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North
Carolina
Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: Application must be received or postmarked no later than 25 days before Election Day
After the 25th day before the election, you may register in-person during the early voting period at a one-stop site in your county of residence.
2022
Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline: April 22
Primary Election: May 17
General Election Voter Registration Deadline: October 14
General Election: November 8
Official Election Websites
More election information at:
Online voter registration available at:
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online/Pages/voter-registration-application.aspx
Printable PDF voter registration available at:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register/complete-your-registration-mail
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
North Carolina’s voter registration form asks for your North Carolina driver’s license or state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. The online voter registration form requires a North Carolina issued driver’s license or ID number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
If you register to vote using same-day registration during the early voting period, you must also provide proof of residency. The following are examples of acceptable proof of residency:
A government-issued photo ID with your current name and address, such as a North Carolina driver’s license;
A current utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement showing your name and address; or
A current college/university photo identification card paired with proof of campus habitation
More information about registering to vote during the early voting period is available at
https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register/register-person-during-early-voting
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Voters currently do not currently need to show voter ID to vote in the 2022 elections.
Check the North Carolina State Board of Elections site for updates before going to vote.
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail
All registered voters may request and vote by absentee ballot. You can request your absentee ballot application online or by returning the absentee ballot request form to your county board of elections office. Absentee ballot requests must be received by your county board of elections by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day.
You can find more information about voting by mail and the request forms at: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.
Blind or visually impaired voters may receive their absentee ballots electronically. More information is available at: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/help-voters-disabilities/accessible-absentee-voting
Completed absentee ballots must be:
Returned in person at a one-stop early voting site
Received in person to your county board of elections office by 5 p.m. on Election Day, or
Postmarked on or before Election Day and received by 5 p.m. on the third day after Election Day
For more information, visit:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail
Early In-person
All voters may vote early at one-stop absentee voting site in their county.
Contact your county board of elections for one-stop voting locations and hours: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/ossite/
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, then you have the right to vote.
Curbside voting is available to all one-stop voting sites and Election Day polling locations for voters who are unable to enter the voting place. For more information on eligibility, visit:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/help-voters-disabilities/accessible-voting-sites/curbside-voting
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in North Carolina affect my driver’s license or car registration?
As a full-time student in North Carolina, you may have to make these changes regardless of whether you register to vote in North Carolina. For more information, contact the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein is used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed North Carolina legal professional.
Last updated September March 2022