At a Glance: North Carolina

North Carolina Voting Rules

Voter Registration Form:
Forms can be found here.

Where to Turn in Your Registration Form:
 Your County Board of Elections, which you can locate here.

Deadline to Register to Vote on November 4th: October 10th. If you miss the deadline for regular registration, you can still register and vote at the same time in person at a One-Stop Early Voting site in your county from October 16th through November 1st.

Voter Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen who will be at least 18 years old on November 4, 2008 and will be a North Carolina resident for at least 30 days before November 4th. If you have been convicted of a felony, you must have completed any term of incarceration, parole, and probation before you can register.

Identification and Proof of Residence Requirements: Your Voter Registration Form will request that you provide your North Carolina driver’s license number if you have one. If you do not have a North Carolina driver’s license, you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your social security number.

If you register by mail or at a voter registration drive, then the first time you vote you should bring one of the following items that include your name and current residence:

• North Carolina driver’s license; or
• Government document – such as a passport, a government-issued photo ID, a birth certificate, a hunting, fishing, or gun license, a property tax or other bill, a vehicle registration, a naturalization document, public housing or social security agency document, or a government check, invoice or letter; or
• Certain bills – including utility bills (gas, electric, water sewage), phone bills (home or cell), or cable TV; or
• Employer paycheck or W2; or
• Bank statement or bank-issued credit card statement; or
• If you are a student, a student photo ID along with a school document showing your name and current address.

How to Register Others: If you would assist with a Voter Registration Drive, please sign up at here.

Absentee Voting: No excuses are required for voting absentee.

Absentee Ballot Application Process: Any registered North Carolina voter can request an absentee ballot from his or her County Board of Elections. A handwritten request from the voter or near relative must include the following: Name of voter, residential address of voter, mailing address of voter (if different from residential address), date of birth of voter, signature of voter or near relative (indicate relationship with voter). ** A sample is included for you.

Absentee Ballot Deadlines: An absentee ballot request must be received by a voter’s County Board of Elections by October 28th. Once a voter receives the absentee ballot, he or she must submit it by 5 p.m. the day before the election (November 3rd).

One-Stop Early Voting: North Carolina has no-excuses One-Stop Early Voting at sites in every county from Thursday October 16th through Saturday November 1st. As the election gets closer, a full list of sites and times can be found here under "One-Stop Early Voting Sites."

For More Information:

North Carolina Secretary of State

Mailing Address: PO Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611-7255

Physical Address: 506 North Harrington St, Raleigh, NC 27603

Main Number: (919) 733-7173 or (866) 522-4723

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us

Info about veterans, voting in other states, etc.

Please see this website for more information on U.S. Military Voter Services and voting overseas.

Click here to return to our Voter Registration Action Center home page.

Read our voter registration event guide here.

Visit North Carolina's state home page.