Voting in North Carolina

If you need to update your voter registration or register to vote for the first time, there are three ways that you can do that!

Online - Register to vote online through the N.C. DMV website here. ​Voter registration applications submitted fewer than 25 days before an election will not be processed until after the election. 

In-Person - Print a voter registration application found here, and then, mail it in or return it in-person to your local County Board of Elections.

Voter registration applications are due 25 days before the general election. For the 2024 Primary Election, that's February 9.

Early Voting & Same-Day Registration (February 15 - March 2 at 3pm) - Individuals who are not registered to vote in a county may register at early voting sites during the early voting period. After registering, the newly registered voter can immediately vote at that same site. This process is called “same-day registration.” Find a list of early voting sites on this page on the N.C. Board of Elections website. NOTE: same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. Here's a list of acceptable forms of proof of address. 

IMPORTANT: Same-day registration is only available during Early Voting. Voters cannot register to vote on Election Day.

Voters need to register by the deadline or use same-day registration during Early Voting.

Updating Registration

Update Your Registration Online

Existing N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) customers can update their voter registration through its online voter registration application. They can use the online application to update:

• Address
• Party affiliation

Customers may not use the online voter registration service to change their name.

Update Your Registration by Mail

North Carolina residents can use the voter registration application or the change form on their voter registration card to update:

• Name
• Address
• Party affiliation

The application must be signed and sent to the appropriate county board of elections. A wet ink (physical) signature on the voter registration application is not required for updates. Find more details at Complete Your Registration by Mail.

Be sure to include a cell number and email on your application so that the Board of Elections can contact you if they have questions.

In 2024, all registered North Carolina voters can vote by mail. Voters can request a ballot online and return it in-person or through the mail. You can view instructions on how to request, complete, and return your ballot here. Voters with questions about voting by mail can call 888-OUR-VOTE to speak with a nonpartisan elections expert.

Request

• Option 1 – Request an Absentee Ballot at the online N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.
• Option 2 - On paper with the English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2024 (Spanish version to come).
• The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the Primary Election is 5:00 PM February 27, 2024.
• Once you have requested your absentee ballot, you can track its status from printed to accepted by signing up online for status notifications through BallotTrax. BallotTrax will be available 30 days prior to each election in 2024.

Complete

• See detailed instructions on how to complete your ballot here.

Return

• See detailed instructions on how to return your ballot here.
• The deadline to submit (or return) a completed absentee ballot is 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024.

Early Voting for the Primary Election in North Carolina will run from February 15 - March 2. 

During early voting, voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county, and would-be voters may same-day register and vote. This is different than Election Day, where registered voters must vote at their assigned polling place. You can find details about early voting here.

Use the N.C. Board of Elections location tool to find Early Voting sites and times in your county.

Important things to keep in mind about Early Voting

• Voters can use any Early Voting site in their county, but voters have a specific Election Day place which can be found using this tool on the N.C. Board of Elections website;
• Voters can register and vote on the same day during Early Voting, but same-day registration is not available on Election Day. 

Why use early voting?

• Early voting offers flexible hours and multiple locations allow people to vote when it works best for them.
• Voters can take advantage of same-day registration to register for the first time or update their registration and cast a ballot concomitantly.
• Voting early reduces the burden of poll workers and helps reduce the wait time for other voters on Election Day.

The 2024 Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. On this day, registered voters in North Carolina may vote at their assigned polling place. This is different than early voting, where eligible individuals may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. You can check your assigned polling place here. You can also view your sample ballot at this link.

Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote. The busiest times tend to be early in the morning and just before the polls close. Avoid longer lines by voting at off-peak times.

At the time of publishing this page, a photo ID is required to vote. For more information on which forms of identification can be used, please see this page on the Board of Elections website.

You can view more FAQ on voting on Election Day here.

Worried about what to do if someone tries to discourage you from voting? We have a page for that.

"If you decide to go in person to your polling place this year, having ID that doesn’t match your gender identity or presentation should not affect your right to cast a ballot, in any state. But with increasingly strict voter ID laws, trans people may face barriers—both because of difficulties in obtaining an ID that’s accepted, or because they might run into bias or misunderstandings of the law when it comes to their gender. Knowing your rights can help avoid or solve problems at the polls." Transform the Vote

NC Voter has information on updating the name or gender marker on your voter registration. It's important to note that as of now, an ID is required to vote in NC. Transform the Vote has a national guide to voting while trans that may be helpful if poll workers question your rights. 

Once a person is convicted of a felony, they lose the right to vote in North Carolina until they have completed their sentence. This includes completing any aspect of their sentences in prison or jail, as well as any period of probation, post-release supervision, or parole associated with a felony sentence.  

This page from the NC Board of Elections will be updated to reflect current policies.

The regular voter registration deadline is 25 days before an election. Eligible would-be voters who become naturalized U.S. citizens or whose rights are restored after being released from prison or jail for 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.

For questions and concerns about felony disenfranchisement, email [email protected] or call 877- 880-VOTE (877-880-8683).

You can find more information on the NC State Board of Elections website.