HB 541

Enacts GS 163-111.5. Describes the section's purpose. Limited to primaries for any federal or State office and elected judicial and county offices, allows that when no candidate has received a substantial plurality of total votes cast in a primary, the second-highest polling candidate can request a runoff. Grants a political party the option to use a top-two, same-day runoff method for a primary if the party determines a divided vote may prevent one candidate from attaining 30% of the vote and trigger a runoff. Allows voters to rank up to three candidates in order of preference for multicandidate primaries selected for a top-two, same-day runoff, where the two candidates with the most first-preference votes advance to a runoff if after an initial tabulation no candidate attains 30% of the first-preference votes. Details ballot tabulation and declaration of the winner. Provides for continued application of the method if the NCGA adjusts the substantial plurality requirement. Provides for a political party to request a top-two runoff in a primary by written request to the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections within 21 days after the filing deadline, with requests for single-county State Senate or State House of Representatives districts or county offices submitted to the respective county board of elections within the same timeframe instead.