NC Voting 2018: Elections Guide to Midterm Elections, Election Day
Planning to vote in the November election? We put together this guide as a resource for everything you need to know before you vote.
ELECTION DAY: Nov. 6. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
Election results can be found here.
Key election dates can be found here.
State Board of Elections website.
Your ballot
What's your ballot look like? Check here.
Election Day 2018: Report problems at the polls in North Carolina
Early Voting
One-stop absentee voting (commonly known as "early voting") allows any registered voter to cast an absentee ballot in person on select days prior to Election Day. In 2018, one-stop voting begins on Wednesday, October 17, and ends on Saturday, November 3. Unlike on Election Day, when registered voters can only vote at their specific precinct, one-stop voting allows registered voters to vote at any one-stop absentee voting site in the county. One-stop sites will have all the ballot styles for a given election at each site. To find all the one-stop locations in your county, click here.
When you present to vote at a one-stop site, you may change your name or address, if it needs to be updated.
Haven't registered yet? The deadline is Oct. 12 for most counties. (Some extended the deadline due to Hurricane Florence). More information about voter registration here.
Look up your voter information here.
View a list of one-stop voting sites here.
Not sure where to vote? Find your polling place here.
Check out the provisional ballot for your county here.
A reminder about voting by those convicted of felonies.
FAQ:
May I fax or email a voter registration form?
Yes, you may fax or email your voter registration form, but if the application is for new registration or change of party affiliation, the county board of elections must receive your original signature within 20 days of the voter registration deadline for an election.
May I sign a voter registration application for someone else?
No, only a voter may sign his or her voter registration application. You are not permitted to sign the form for your spouse, child or parent, even if you have power of attorney for the person.
I moved, but I forgot to update my voter registration. May I still vote?
Click here to update your voter registration
Are voter registration forms available in other languages?
Voter registration materials and instructions are currently available in both English and Spanish.
If I don't vote, will my voter record be purged from the other voter registration rolls?
Voter registration records are not "purged" simply due to non-voting. Voters are removed from the voter rolls due to a biennial list maintenance process that is mandated by federal and state law. If a county board of elections has not had any contact with a voter for a period of two federal election cycles, then the voter will be sent a forwardable address confirmation mailing. The voter will be required to return the confirmation mailing within 30 days of the mailing. If the confirmation mailing is not returned by the voter within that time, or the mailing is returned by the postal system as undeliverable, then the voter's record will be marked inactive in the voter registration database. Inactive voters are still registered voters. If an inactive voter presents to vote, the person will be asked to update his or her address with the board of elections. In the event that an inactive voter remains in this status for another two federal election cycles (meaning the county board still has no contact with the voter), then the voter will be removed as a voter in the county.
How are ineligible voters removed from the voter registration rolls?
In North Carolina, county boards of elections follow a comprehensive list maintenance schedule to remove names of individuals who are no longer eligible to be registered due to death, felony conviction, removal from the county, or lack of voter contact.
Is photo ID required to vote now?
On July 29, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down photo ID requirements and other elections procedures enacted under S.L. 2013-381 and amended by S.L. 2015-103. Barring any alternative outcome on appeal, the following are no longer enforceable:
- Photo ID requirement contained in Part 2 of Session Law 2013-381, as amended by Session Law 2015-103;
- Removal of preregistration contained in Part 12 of Session Law 2013-381;
- Elimination of same-day registration contained in Part 16 of Session Law 2013-381;
- Changes to early voting contained in Part 25 of Session Law 2013-381; and
- Elimination of out-of-precinct voting contained in Part 49 of Session Law 2013-381.
Is a voter registration card required to vote?
No. A voter registration card simply serves to confirm that the voter is registered, and to provide specific details such as the voter's polling place. That information can also be found on this website through the Voter Lookup tool. If you would like to receive a replacement card, please contact your local County Board of Elections office and ask that a new card be mailed to you.
Can college students in North Carolina vote?
College students can register and vote in the jurisdiction of their residence. A registered voter may only have one residence. If the college student considers his or her school address to be his or her residence, the college student may register and vote in the county where the school is located.
Are absentee ballots and provisional ballots only counted when the election contest is tied or the results are close?
No. All ballots are counted in the official election results. Election results that are reported on Election night are not official. These unofficial results will include votes from Election Day, one-stop early voting sites, and mail-in absentee ballots that were received in time to be counted on Election Day. Before the elections office finalizes the official count (through a process called canvass), the County Board of Elections will also include in the count all timely mail-in absentee ballots received on or after Election Day, as well as provisional votes that the County Board of Elections determines to be properly cast.
