The deadline to cure (correct) your absentee/mail ballot is noon on the third business day after the election. Your county board of elections will contact you if there are any deficiencies with your absentee ballot using the phone number or email address on the absentee request form submitted. You can track your ballot by signing up online for status notifications through your state’s online tool. 

The deadline for a provisional voter to show an acceptable photo ID or HAVA ID to their county board of elections is noon on the third business day after the election. To check the status of a provisional vote, you can use your state’s online tool. 

For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

For information on state campaign contributions, please visit your state's resource.

Information on local, state and federal candidates and ballot measures may be available here.

No drop boxes available. You can return your voted ballot to your county board of elections office or an open Early Voting site during the Early Voting period. You can find the location of your county board of elections office here. 

Early Voting Starts: Third Thursday before election, approximately 17 days before Election Day. This may vary by county. Contact your county elections office for more details.  
Early Voting Ends: At 3:00 pm the Saturday before Election Day

If your County Board office is not able to handle in-person voting, one-stop absentee voting takes place at either the county board of elections office or an alternate site.

Early voting sites and schedules will be posted to the Early Voting Site Search when they become available.

If you are not registered by the registration deadline, you may register during the one-stop early voting period and vote that same day. To register during the one-stop early voting period, you must show proof of address. 

Find more information at Register in Person During Early Voting. Although same-day registration is available for voters during early voting, same-day registration is not available for most voters on Election Day.

*Note that if you vote during the early voting period using same-day registration, your registration will be validated by a letter sent to you by US Mail. If that letter is returned as undeliverable, your ballot will not be counted.

The next election date can be found here.

Contact your local Board of Elections for more information.

On Election Day, polling places will be open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.

WHO CAN REGISTER TO VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

You can register to vote in North Carolina if you meet all of the following requirements: 

• You are a US citizen 
• You will be at least 18 years old by the general election 
• 16- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote 
• 17-year-olds can vote in a primary if they will turn 18 by the general election 
• You have lived in the county where you’re registering for at least 30 days before the election 
• The federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows certain voters who are active duty military or their families as well as U.S. citizens abroad special rights that provide an expedited means to register and vote by mail-in ballot. Find more information on Military and Overseas Voting 
• You are not currently serving a felony sentence, including probation, parole, or post-release supervision 

WHO CAN VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

You can vote in North Carolina if you: 

• Are a registered voter 
• Will be at least 18 years old by the general election 
• 17-year-olds can vote in a primary if they will turn 18 by the general election 
• Have established residency in the state and county at least 30 days before the election 
• Are not currently serving a felony sentence 

CAN I VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA IF I HAVE A FELONY CONVICTION? 

Yes, but only after you complete your full sentence. This includes any probation, parole, or post-release supervision. Once your sentence is fully served, you regain your right to vote and can register again.v Voting rights are not restricted by pretrial detention and misdemeanors in North Carolina. 

CAN I REGISTER AND VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA IF I DON’T HAVE A TRADITIONAL ADDRESS? 

If you do not have a traditional address, you can draw a picture in the space provided on the voter registration form of your usual sleeping location. Be descriptive and note any nearby streets or physical buildings.  You must provide a mailing address if you do not receive mail at your residential address. The mailing address on your registration form can be a P.O. box, local shelter, advocacy organization, outreach center, or the home of someone who will accept mail for you.  

AM I REQUIRED TO SHOW ID TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

Yes, but only certain types of identification are required depending on how you register: 

• If you register online, you must provide your NC driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card number, your full Social Security number, and your date of birth 
• If you register using a paper form, you must include either: 
• Your NC driver’s license number, 
• The last 4 digits of your Social Security number, or 
• Check a box stating you don’t have either. 

WHAT TYPES OF ID CAN I USE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

To complete your voter registration online or by paper form, you can use: 

• Your North Carolina driver’s license number, 
• OR the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. 

If you don’t have either and check the corresponding box, you’ll need to show proof of name and address when voting for the first time (examples include a utility bill, government check, bank statement, or paycheck issued within the last 6 months). 

If you use Same-Day Registration during Early Voting, you’ll need to show one of the following: 

• NC driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID with your current name and address 
• Current utility bill, bank statement, government document, paycheck, or government check 
• A student document from a NC college/university showing your name and campus address 
• A document from the institution that issued the photo ID you're using to vote 

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE THE REQUIRED ID WHEN I REGISTER IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

You can get a free North Carolina voter photo ID in two ways: 

• From your county board of elections (no documents required—just your name, DOB, and last four of SSN), or 
• From the NC DMV, which offers no-fee state ID cards. 

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline 

Official results are never available on Election Day. Election officials are working around the clock to count an unprecedented number of ballots, and it’s essential that they take the time to make sure every vote is counted. 

Official election results will be uploaded on North Carolina’s State Board of Elections website as they become available.

What Happens After You Vote in North Carolina - addresses the vote counting process, how voted ballots are stored until Election Day, and other election security measures taken by the NC State Board of Elections.

You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Note: Military and overseas voters casting ballots under special provisions for these voters are required to submit a photocopy of their ID or an ID Exception Form when returning their ballot, even if they are using the overseas online portal.

You can make sure we have safe, fair, and efficient elections for all. Become a poll worker today!

In order to be a poll worker in North Carolina:

• You must be registered to vote in North Carolina
• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You will be entitled to compensation
• Political affiliation generally required
• You must be a resident of state and precinct for 30 days prior to the election
• You must complete required training, exam and certification
• Students 17 years of age with county residency may be appointed if they are enrolled in high school and have consent from a parent

To sign up, contact your local board of elections.

You can find your polling place by utilizing your state resource. If you have further questions on your polling place location, please use the County Board of Elections Search.

North Carolina is a “partially closed” primary state. Each party has the ability to choose whether to allow unaffiliated voters or voters not registered with their party to participate in their primary. This year, unaffiliated voters may choose the ballot of any party that has a primary. This decision is made before the election cycle begins.

In a primary election if a candidate does not with 30% of the votes there will be a primary runoff election scheduled for a few weeks after the primary election date. The runoff election will have the top two candidates with the most votes to ensure that one of them receives the majority of the voters.

If you have any questions about your state’s primary election, please contact your local election officials.

You may vote a provisional ballot if you meet specific conditions.

You may be asked to vote a provisional ballot if:

• your qualification to vote is questioned
• your voter eligibility is questioned
• your eligibility to vote a specific ballot is questioned
• You ask to vote for an election that is not in your assigned voting district
• You do not show appropriate ID under HAVA

If you are asked to vote a provisional ballot, that ballot will be held aside until you can prove your eligibility to vote.

Examples of reasons for provisional voting:

• There's no record of your registration
• You moved to a different precinct and didn't report the change before 30 days before the election
• You were previously registered in the county but the registration was canceled
• Your address can't be verified in the lookup files
• You're trying to vote at the incorrect precinct
• During a primary election, you try to vote the other parties ballot
• The records indicate you already voted in this election
• Voting during extended hours on Election Day

Once you vote your provisional ballot you will receive a PIN number in order to check the status of your ballot. You can begin checking the status of your ballot 10 days after the election.

Voting assistance and curbside voting are offered to voters with disabilities.

CURBSIDE VOTING

Aged and disabled persons allowed to vote outside voting enclosure. In any primary or election any qualified voter who is able to travel to the voting place, but because of age, or physical disability and physical barriers encountered at the voting place is unable to enter the voting place or enclosure to vote in person without physical assistance, shall be allowed to vote either in the vehicle conveying such person to the voting place or in the immediate proximity of the voting place.

VOTING ASSISTANCE

Assistance to voters in primaries and general elections. In a primary or general election, a registered voter qualified to vote in the primary or general election shall be entitled to assistance in getting to and from the voting booth and in preparing his ballots in accordance with the following rules:

1. Any voter shall be entitled to assistance from a near relative of his [her] choice.

2. Any voter in any of the following four categories shall be entitled to assistance from a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter's union:

-One who, on account of physical disability, is unable to enter the voting booth without assistance;

-One who, on account of physical disability, is unable to mark his ballots without assistance;

-One who, on account of illiteracy, is unable to mark his ballots without assistance;

-One who, on account of blindness, is unable to enter the voting booth or mark his ballots without assistance.

Please visit your state's resource for additional information. You can also utilize the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) resource.

What do I need to register to vote in North Carolina? 

Here is what you need to know to register in North Carolina: 

There are three methods of voter registration in North Carolina: register in-person, register online, or email a printable application to your local elections office. 

Can I register to vote using my college address in North Carolina? 

Yes, if you consider your campus address your residence, you can register to vote there. If you move to a different dorm or off campus, be sure to update your voter registration with your new address so you vote in the correct district.  

What’s the deadline to register to vote in North Carolina? 

North Carolina requires voters to register at least 25 days before the election. Be sure to check the exact date each year. If you miss the deadline, you may still register and vote during early voting, but you cannot change your party affiliation after the deadline. 

What form of ID do I need to vote in North Carolina? 

You must present a photo ID when voting in person in North Carolina. This can include a driver’s license, passport, student ID from a state-supported college, or other accepted forms. 

I’m originally from another state, can I still vote in my home state while studying in North Carolina? 

Yes, you can vote in your home state using an absentee ballot, but you'll need to follow your home state's rules and deadlines. You can find the rules for your state on VOTE411 or by contacting your state’s election office. 

Does registering to vote affect my financial aid, parents’ taxes, and/or tuition in North Carolina? 

Registering to vote in your college community will not affect your Federal Financial Aid, status as a dependent on your parents’ taxes, or tuition status. 

Time off to vote is subject to the employer, there is no requirement for employers to grant time off to vote for employees.

To verify your voter registration status

DO I NEED TO SHOW ID WHEN I VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

Yes, voters in North Carolina are asked to show a photo ID when voting, whether in person or by mail. However, all voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. If you don’t have an acceptable ID, you can still vote by completing an ID Exception Form. 

Watch: Click here to learn about the voter photo ID requirement in all upcoming elections. 

WHAT TYPES OF ID CAN I USE TO VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

You can use any of the following unexpired photo IDs, or IDs that expired less than one year ago: 

• North Carolina driver’s license
• Non-driver state ID from the NCDMV
• Driver’s license or ID from another state (only if you registered in NC within 90 days of the election)
• U.S. Passport or Passport Card
• NC voter photo ID from a county board of elections
• Approved college or university student ID
• Approved state, local government, or charter school employee ID 

Additional IDs accepted regardless of expiration date: 

• Military or veterans ID with photo
• Tribal enrollment card with photo
• Photo ID issued by a government agency for public assistance (if it includes a photo) 

For more information, see Voter ID and FAQ: Voter ID. 

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE AN ACCEPTABLE ID WHEN I GO TO VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA? 

You can still vote. You have two options: 

1. Fill out an ID Exception Form at your voting site and vote with a provisional ballot.
2. Vote with a provisional ballot and return to your county elections office by noon on the third business day after the election with your photo ID. 

Note: Military and overseas voters casting ballots under special provisions for these voters are required to submit a photocopy of their ID or an ID Exception Form when returning their ballot, even if they are using the overseas online portal.

If voting by mail and you don’t have an acceptable photo ID to include with your ballot, you can complete and include an ID Exception Form instead. All provisional ballots with a truthfully completed ID Exception Form must be counted. Learn more here.  

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline 

Online registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day

Register by mail deadline: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day

In-person registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day. If you missed the voter registration deadline, you may still register (except for party affiliation changes) and vote during early voting.

Same-Day Registration during Early Voting:

You may register to vote at your polling location during the one-stop early voting period (ends Friday before the election). To register during early voting you must prove your eligibility and provide proof of residence. You must show a current name and address ID such as:

• North Carolina driver's license
• Other photo ID issued by a government agency
• Copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing the voter's name and address
• Current college/university photo ID card paired with a current roster prepared by the college/university and transmitted to the county board of elections office, which lists all students residing in campus housing facilities.

Any other type of government-issued photo ID is acceptable as long as the card has your current name and current address. The ID may be expired, but the name and address must be current.

Same-Day Registration on Election Day:

Eligible would-be voters who become naturalized U.S. citizens or whose rights of citizenship are restored after serving a felony sentence ahead of Election Day, but after the regular voter registration deadline, may register and vote during early voting or on Election Day. 

Not registered? Use our registration tool to fill out your application and mail to your county Board of Elections. Or you can register during the Early Voting period.

The voting systems used in North Carolina are optical scan, DRE, and hand-counted paper ballots.

Optical Scanning: With this system, you will recieve a card or sheet of paper, which you take over to a private table or booth. The card has the names of the various candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or pencil you fill in a little box or circle or the space between two arrows. In some places, you can check your card or paper right there at the polling place by feeding it into a card-reading machine to make sure you have voted the way you want to. When you are finished filling out all the cards. You may bring the cards over to a ballot box, where poll workers will show you how to put the cards in the box. Or in some places, you may feed the completed cards or papers into a computer device that counts the votes. When Election Day is over, the computer counts how many votes were cast for each candidate.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) : This is the newest kind of system in use in the US. All the information about who and what you are voting for is on an electronic screen, like a TV or computer screen. The poll workers will give you a card that you slide into a device to start your voting session. These devices will show all of the candidates and ballot choices on one big screen. Often, with these bigscreen devices you push a button next to the name of the candidate you want to votefor (or yes or no on a ballot measure). On each screen or page, there will probably be one thing to vote on. For example, on one screen or page, you might vote for president. Then you might move to the next page to vote for senator. Often these small-screen devices have a touch screen, where you touch the screen next to the name of the person you want to vote for. Some of these machinese have a key pad, and/ or have a keyboard, so you can write in the name of someone you want to vote for. You let the system know you are finished voting by pushing a button, touching the screen or entering something on a keypad. The votes are stored on a computer device like a disk or a cartridge. At the end of the day, results from the disk or cartridge can be printed and read at the polling place or transferred to a central location.

Paper Ballots: Paper ballots are one of the oldest ways of voting in America. They are still used on Election Day. Paper ballots are mostly used for absentee ballots. When you come to the polling place, you will get a paper ballot from the poll worker. You take it to the voting booth, and use a pen or pencil to mark a box next to your candidate and issue choices. You then drop the marked ballot into a sealed ballot box. At the end of the day, votes are counted by poll workers reading the ballots.

You can learn more about voting systems by checking out the Elections Assistance Elections Assistance Commission's (EAC) (EAC) resource.