This section describes the ways to vote, including voting early, using an absentee ballot, or voting on Election Day – and what to do if you have not registered or if you have recently moved.
Do I need an ID to vote?
Until 2016, you generally do not need to show identification when you vote. If you vote inside the poll in 2014 or 2015, the election official will give you a list of the kinds of photo ID that will be required beginning in 2016 and ask if you have one of them. You don’t need to answer or show the ID, but election officials will help voters get an ID by 2016 if they sign a declaration that they don’t have one of those on the list.
There are different ID rules if you use a mail-in ballot or qualify to vote using curbside voting. For more details, see www.GotIDNC.com.
Important exception: Even before 2016, a first-time voter in the state or county may need to show identification if you did not provide an identifying number on your registration form or if the identifying number you provided on the form couldn’t be verified. In this case, you would need to show the official an identifying document before your ballot can be counted: Either a current photo ID (with or without an address) OR one of these documents with your name and current address: utility bill (electric, gas, phone, water, cable bill), pay-stub or W-2, bank or bank card statement, or any document from any government agency (for example, a letter, license, or bill).
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Where and when do I vote on Election Day?
Your polling place depends on what precinct you live in; the polling location is listed on the voter card you were mailed after you registered. If you don’t have your card (and you do not need it to vote), you can find your polling place on Board of Elections “page” with your registration by clicking here or at the League of Women Voters site in periods close to an election by clicking here.
All polling places are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Election Day. If you are in line at 7:30 PM, you will be allowed to vote. Some Early Voting centers are not precinct polling places and they will not be open on Election Day.
It is important that you vote in your home precinct. If you vote in the wrong precinct on Election Day, your ballot will not count.
How can I vote early?
Beginning 12 days before an election, all NC counties must open at least one location where citizens can vote early. This is sometimes called “One-Stop Absentee Voting” or “In-Person Absentee Voting” because you are voting early in person and you will be “absent” on Election Day. (You can also vote early by mail with an Absentee Ballot.)
Any voter in the county can use any of the Early Voting sites in the county. You do not need an excuse to use Early Voting.
The location and hours of the Early Voting sites will be posted here when they are announced. You can also contact your county Board of Elections for Early Voting sites and times, because those will vary from county to county. Many counties have sites open on evenings and Saturdays, or even a Sunday. At least one site in your county will be open for a few hours on the Saturday before Election Day (3 days before Election Day), which is when Early Voting ends.
Note: All ballots cast early by eligible voters are counted and help determine the election winner, just like the ballots cast on Election Day. It’s a myth that they are not counted the same.
What if I can’t vote in person?
If you can’t make it to the polls on Election Day, you have the option to send your vote via mail using an absentee ballot.
To request an absentee ballot, you or a near relative must submit an Absentee Ballot request form to your county Board of Elections (be sure the request is signed). This request can be made as early as 50 days before the election, but it must be received at least 7 days before Election Day, by 5 PM.
What if I have a disability?
People who have visual, physical, cognitive or mental disabilities have a right to vote, protected by federal and state law. You have the right to receive assistance when you are voting, but a poll worker is not allowed to offer assistance – you have to ask for it. If you have a disability or difficulty reading (due to language ability, vision, etc.), you can ask for assistance from any person of your choice, except not an agent of your employer or union.
You can also remain in a car and vote from the curbside of the polling place if you would have difficulty going inside, due to your age or a physical disability. A poll worker will bring the ballot to you.
You may want to contact your county Board of Elections and ask them about the accessibility of your polling place or an Early Voting location. You have the right to request another permanent polling place in advance of the election if yours is inaccessible.
Where do I vote if I’ve recently moved?
If you registered to vote but have moved since then, where you vote depends on how long you’ve been at your new address.
If you moved to a different precinct in your county less than 30 days before the election, you can vote at your old precinct’s polling place on Election Day. If it has been more than 30 days, you can either (1) go to your old precinct, ask for a “transfer,” take it to your new precinct’s polling place and vote, or (2) go to your new polling place and ask for a Provisional Ballot if your name is not on the voter roll.
The most convenient and reliable way to vote if you have moved within you county but have not updated your registration is to vote at an Early Voting site during Early Voting.
If you moved to a different county, then you need to register like a new voter by submitting a registration form 25 days before the election.
What if I have a problem? What is a Provisional Ballot?
If the election officials can not find your name on the list of registered voters when you go to vote, or if you encounter any other problem, you have the right to receive what is called a “Provisional Ballot.” You will have to fill out a form in addition to your ballot; the form helps the officials research your registration history. If your eligibility to vote is verified, your ballot will count like a regular ballot. You will be given a phone number and PIN number or a website to use to check the status of your Provisional Ballot and learn if it has been approved or rejected.