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How to vote in my state

North Carolina

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Last updated February 17, 2026

Upcoming Election Dates and Registration Deadlines

March 3, 2026

North Carolina Primary Election
Closed Primary
Voter Registration Deadline
  • In-Person by: February 6, 2026, 5:00PM
  • Online by: February 6, 2026, 5:00PM
  • Same day voter registration available only during early voting
Absentee Request Deadline
  • Received by: February 17, 2026, 5:00PM
Completed Absentee Ballot Return Deadline
  • Received by: March 3, 2026, 7:30PM
Early Voting
  • In-Person: February 12 – February 28, 2026, 3:00PM

November 3, 2026

North Carolina General Election
Voter Registration Deadline
  • In-Person by: October 9, 2026, 5:00PM
  • Online by: October 9, 2026, 5:00PM
  • Same day voter registration available only during early voting
Absentee Request Deadline
  • Received by: October 20, 2026, 5:00PM
Completed Absentee Ballot Return Deadline
  • Received by:  November 3, 2026, 7:30PM
Early Voting
  • October 15 – October 31, 2026, 3:00PM
learn more from North Carolina's state government

Helpful Resources

Register
to vote

Check if you are registered

What's on your
ballot

Voter ID Requirements

To vote in North Carolina you must bring an acceptable form of photo identification. Acceptable ID includes any of the following that is valid and unexpired, or has been expired for one year or less:

  • North Carolina driver’s license
  • State ID from the NCDMV, also called “non-operator ID”
  • Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
  • U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
  • North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections (Get a Free Voter ID)
  • College or university student photo ID approved by the State Board of Elections (view list)
  • State or local government or charter school employee photo ID approved by the State Board of Elections (view list)
Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an 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.

All voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. A registered voter may request an ID Exception Form if they did not bring an acceptable photo ID. All county boards of election can issue free voter photo IDs to registered voters in their county. For more information on photo id requirements see: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

Absentee (Mail-in) Voting

You do not need a reason or excuse to vote absentee in North Carolina, any voter is eligible to vote absentee and by mail. Registered voters in North Carolina must request an absentee ballot with an official N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form. There are two ways to access and submit the form:

  1. Online with “Option 1 – Request an Absentee Ballot” at the N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.
  2. On paper with the English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2024 (fillable PDF) or the Spanish N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2024 (fillable PDF).

Your county board of elections must receive your request by 5 PM the Tuesday before Election Day, and completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 3 days after the election. If you want to return your completed ballot in person, it must be received 5 PM the day before Election Day.

See details of absentee voting and download the application here

Early Voting 

Your early voting site may be at your county board of elections or at another site, please check your voting location. One-stop absentee voting is conducted from the second Thursday before the election and until 1pm on the last Saturday before Election Day. Exact times and dates depend on your county.

Check with your county here

See details of early voting here

In-Language Material

APIAVote sent translated mailers to over 1 million AAPI households in order to inform them on how, where and when to vote, in their preferred language. Click the link below to see the mailer sent to North Carolina:

North Carolina Voter Guide: Chinese simplified & Korean | Hindi & Urdu

What to Expect
on Election Day

On Election Day, polls are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM EST. 

Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.

Find your polling location.

IN-LANGUAGE VOTER INFORMATION RESOURCES

Find key, essential voter information for how to vote in the United States in your preferred language, from the menu options below:

Language Access

Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires certain jurisdictions to provide in-language voting materials in areas with a significant number of limited English proficient voters.

Section 208

Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act states that, “Any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or agent of the employer or office or agent of the voter’s union.” 

It is your right to bring your own interpreter to the polls, if you so choose. 

Have questions or need help voting?

Call 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683).

Bilingual assistance is available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali. Click here for more information.