Editorial: Which signature to match?

On Sunday, July 9, 2023, The News & Observer had a long article about the signature matching requirement on mail-in ballots the North Carolina Republicans in the General Assembly want to add to a major elections overhaul package.
Apparently the idea is to hire a software company which would examine the signatures on the mail-in absentee ballots. But what signature would that machine use for comparison?
That was a question that was never mentioned or addressed in the article.
The article does say: “Some lawmakers question if signature verification could lead to valid votes being thrown out among people whose signatures are likely to change, such as elderly or disabled voters.”
And the article notes that audits in states with the signature verification systems have found that the ballots of Black, Native American, Asian and Latino voters had their ballots rejected at much higher rates than White voters. Gee, do you think?
But I am White and elderly, and I am concerned. Will my signature be compared to the one from 50 years ago when we moved here and registered to vote? Will it be compared to the one on my latest request for a mail-in ballot? Or are they going to use another signature from somewhere else?
This General Assembly has continued to make it harder to use the absentee ballots, while in some other states every registered voter in an election is sent an absentee ballot and many voters use them for the ease. Those states tend to have high voter turnouts for elections.
In North Carolina, first you have to apply for an absentee ballot from your county board of elections, which means using a computer to access the county website. They send you one with full instructions which include marking your ballot WHILE EITHER TWO WITNESSES SEE YOU DO SO OR A NOTARY PUBLIC DOES.
Consider that. Most elderly people live alone or with a spouse, so they have to ask relatives or friends to make a special trip to their home to be a witness. If they choose a notary public, they have to go to one, which can be scarce in rural areas, particularly in the northeast counties or those in the mountains. Gas, time – all make it a burden to vote.
Then they have to add a stamp, because of course the state will not pay for prepaid envelopes.
Once at the county board of elections, the ballot will be scanned by a person to make sure all the requirements are met. If they are not, will this new verification procedure provide that the election officials have to notify the voter so the “mistakes” can be “cured?” How are voters notified? How long do they have to make the “cure?”
I want some answers. I will continue to request an absentee ballot out of pure stubbornness and hope mine is counted.
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