There are some things you can do when going to cast your ballot -- and some you can't. Some are even against the law.
Know before you go. The State Board of Elections asked county boards of elections across the state for common voter questions, concerns, and misconceptions.
Here are 12 key things to know as you go to the polls.
Lines at voting sites. This is a presidential election, and millions of North Carolinians will cast ballots in 2024. There will be lines at certain times at early voting sites and Election Day polling places. Be prepared. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a chair if you have difficulty standing for long periods, pack water or snacks, and depending on the weather forecast, consider bringing an umbrella or handheld fan. You can also check your county board of elections' website to see if they have a wait time tracker for voting sites. Lines are typically longest at the beginning and end of the early voting period.
Photo ID. Many different types of photo IDs are accepted, including driver's licenses and passports. Find a complete list at BringItNC.gov. If you are older than 65 and your driver's license did not expire on your 65th birthday, you can use that to vote. You do not have to bring your voter registration card, but you should bring an acceptable form of ID. If you do not have one, you can get one for free from your county board of elections office, or fill out an exception form at your voting site explaining why you were unable to show ID.
Secure, auxiliary bin. Every ballot scanner, or tabulator, at voting sites has a secure, auxiliary bin attached to it. If there is a problem with a tabulator - power outage, ballot jam, etc. - voters will temporarily place their ballots in the bin instead of inserting them in the tabulator. When the issue with the tabulator is resolved, a bipartisan team of election officials will insert the ballots from the bin into the tabulator. Additionally, the county board of elections will ensure the total number of ballots cast matches the number of voters who checked in at the site. This ensures every ballot is accounted for and counted.
With hundreds of tabulators used across the state during early voting and thousands on Election Day, occasionally a tabulator can experience a problem. This is why the auxiliary bin exists, and it is the industry standard used to address these situations in jurisdictions across the country.
Can poll workers write on your ballot? In North Carolina, yes, poll workers can, and often do write on ballots. This is done for various reasons as required by law. Social media posts suggesting that writing on your ballot will invalidate it have been circulating for years, and they are false. For more information, see Fact: In NC, if an Election Worker Writes on Your Ballot, It Does Not Invalidate It.
Your ballot will count, even if you leave some contests blank. You do not have to make a selection in every contest on your ballot. If you skip contests, your votes will be counted in all other contests on your ballot. Leaving a contest blank will not invalidate your ballot.
Your ballot will count, regardless of voting method. The ballot of every eligible North Carolinian will be counted regardless of which voting method they choose - absentee, in-person early, or in-person on Election Day.
Can I take a selfie with my ballot? No. In North Carolina, it is illegal to take a selfie with your ballot or photograph your ballot. North Carolina law prohibits photographing or videotaping voted ballots. Voters may use their electronic devices in the voting booth to access candidate information, provided they don't use the devices to communicate with anyone or take photographs of their ballot or other voters. The NCSBOE encourages selfies with "I Voted" stickers at the voter selfie stations outside voting locations instead.
Spouses can vote in the same voting booth if both request to do so. This is not common, but the state law does allow spouses to choose to vote together in the same voting booth. Poll workers should not encourage this practice; but if both spouses agree to do so, it is permissible.
Inactive voters are still registered voters. If a person in "inactive" registration status shows up to vote, they will confirm their address with a poll worker, or update their address within that county, if necessary. They will also show photo ID as required by law.
Can I just vote through the drive-through?. Yes, kind of. Curbside voting is an option from your car for voters who are unable to enter the voting place without physical assistance, usually because of age or disability. It is not for voters who do not want to wait in line. Curbside voters must sign a sworn statement affirming that because of age or disability, they are unable to enter the voting place without assistance.
Poll worker duties. Poll workers are there to ensure voters can cast ballots securely and efficiently. They cannot discuss candidates or ballot items with voters.
Candidate information. Volunteers and supporters of particular candidates are allowed to pass out fliers and other information about candidates, provided they are outside the buffer zone, which should be marked at every voting site. If campaigners become too aggressive or are inside the buffer zone, voters should report that to an election official immediately.
