Feel like you're being watched? More partisan poll observers expected in North Carolina

The 2024 elections are likely to feature an increased presence of partisan poll observers in North Carolina voting precincts due to new elections laws passed by Republican state lawmakers.

Under rules approved last year, the observers, who are appointed by political parties, will have greater freedom to move around in the voting enclosure than they previously had. There may be more of them at any given time. And they’ll also be able to come and go and be replaced by other observers more easily. The changes were included in Senate Bill 747, which was enacted in 2023 over Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto.

Lawmakers said the changes were needed because under the previous rules, some chief judges only allowed observers a partial view of the enclosure. They also had to stay for long shifts, making those volunteer positions harder to staff.

The role of observers has grown in the wake of the 2020 election, when then-President Donald Trump made disproven claims of a stolen election. Polls show that conservative voters are particularly distrustful of elections following Trump’s claims. Elections officials say skepticism persists in North Carolina, even though Republican candidates won most major races in North Carolina in 2020.

Observers’ goal is to observe elections to ensure they’re being conducted fairly and by the book. And a smattering of new state elections laws — including the requirement for voters to present photo identification — will be under scrutiny this year.

Critics of the bill say voters could feel intimidated by the observers, who aren’t required to receive any official training for the position. In 2022, elections officials in several counties reported problems with observers interfering with or harassing voters or poll workers.

The 2023 law made multiple charges to state election regulations. It’s the subject of a federal lawsuit challenging certain provisions that plaintiffs say are intended to hurt Democrats’ chances of winning future elections.The new rules for observers are not among the parts being challenged.

Under the new rules, poll observers will have to wear identifying badges so voters won’t confuse them with actual poll workers. They’re still not allowed to see who a voter is voting for, or to be close enough to see a ballot as the voter inserts it into the tabulator.

Observers are also not allowed to interfere or communicate with voters. And they’re not allowed to take photos or videos or make recordings inside the voting enclosure unless the chief judge and the voter grant them permission. The chief judge has the power to direct them to leave if they violate the rules.

Observers may also come close enough to listen to conversations between voters and poll workers.

“They are going to be listening for the check-in process,” State Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell told reporters this week. “They're going to be observing that a photo ID is presented. So they will overhear some conversation. But if it is a conversation that requires the disclosure of personal identifying information, for example, then they are restricted from being part of that conversation.”

She added that if voters have concerns at their early voting site, they should reach out to a poll worker. Voters can also contact their county boards of elections or the state board of elections to report any voting issues, she said.

“Hardworking poll workers of all political stripes will be at all early voting sites,” Bell said. “They are there to ensure your voting experience is smooth, and that all laws and rules are followed. They are there to make sure your vote counts.”