Ballot access reform just took another step forward in North Carolina. The House Elections and Ethics Law Committee today approved a bill to lower the signature requirements for a “new” party and independent candidates to get on the statewide ballot.

This is the first time in recent NC history that a ballot access bill has passed one house of the legislature and a committee in the other house.

The vote in committee was 15-8 in favor of SB 656 Voter Freedom Act. There were Republicans and Democrats on both sides of the vote.

The bill could appear on the House calendar on short notice, as early as tomorrow. 

So now is the time to call your local representative – and Speaker Tim Moore. Tell the speaker you want to bill to go to the House floor for a vote, and urge your rep to vote for it.

See this earlier post for talking points and a bill summary.

The latest edition of the bill includes a provision to allow a political party to participate in NC's presidential primary if it had a presidential candidate on the ballot in 40 states in the previous presidential election.