§ 163-237. Certain violations of absentee ballot law made criminal offenses. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 163‑237.  Certainviolations of absentee ballot law made criminal offenses.

(a)        False Statements under Oath Made Class 2 Misdemeanor. – Ifany person shall willfully and falsely make any affidavit or statement, underoath, which affidavit or statement under oath, is required to be made by theprovisions of this Article, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

(b)        False Statements Not under Oath Made Class 2 Misdemeanor. –Except as provided by G.S. 163‑275(16), if any person, for the purpose ofobtaining or voting any official ballot under the provisions of this Article,shall willfully sign any printed or written false statement which does notpurport to be under oath, or which, if it purports to be under oath, was notduly sworn to, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

(b1)      Candidate Witnessing Absentee Ballots of Nonrelative MadeClass 2 Misdemeanor. – A person is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor if thatperson acts as a witness under G.S. 163‑231(a) or G.S. 163‑250(a)in any primary or election in which the person is a candidate for nomination orelection, unless the voter is the candidate's near relative as defined in G.S.163‑230.1(f).

(c)        Fraud in Connection with Absentee Vote; Forgery. – Anyperson attempting to aid and abet fraud in connection with any absentee votecast or to be cast, under the provisions of this Article, shall be guilty of amisdemeanor. Attempting to vote by fraudulently signing the name of a regularlyqualified voter is a Class I felony.

(d)        Violations Not Otherwise Provided for Made Class 2Misdemeanors. – If any person shall willfully violate any of the provisions ofthis Article, or willfully fail to comply with any of the provisions thereof,for which no other punishment is herein provided, he shall be guilty of a Class2 misdemeanor. (1929, c. 164, s.40; 1939, c. 159, ss. 12, 13, 15; 1967, c. 775, s. 1; 1977, c. 469, s. 1, 1985,c. 562, s. 6; 1987, c. 565, s. 8; 1993, c. 539, ss. 1106, 1324; 1994, Ex.Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1999‑455, s. 22.)