North Carolina

Land Acknowledgement

North Carolina is home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as well as seven state-recognized tribes: the Coharie Intra-tribal Council, the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, the Lumbee Tribe, the Meherrin Nation, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, the Sappony, and the Waccamaw-Siouan Tribe. It is also the traditional homeland to many tribes.

Overview

You can register to vote in North Carolina by mail, online, or in person. You can register to vote in person during the early voting between October 20 and November 5. You must provide an address in order to vote. However, you can illustrate where you typically sleep if you do not have an address.

Key Dates

September 9 - Start of absentee voting

October 14 - General Registration Deadline

November 1 - Last day to request an absentee ballot

November 8 - Election Day

November 8 - All ballots must be received by 5PM

Contacts

North Carolina Voting Guide

Note: The information below is not legal advice on how to vote. Because voting information is changing rapidly during this election, make sure you check the links provided and check with your state about deadlines and voting specifics.

Registering to Vote

  • Voter registration deadline is October 14 for mail, online, and in person at a local election office. You can register to vote between October 20 and November 5 if you go in person during early voting.

  • No.

  • You must provide your full name, date of birth, your North Carolina driver's license, Department of Motor Vehicles ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address, your residential address (no P.O. boxes), your mailing address, and your signature.

  • North Carolina requires a residential address (no P.O. boxes) for where you physically live. If you do not have an address, you can illustrate where you normally live or sleep. You should write the names of the nearest cross streets and mark an X where you normally sleep. If you do not receive mail at your residential address, include a mailing address (may be a P.O. box).

  • You can check whether your address is valid by contacting your County Board of Elections or the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

  • You can get a valid ID to register to vote at your local Department of Motor Vehicles here.

  • Yes. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has partnered with the Department of Motor Vehicles to offer online voter registration. You can use that service if you have a N.C. driver's license or DMV ID.

  • No.

  • Yes. You can register in person at your County Board of Elections office, public assistance agencies, and at the Department Motor Vehicles. Contact your County Board of Elections office to verify times, hours, and locations.

  • Yes. You can download and complete the North Carolina voter registration form (English, Spanish) and mail the completed form to your County Board of Elections. The form must be postmarked by October 14. You may also contact your County Board of Elections and request a form be mailed to you. You can find the appropriate mailing address to submit your form here.

  • If you have been convicted of a felony and if you are not in jail or prison for a felony sentence, you are eligible to register and vote.

  • If you have specific questions about registering to vote, contact your County Board of Elections.

  • The voter registration deadline is October 14.

  • Yes, under federal law you can assist someone in registering to vote if they do not speak English well, if they have trouble reading or writing, or if they have a disability.

Checking & Updating Voter Registration

  • You can check your registration online using North Carolina's Voter Search tool

  • You can call your County Board of Elections to check your voter registration

  • You can use the North Carolina voter registration application to change any voting information, including your name, address, and party affiliation. This form must be signed and sent to your County Board of Elections by October 14.

    You can send the signed form to your County Board of Elections by mail, email, or fax. Additionally, you can update your registration online through the DMV, but it does not currently allow you to change your name. You can find your applicable mailing address to send your voter registration application online here.

  • Maybe. Some states regularly remove voters from voting lists that have not voted in recent elections or have not responded to letters from the state asking for the voter to confirm his or her address. If you have not voted recently you should confirm that you are still registered to vote by checking online or contacting your County Board of Elections.

Voting by Mail/Absentee/Ballot Drop-Off

  • North Carolina began sending ballots on September 9. You can send your ballot through USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL. You may only have a near relative drop your ballot off if you are not able to do so. One notary public or two witnesses must be in your presence when you mark your absentee ballot.

  • Yes. Please check that you have filled out all required fields and signed your ballot. USPS recommends you mail in your ballot a week before the deadline to ensure your ballot is received on time. However, please factor in your personal experience with mail delivery times to and from your place of residence or where you drop off your ballot.

  • You can get a mail-in ballot simply by requesting one. You can request one in two ways: online using the Absentee Ballot Request Portal or by downloading and returning the form to your County Board of Elections. You may return the form by email, fax, mail, or in person. You must provide your North Carolina driver's license, Department of Motor Vehicle ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. You do not need to provide a copy of your ID.

  • No.

  • Yes.

  • A signed and completed State Absentee Ballot Request Form must be received by the County Board of Elections office no later than November 1 by 5PM. North Carolina strongly encourages voters to request ballots as soon as possible to avoid problems due to postal delays and to allow for time to correct any issues with your request.

  • North Carolina began sending ballots on September 9.

  • You can have your ballot sent to your residential address, your mailing address (if different), or another address of your choice. This includes P.O. boxes.

  • Yes. You must provide one first-class stamp or one Forever Stamp.

  • Your ballot must be received by your County Board of Elections by 5PM on Election Day.

  • Yes. You can drop your ballot off at your County Board of Elections or to an early voting site in your county.

  • Yes, but only your near relative or guardian may return a ballot. This includes your spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, parent-in-law, child-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, or legal guardian.

  • Yes. You can send your ballot through USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL.

  • One notary public or two witnesses must be in your presence when you mark your absentee ballot. They should only observe you marking your ballot, not how you vote.

  • Yes. Your ballot can be rejected for a number of deficiencies (incomplete required information, mismatched signatures, no witness signature, etc.). However, you will be contacted by your County Board of Elections if there is a deficiency, and it will explain steps you can take to correct any deficiencies. The State Board of Elections encourages voters to include a phone number or email address on the request form, and to request and return ballots as soon as possible to ensure time remains to correct any issues.

  • Yes. You can track your ballot online here.

  • If you encounter any issues with your mail ballot, contact your County Board of Elections.

Voting In-Person

  • You can find your polling place and hours here.

  • No.

  • Yes. You can vote early beginning from October 20 to November 5.

  • If you've voted in North Carolina before, you don't need to show ID to vote.

    If you registered to vote for the first time and did not provide a North Carolina driver license number or last four digits of your Social Security Number on your registration application, or you provided a number that could not be validated, you will be required to show proof of identification. Proof of identification includes a current and valid photo identification or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address. If you are unable to provide ID, you will still be able to vote a provisional ballot and can bring one of these documents to the Board of Elections prior examining ballots.

  • If you have previously voted, you do not need ID to vote. If you are a first time voter, you can get an ID from the DMV or contact your utility provider, bank, or employer to obtain a document containing your name and address.

  • Yes. You can cast a provisional ballot if: there is no record of your registration; you moved and did not update your registration; your registration was canceled; you did not present acceptable ID; your address was not recognized; you are voting in the incorrect precinct; you already voted; or you are voting during extended hours.

    If the Board of Elections determines you are eligible, your vote will count. If you cast a provisional ballot, you will receive a PIN that you can use to check the status of your ballot. You can track the status of your provisional ballot online.

  • Yes. Under federal law (Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act), you are entitled to bring anyone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or neighbor, to the polling place AND into the polling booth to assist with voting. However, that person may not be your employer, running in the election, or a representative of your labor union. The person giving assistance also may not tell the voter how to vote.

  • If you have any questions about voting in-person, contact your County Board of Elections or the State Board of Elections