How to Vote in North Carolina’s Elections

Charlotte voters will choose a mayor, fill eight city council seats and select six members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg board of education. Durham voters will select a mayor and fill several city council seats, as will voters in Greensboro, Wilmington and many other municipalities across the state.

Voter Registration
Check your registration status by using the state’s voter search tool.

• Friday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m.: Deadline for regular voter registration.
• Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m.: Deadline for same-day voter registration. Registering and voting on the same day is only allowed during early voting.

Voting in Person

• Thursday, Oct. 16, until Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m.: Early in-person voting.
• Tuesday, Nov. 4: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you forgot your ID, you can vote with a provisional ballot but must bring the required documentation to your county board of elections office by noon on Friday, Nov. 7.

Voting by Mail

• Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 5 p.m.: Absentee-by-mail ballot requests must be received by your county board of elections.
• Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m.: Deadline for returning absentee-by-mail ballots in person to an early voting site.
• Tuesday, Nov. 4, by 7:30 p.m.: Absentee ballots must be received by your county board of elections office by this date and time, whether mailed or dropped off in person. You may not return an absentee ballot to a polling site on Election Day.

Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

North Carolina residents voting by absentee-by-mail ballot used to have a three-day grace period after Election Day to have their ballot received. A 2023 change in law eliminated that grace period, and now all absentee-by-mail ballots must be received by Election Day, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m., at your county board of elections. You may not return a ballot to a polling place on Election Day.

North Carolina residents can register to vote online if they have a driver’s license or an ID issued by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. You can register to vote and update your registration address or party affiliation through the DMV’s online voter registration service. You can also register by mail by printing a copy of the voter registration application on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. Then mail the completed form to your county board of elections. Register in person by visiting your county board of elections or the DMV. Military and overseas voters have different registration deadlines and instructions.

Check your registration status by using the state’s voter search tool.

You cannot register to vote and then vote on Election Day in North Carolina, although there are a few exceptions. For most voters, same-day registration and voting is only available during early in-person voting. Early in-person voting is available to all voters at any early voting site designated by your county board of elections.

No reason is needed to request an absentee-by-mail ballot. Request one online through the state board of elections online portal. Or download an absentee ballot request form from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

You can also visit or call your county board of elections to get a request form.
 
Mail or drop off the completed and signed form to your county board of elections office. Your form must be received (not just postmarked) by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Remember to include your date of birth and North Carolina driver’s license number, North Carolina DMV-issued state ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. A close relative, such as a spouse, sibling or child, or your legal guardian, can request and submit the form on your behalf.

If you have already requested an absentee-by-mail ballot but need a new one because you’re at a new location, or because your original ballot is damaged or lost, contact your county board of elections office to void your current ballot and reissue a new one.

Two witnesses (age 18 or over) or one notary public must be present when you fill out your ballot and must sign the back of your ballot envelope. Find detailed instructions for voting by mail on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

Return your ballot:

• By mail: Mail your ballot to your county board of elections office. It must be received (not just postmarked) by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day — that’s Tuesday, Nov. 4 — so mail your ballot early to ensure it arrives on time. Postmarked ballots that arrive after the deadline will not be accepted. Include a copy of an acceptable photo ID or fill out an ID Exception Form.
• In person: Hand-deliver your completed ballot to an early voting site in your county before Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m., or your county board of elections office during operating hours and no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Completed absentee-by-mail ballots cannot be submitted at an Election Day polling place.

Military and overseas voters have different absentee-by-mail ballot voting instructions and deadlines.

Register with BallotTrax to check your ballot’s status.

You may cast your ballot at any early voting site in your county. Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 16, until Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m.

Visit the state’s early voting sites webpage for an up-to-date list of locations, or contact your county board of elections office.

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place. Find your polling place by logging into the voter search tool, or by using the polling place search tool, or by contacting your county board of elections office.

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by 7:30 p.m., you’ll be allowed to vote.

To view or download sample ballots, enter your information into the state’s voter search tool to pull up your voter record, then scroll down to Your Sample Ballot.

You will be asked to show an acceptable photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state-issued ID card, when voting. If you don’t have the required ID, you’ll still be allowed to vote, but you must fill out additional paperwork.

Those 65 or older may use an expired ID as long as it was current on their 65th birthday.

If you forgot your ID, you can vote with a provisional ballot and bring the required documentation to your county board of elections office by Friday, Nov. 7, at noon.

Voters without an ID can get a free ID card from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles or their county board of elections office.

Find more information about North Carolina’s voter ID law, including a full list of acceptable IDs, on the state board of elections website.

If you have a disability and need help entering the voting booth or marking your ballot, you may ask a person of your choice to assist you, as long as that person is not your employer or union representative or their agent. North Carolina offers curbside voting at each polling place and early voting site.

Blind or visually impaired voters may vote online using an accessible absentee-by-mail ballot.

Find more information about accessible voting, including assistance for voters in care facilities, on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

To learn how voters living in facilities such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes can get help voting, the state details who can and can't offer assistance.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Dec. 29, 2023, and has been updated to reflect 2025 elections.

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