Ongoing changes to law governing voter ID requirements and primary dates are keeping Boards of Elections officials across the state on their toes, leading the local board director to be proactive about voter education.

“There’s a lot of election changes, so the more we get out and talk to people right now, the better our elections will be next spring. People won’t be so caught off guard,” said Kellie Hopkins, director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections.

Hopkins will be speaking about the latest changes to election law at the Belhaven Civic Center on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The event, sponsored by the North Creek Democratic Precinct, is non-partisan and open to the public. It’s the third event of its type that she’s done in the past several weeks.

“The Board of Elections is always ready to come out and speak to any groups whether they’re political, civic or even church groups, to educate people about law changes,” Hopkins said. “Anyone who wants us to come out and educate about the voting process, we’re willing and able.”

At the Belhaven event, Hopkins will be addressing voter ID requirements. For two years, Boards of Elections have been telling voters they must present valid identification in order to vote in the 2016 election. However, the law was modified this year: voters may be exempt from presenting ID if they fill out an affidavit declaring there is a reasonable impediment to procuring an ID. Among accepted reasonable impediments are a lack of transportation, disability or illness, family responsibilities or work schedule issues.

There have also been special provisions made for certain voters, an example of which is for voters over the age of 70 whose licenses have expired.

“It’s a very complicated law, but most voters won’t have a problem with it,” Hopkins said. “But we need to make sure that those that are having issues are dealt with so we can help them obtain an ID.”

Though the voter ID requirement and other aspects of election law are being legally challenged in state courts, for the spring primary, voters will be expected to show ID or fill out the affidavit, providing their birthdate and the last four digits of their social security number, as well as other identification, such as a utility bill or paycheck.

Until yesterday, the date of that spring primary was unknown.

“All summer long, it’s been bouncing back and forth,” Hopkins said.

The General Assembly voted Thursday to hold all primaries on March 15.

Initially, legislators voted to move North Carolina’s Presidential Preference Primary from May to February in order for the state to have more influence in presidential elections. All state and county primaries would have remained in May, forcing counties to hold two separate primaries.

However, there was backlash. At the national level, the Republican National Committee, based on rules passed in 2012, would have penalized North Carolina with the loss of 43 delegates — from 55 to 12 — if North Carolina held its primary before March 1. There was also backlash from county Boards of Elections: statewide, two separate primaries would cost BOEs $9 million more. Beaufort County would have spent an additional $80,000 to hold its two primaries, Hopkins said.

With all primaries now set for March 15, the filing period will be moved up to December and voters planning to vote in their respective parties’ primaries will be heading to the polls two months earlier.

“It’s late in the game for 2016 to be changing the rules,” Hopkins said. “People aren’t used to voting in March. It’s always been in May.”

Hopkins said she believes the state will take a greater role in voter education in the coming months, but for now, she and other BOE staff will be getting the word out.

“The closer we get to it, I think we’re going to see more statewide voter education — PSAs, billboards — about the voter ID requirement,” Hopkins said.

For more information, visit www.beaufortncboe.com or call 252-946-2321.