FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Cumberland County Board of Elections wishes to make citizens aware of complaints received by the State Board of Elections about a group attempting to register voters in North Carolina.
The group, Ready to Register, Inc., sent mailings to an unknown number of citizens with an outdated voter registration application including four political parties that are no longer recognized in North Carolina. In 2026, North Carolina’s recognized political parties are the Democratic, Green, Libertarian, and Republican parties. Voters can also register as unaffiliated. Voters who register with a party that is no longer recognized will be registered as unaffiliated.
The State Board has also received reports that mailings are being sent to deceased individuals and that the group may be using outdated voter data. Additionally, Ready to Register provided an incorrect county board of elections return mailing address on letters sent to New Hanover County voters. This could lead to completed registrations not being successfully delivered.
Finally, the State Board has received several reports that QR codes on the mailings may cause information from other people to pre-populate on a form, which has raised privacy concerns among voters.
“Bulk voter registration mailings, when done carelessly, can do more harm than good,” said Executive Director of the State Board of Elections Sam Hayes. “They can confuse voters and greatly increase the workload of county boards of elections. State Board staff are available to advise anyone who wishes to send voter registration mailings so that we can minimize potential issues.”
The State Board has contacted Ready to Register with the hope of reducing voter confusion and the impact on county boards with any future mailings. Election officials also wish to remind voters of the following:
- Voters with questions about a mailing should contact the organization that sent it. Ready to Register can be reached at info@readytoregister.org.
- If a mailing urges someone to register to vote but they are already registered at their current address, they may simply discard it.
- Information about registering to vote in North Carolina is available in the Registering section at ncsbe.gov.
- The regular voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election is Oct. 9, 2026. Residents who miss the deadline may register and vote at the same time at any early voting site during the early voting period.
- The State Board encourages voters to routinely check their registration using the online Voter Search tool. For questions, residents may contact the Cumberland County Board of Elections at cumberlandcountync.gov/elections or 910‑678‑7733, or visit the office at the E. Newton Smith Center, 227 Fountainhead Lane, Fayetteville. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.