This fall, North Carolina will hold elections for president, congress, governor, NC supreme court, NC legislature, NC council of state, and local offices. Don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard as you cast a ballot to choose new elected officials for our city, state, and nation!
The NC voter registration deadline is October 11, which is the deadline to register for Election Day voting. Check your registration online to make sure it’s up to date and that you’re registered at the address where you plan to vote this fall.
Need to get registered or update your registration? If you have an NC driver’s license or DMV ID, you can register online using the DMV’s self-service portal. Don’t have an NC driver’s license or DMV ID? Need help registering or updating your voter registration? Visit Register to Vote in North Carolina for more information.
Students at NC colleges can register on campus and vote in NC elections. If you’re a US citizen, at least 18 years of age by Election Day (November 5, 2024), have lived at your current address for at least 30 days before Election Day, and are not currently serving a felony sentence (including probation or parole), you can register and vote in NC!
Live on campus? There may be a specific residential address that you need to include in Box 4 of the NC Voter Registration Application. To find address information for your college or university, visit Campus Voting Guide to view the Campus Address Guide.
Live off campus? Include your apartment or house address in Box 4.
When registering to vote in NC, BE SURE to include your permanent mailing address in box 5! Your voter registration card can be sent anywhere in the country that receives mail, including an out-of-state address.
Questions about how to register to vote on campus? Visit Campus Voting Guide to learn more about how to register as an NC college student.
Want to vote by mail using your NC home address? While voting by mail is an option for voters registered in NC, voting in person during Early Voting is the best way to ensure your ballot is counted. If you want to vote by mail, any North Carolina voter can request an absentee ballot at votebymail.ncsbe.gov, however your ballot will not count unless it is returned by 7:30pm on Election Day (Nov. 5, 2024). The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 29th, but you should request yours ASAP so you have time to fill it out and return it. You Can Vote recommends requesting and returning your absentee ballot as soon as possible to make sure your vote counts. The mail can be slow and there is no grace period this year to return your ballot, so make sure it is received by your county’s board of elections by 7:30pm on November 5th! Visit Vote by Mail to learn more.
Missed the October 11 voter registration deadline? You can register and vote same-day during Early Voting, from October 17 to November 2, 2024! Visit Early Voting to find Early Voting locations, hours, and same-day registration instructions.
Voting early on campus? For students living in university housing, precinct workers should have a dormitory roster to verify your address, and officials on hand to assist with completing same-day registration. Off-campus students wanting to register at Early Voting must show a document with their current address–such as a utility bill, pay stub, or lease–and may find it easier to register online or on paper before the October 11th deadline. Visit Register to Vote in North Carolina to learn more.
When you go to vote in 2024, voters will be asked to show a photo ID. Approved IDs for voting include North Carolina Driver’s Licenses, U.S. passports, and over 120 student IDs. You can also get a free voter photo ID from your county’s board of elections. The address on your ID DOES NOT have to match the address on your voter registration. Visit Voter ID to learn more. Voters who do not have any form of ID can ask for the Photo ID Exception Form when they go to vote.
Need information to research the candidates? You may have 20+ offices on your ballot this fall. To learn about the role of each office, the candidates running, and how each office impacts the issues that matter most to you, visit What’s on the Ballot?
Voting on November 5? You can’t make any changes to your voter registration on Election Day and must go to your assigned polling place. If you’re already registered to vote and didn’t vote early or by mail, you must vote at your assigned polling place on November 5th. Use the Voter Search tool on the NC State Board of Elections website to find your Election Day voting location and make sure your registration is up to date. If you need help or have any questions when you go to the polls, call the NC Voter Assistance Hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE.
