Voting in North Carolina

Check to confirm that you are registered to vote by using the N.C. State Board of Elections voter search tool.

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 General Election, that's October 11.

Early Voting & Same-Day Registration (October 17 - November 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.

WATCH OUR ABSENTEE VOTING VIDEO

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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 here).
• The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the 2024 General Election is 5:00 PM October 29, 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.
• A video guide to how to complete and return your ballot

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, November 5, 2024.

Early Voting for the General Election in North Carolina will run from October 17 - November 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 General Election is on Tuesday, November 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, see this page on the Board of Elections website.

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

This year, voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in North Carolina. Most voters will simply show their driver’s license, but there are other acceptable photo IDs. 

Don’t have an acceptable photo ID for voting? North Carolina registered voters can get one from their county board of elections. You can find more information about how to request a photo ID here.

Additionally, voters can get a state ID card for free from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Find more information under “No-Fee ID Cards” at this website.

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

Voters Affected by Hurricane Helene

Visit this website for information for North Carolina voters in the Helene disaster area during the 2024 general election.

LGBTQ Voters

You deserve to have a say in who is going to be elected and making decisions that affect you and your loved ones. What you think and what you feel is important, and voting is one of the best ways to ensure you have the opportunity to be heard. Voting can be a stressful event, and even more so now that the NC Voter ID law is effective throughout the state of North Carolina. This law requires that voters have a photo ID to prove they are who they say they are when voting on Election Day. 

Check out our transgender voting guide for more information.

Voters with Criminal Convictions

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).

Voters with Disabilities

The NC State Board of Elections has accessible voting options and assistance available to voters with disabilities. Learn more at their website. 

Voters with Limited English Proficiency

All eligible citizens have the right to vote, regardless of their ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. This includes when registering to vote and when casting a ballot.

If you speak, read, or write limited English, you may bring someone to assist you in voting, including registering, voting absentee, or voting in person. Your helper cannot be your employer or union representative.

Election officials cannot discriminate against you because of your race, color, or because you belong to a language minority group (American Indian, Asian American, Alaskan Native, or of Spanish heritage). 

Find your sample ballot here

Constitutional Amendment Ballot Measure

In this year’s General Election, North Carolina ballots will include a ballot measure to change the wording of the state constitution to state that only citizens may vote in elections. Read more about the ballot measure here.

Down Ballot Races

We've broken down some of the elected offices you may see on your ballot, so you can better understand how these officials wield the power to protect civil liberties and civil rights. Whether it’s for a board of education election in your county or a supreme court judge race in your state, you have the power to change this country.

The choice for North Carolina State Legislators is crucial: State legislators have the power to shape laws on reproductive rights, determine protections for trans individuals, and regulate access to books in schools and libraries. Their decisions directly impact our civil liberties, education, and freedoms.

We gave candidates running for North Carolina Senate District 13 and House District 37, the opportunity to share their positions on key issues for the upcoming election.

If you're voting in one of these districts, you can see our candidate scorecard here.

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy. And yet, the right to vote is under constant threat. In North Carolina, we continue to see attempts to impose barriers to the ballot box, limit the times and ways people can vote, and keep formerly incarcerated people from voting once they are no longer held captive by the state. The ACLU of North Carolina continues to defend and expand the right to vote through lobbying, litigation, and working in coalition with partner organizations across the state. 

To volunteer with the ACLU of North Carolina, fill out this form. 

You can also help staff your local polling place. Our democracy depends on ordinary people who make sure every election runs smoothly and everyone's vote is counted — people like you. When you sign up with Power the Polls, they'll share everything you need to apply to be a poll worker in your community.

Click here for a list of GOTV events you can participate in for October.