How to vote in North Carolina
North Carolina voter registration guide
North Carolina voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 25 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 25 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 3 days before Election Day
Check your North Carolina voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your North Carolina registration using the North Carolina voter registration lookup tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
North Carolina voter registration rules
To register in North Carolina you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of North Carolina and the precinct in which you live for at least 30 days prior to Election Day
- be 18 years old by the General Election (you may pre-register if you are 16 years old and if you are 17, you may vote in a primary if you will turn 18 by the General Election)
- if you have been convicted of a felony, you must have completed parole and probation
- not be registered or vote in any other county or state.
North Carolina online voter registration
- You can register to vote online if you have a North Carolina driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
- Visit the North Carolina online voter registration tool.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 25 days before Election Day.
North Carolina by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Enter North Carolina driver’s license number. If you don't have a driver’s license, enter the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you don't have either number, write "NONE" in the box.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You must register with a party to vote in that party’s primary unless that party allows unaffiliated voters to vote in its primary. If you indicate a political party that is not a qualified party, or indicate no party, you will be listed as “Unaffiliated”.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: You are required to fill in this box. However, your application will not be rejected if you fail to do so.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 25 days before Election Day
North Carolina in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your North Carolina driver's license or any photo ID issued by a government agency that contains your name and address. If you don't have one, bring an acceptable document with your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a student photo ID (must be paired with a proof of campus habitation), recent utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck.
North Carolina same day registration
- Summary: North Carolina has same day registration. You can register and vote during the early voting period.
Registering to vote in North Carolina with a felony conviction
If you have been convicted of a felony and would like to register to vote, please visit Restore Your Vote. They will help you determine your eligibility and guide you through the process.
North Carolina absentee and mail ballot guide
North Carolina absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
North Carolina absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 7 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
North Carolina absentee ballot rules
Any registered North Carolina voter may request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
North Carolina online ballot request (recommended)
- Visit the North Carolina absentee ballot website.
- Fill out all of the required information.
- Hit save or submit when you are done.
- The deadline to apply online is: 7 days before Election Day.
North Carolina by-mail ballot request
- Download the North Carolina absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: Received 7 days before Election Day.
North Carolina in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: 7 days before Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
North Carolina absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: You must include your North Carolina driver's license number, state ID number, or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your absentee ballot application. The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
North Carolina early voting guide
North Carolina early voting dates
- Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day
What to bring
Most North Carolina voters do not need to show ID. First time NC voters should plan on showing ID at the polls. You can show a non-expired photo ID issued by the State of North Carolina (any state if within 90 days of Election Day) or the Federal Government, a student ID issued by an approved North Carolina college or university, or a tribal ID. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address. Your ID must be un-expired, unless expired within one year or if your are over the age of 65.
North Carolina voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
Most North Carolina voters do not need to show ID. First time NC voters should plan on showing ID at the polls. You can show a non-expired photo ID issued by the State of North Carolina (any state if within 90 days of Election Day) or the Federal Government, a student ID issued by an approved North Carolina college or university, or a tribal ID. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address. Your ID must be un-expired, unless expired within one year or if your are over the age of 65.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must include your North Carolina driver's license number, state ID number, or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your absentee ballot application. The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
ID requirements to register to vote online
You can register to vote online if you have a North Carolina driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
ID requirements for same day registration
Bring your North Carolina driver's license or any photo ID issued by a government agency that contains your name and address. If you don't have one, bring an acceptable document with your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a student photo ID (must be paired with a proof of campus habitation), recent utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for North Carolina elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
State Board of Elections P.O. Box 27255 Raleigh, NC 27611‐7255
External resources
- North Carolina online voter registration
- North Carolina online absentee ballot request
- North Carolina voter status lookup
- North Carolina absentee ballot tracker
- North Carolina provisional ballot tracker
- North Carolina polling place locator