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North Carolina: Voter Guide
Voting Information // North Carolina
Registration:
4/7

Automatic voter registration

Online voter registration

Pre-registration before turning 18

Number of days prior to election a voter must be registered is 15 days or less

Online voter registration closes 15 days or less before Election Day

Registration drives

Same day registration offered in all elections

Same day registration located at polling place

Same day registration offered only during early voting

Accessibility:
5/8

All mail voting

In-person early voting

Amount of early voting days is higher than 7

Election day is a state holiday

No-excuse mail voting

12+ hours of open polls

Paid time off work to vote

Time off work to vote

Requirements:
3/5

Felons can vote after incarceration with completion of sentence

Felons can vote immediately after incarceration

Felons can vote while incarcerated

No ID required to vote

Mental competency not required to register

Non-photo ID required to vote

Photo-ID required to vote

Upcoming Elections

There are no upcoming elections. Sign up for email or text notifications prior to important election dates.

Voting Qualifications

Have your rights of citizenship restored if you have been convicted of a felony
Not be registered or vote in any other county or state
Be a resident of North Carolina and the precinct in which you live for at least 30 days prior to Election Day
United States Citizen
18+ Years of Age

Deadlines

In Person - 
Last day of Early Voting
Mail - 
Postmarked 25 days before Election Day and received 20 days before Election Day
Online - 
25 days before Election Day
Mail - 
Application to request absentee ballot due 7 days before Election Day
Mail - 
Voted ballot due by 5 p.m. on Election Day
In Person - 
Between 4 and 20 days before Election Day

More Information

North Carolina recognizes three political parties: The Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Republican Party. A voter may choose one political party or can decide not to register with a political party. If a voter does not register with a political party, the voter will be registered as unaffiliated.

In a partisan primary, voters affiliated with a political party may only vote their party’s ballot and may not vote in another party’s primary. For example, a registered Republican may only vote in the Republican Party primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose the Democratic, Libertarian, Republican, or nonpartisan ballot (if available) in a primary election.


In a General Election, voters may vote for the candidates of their choice, regardless of the candidate's party affiliation.

Any registered North Carolina voter may apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.

If you’re not voting for the first time in North Carolina, you don’t need to show ID to vote in person.


If you’re a first-time voter, you registered to vote by mail, and you did not provide your state-issued ID number (driver’s license, non-operators ID card, or NC Voter Registration number) when you registered, you should plan to show ID when you vote at the polls.


Acceptable forms of ID include:

  • Current and valid photo ID
  • Military ID
  • A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and current address