VOTING IN NC: Here’s What You Need To Know!

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With 2024 being an election year, we want to make sure that all North Carolinians have all the info they need to vote. There are substantial changes this year, so here’s what you need to know!

DEADLINE TO REGISTER

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the deadline to register to vote is October 11, 2024 at 5pm local time.

VOTER PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT

Voters in North Carolina will now be asked to show photo ID at the polls. Here are the acceptable forms of Photo ID:

Any of the following that are unexpired or expired for one year or less:

• North Carolina driver’s license
• State ID from the NCDMV
• Driver’s license or state ID from another state, U.S. territory or the District of Columbia (only if registered in NC within 90 days of the election)
• U.S. Passport or Passport Card
• NC Voter Photo ID issued by a county board of elections, which are available for free (CLICK HERE)
• College or university student ID approved by State Board of Elections
• State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by State Board of Elections

Any of the following, regardless of presence of expiration or issuance date:

• Military or veterans ID card (with photo) issued by the U.S. government
• Tribal enrollment card (with photo) issued by a tribe recognized by the State of North Carolina or the federal government
• ID card (with photo) issued by an agency of the U.S. government or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program (Note: Although this is an acceptable form of ID under North Carolina law, the State Board is not aware of any such ID in circulation that contains a photo. All IDs for voting are required to have a photo.)

ID Exceptions

If a voter is unable to show photo ID (whether in-person or by mail), they must fill out an ID Exception Form with their ballot.

Permitted Exceptions

• The voter has a “reasonable impediment” to showing photo ID. This means that something is preventing the voter from showing ID. The voter must provide their reason by selecting from the following choices on the form.
  • Lack of transportation
  • Disability or illness
  • Lack of birth certificate or other documents needed to obtain ID
  • Work or school schedule
  • Family responsibilities
  • Photo ID is lost, stolen, or misplaced
  • Applied for photo ID but have not received it
  • (For mail voters only) Unable to attach a copy of photo ID (Voter must include driver’s license number or last four digits of Social Security number)
  • Other reasonable impediment (if selected, the voter must write the reason on the form)
  • State or federal law prohibits voter from listing the reason
• The voter has a religious objection to being photographed.
• The voter was a victim of a natural disaster within 100 days before Election Day that resulted in a disaster declaration by the President of the United States or the Governor of North Carolina.

Absentee Voting

**UPDATED: September 10, 2024, 10:26AM**

County boards of elections was originally scheduled to mail absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted a request form on September 6, 2024. However, due to the NC Supreme Court’s ruling to remove former candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from the ballots, mailing is expected to be delayed by at least two weeks.

You have until 5pm local time on October 29, 2024 to request an absentee ballot. The ballot for non-military/overseas voters must be returned by 7:30 pm on Election Day, November 5.

Military members and overseas citizens have until 5pm ET the day before Election Day to register to vote and request an absentee ballot with the Federal Post Card Application. The easiest method is to apply online with the NC Military/Overseas Voter Services Portal. You can also download the application and return via mail, email, or fax to your county board of elections.

PER NCSBE:

The ballot and voting instructions will arrive where you specified on the FPCA. Make sure to sign the Military-Overseas Voter Affirmation that comes with the ballot materials. You can sign with your mouse or finger if you receive them online. The ballot return deadline via online/email or fax is 7:30 p.m. ET on Election Day.

The ballot return deadline via mail is 12:01 a.m. on Election Day (your local time). It must be put in the mail by this deadline and then reach your county board of elections by 5 p.m. ET on the last business day before the county canvass, which occurs 10 days after each election — except for September and October odd-year municipal elections when it’s seven days after the election. A postmark is not required.

If you do not receive your ballot in time for the election, you can download and print the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. For more info, click here.

In-Person Voting

In-person early voting will run from October 17 to November 3 at 3pm. The general election will be on November 5, and the polls will be open from 6:30am to 7:30pm. Any voter in line at their polling place at 7:30pm will be able to vote. CLICK HERE to find your polling place.

For more information, visit ncsbe.gov/voting.