Vote by Mail

Any NC voter may request and mail in an absentee ballot — no reason needed!

Absentee voting allows registered voters to receive and submit their ballot by mail. Follow all instructions and deadlines carefully to make your vote count! Be sure to include witness signatures and addresses, plus a copy of your Photo ID or the Photo ID Exception Form. As of September 2026, returning your ballot by mail costs $1.98 in postage (three forever stamps will cover it).

If you plan to vote by mail, request and return your absentee ballot as soon as possible. Click here to request your ballot today.

What you need to know

Any NC registered voter may request and receive a mail-in absentee ballot – no reason needed. A voter may submit a voter registration application and an absentee request form at the same time if needed.
The voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian must complete, sign, and return the NC Absentee Ballot Request Form or use the Absentee Request Online Portal. A near relative could be a spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild.
Once your request is accepted, you can track your ballot here.
If you request and receive a ballot but then decide to vote in-person, that’s fine, but only vote one ballot!
Your ballot must be received by your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The date it was postmarked does not matter! To make sure your vote counts, mail your completed ballot at least two weeks before Election Day or drop it off in person at your county board of elections office.
Want to know when your absentee ballot will be counted? All county boards of elections will meet weekly to review absentee ballots. You can attend these public meetings. Visit vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo to find your county and their meeting schedule.
Military/overseas voters: see fvap.gov for more information.

Click the button for detailed instructions for voting by mail from the NC State Board of Elections.

VOTE BY MAIL: DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Request your absentee ballot

You must request a ballot for every election in which you want to vote. You will not automatically receive an absentee ballot because you requested one for a previous election.
Request your absentee ballot from your county board of elections ASAP! For the 2026 election, county boards of elections began sending absentee ballots to voters who requested them on September 4. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 20 at 5 p.m., but you should request your ballot now to make sure you have enough time to complete and submit it.
If you request your ballot by mail, please allow enough time for your request to be received by the deadline. The State Board of Elections encourages voters to request their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure enough time to complete and return the ballot. Requests received after the deadline will not be processed.
Watch your phone and inbox! If there is a problem with your ballot request, you will get a call or email from your county board of elections.

Requests may only be submitted by:

The voter
The voter’s near relative or verifiable legal guardian
U.S. Postal Service or designated delivery service
A member of a Multipartisan Assistance Team (MAT)

If you need assistance requesting your ballot due to disability, these restrictions do not apply and you may ask any person to request your ballot. Anyone requesting a ballot on behalf of a voter will provide their name, address, and relationship to the voter on the absentee request form. Forms returned by any other person will not be processed.

Request YOUR BALLOT

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS TO REQUEST YOUR BALLOT

Step 2: Receive your absentee ballot

The county board of elections will send the following items to the mailing address provided on the request form (these items cannot be picked up in person):

An absentee ballot
A return envelope with a certificate statement
An instruction sheet
A Photo ID Exception Form

Step 3: Complete your ballot

Mark your ballot in the presence of a notary public or two witnesses. Your notary public or two witnesses should observe that you mark the ballot, not how you vote.
Seal your ballot. Place your ballot in the return envelope that came with your ballot and seal the envelope. Don’t put anything else into the envelope.
Sign the envelope. Sign your name on the back of the envelope.
Have your witnesses or notary public sign the envelope. Each witness will sign and print their name and write their full address on the back of the envelope. Anyone 18 years of age or older can be a witness except a candidate (unless the candidate is your near relative or legal guardian or you are in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, or adult care home and are requesting the candidate’s assistance due to disability).
If you get help from someone, have them sign the envelope. If you need help, a near relative or verifiable legal guardian can mark the ballot at your direction or help you fill out the envelope. If a near relative or verifiable legal guardian can’t help you, you can get help from someone else. Full instructions for voters who need help.
Include a copy of your photo ID. Place a copy of an eligible photo ID in the clear sleeve on the back of your ballot envelope. If you can’t provide a copy of a photo ID, complete and place the Photo ID Exception Form (yellow form in your ballot package) into the clear sleeve. Learn more about voter ID.
Seal and mail your ballot envelope. Place the completed and sealed ballot envelope inside the absentee return envelope to return it by mail or in person to an early voting site or your county board of elections office.

detailed instructions to complete your ballot

Step 4: Return your absentee ballot in its envelope

Choose Your Return Option

By mail: Include correct postage on your ballot return envelope. Learn how much it costs for the current election. Your ballot must be received by your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. We strongly recommend you mail your ballot at least two weeks before Election Day to make sure it arrives in time.
In person: Return your ballot to your county board of elections office or to any early voting site in your county. If returning to your county board of elections office on Election Day, it must be received by 7:30 p.m.
- You cannot return your ballot to a polling place on Election Day. It must go to your county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m.

You have options! If you complete your absentee ballot request or have received your ballot and decide you would rather vote in person, you can disregard your absentee request and vote in person during Early Voting or on Election Day.

DETAILED instructions to return your ballot

Learn more

See the NC State Board of Elections detailed instructions for voting by mail.

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTE BY MAIL