemaking Coordinator, P.O. Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611-7255 (Note: Commenter should identify the specific rule being commented on.) 

• Public hearing: An in-person public hearing on the proposed rules will be held on February 2, 2026, at 10 a.m in the State Board of Elections Office, Third Floor, Dobbs Building, 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603. 

Comments on the rules will be compiled and provided to the State Board before its final adoption of the rules, which will take place at a public meeting after the end of the comment period. The Rules Review Commission would then consider the proposed rules before they become effective. 

Tim’s Take: Public comments on rules play a role is helping the rules become reality. Strong public comments in support of these rules could play a key role in balancing out voices from the far left that support noncitizen voting.