Voting & Election Information
Registering to Vote:
Voters have a number of options for registration:
1) Online:Some North Carolina residents can register online. If you have a North Carolina-issued driver’s license or ID, you may access online registration (and may also update your existing registration) through this site: https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voters/Registering-to-Vote.
2) By Mail: Additionally, you may download a registration form at https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Voter_Registration/NCVoterRegForm_06W.pdf. You may complete the form and submit by mail as directed on the form. Forms must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to Election Day (this year, October 9).
3) Same Day Registration: Allows unregistered voters to both register and vote at an Early Voting Location. Detailed instructions are at https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voting-Options/One-Stop-Early-Voting
It is highly recommended that voters check their registration status well in advance of registration deadlines. This is true especially if your address has changed, but even if it has not, polling locations sometimes change and errors can occur. You can check your registration status, including your designated Election Day polling location, by going to the Wake County Board of Elections site at http://www.wakegov.com/elections/voters/Pages/default.aspx and clicking “Am I Registered?”. An array of additional voter information can also be accessed via this page, including information on updating your address, if needed. Note that you do not need to be a Wake County resident to check your registration status through this site.
Voting Options:
Voters have the following options to vote:
1) Traditional In-Person on Election Day: You may vote in person on Election Day only at your polling location. While you will be asked to state your name and address, note that a Voter ID is NOT required under North Carolina law. Election day polling places are scheduled to be open from 6:30AM to 7:30PM and can be confirmed by checking your registration at the link above.
2) Early Voting: Unlike traditional Election Day voting, you may vote at ANY County Early Voting Site. Early Voting is scheduled to be available from October 15-31. You may access the entire list of Early Voting locations for Wake County, here: http://www.wakegov.com/elections/info/early/Pages/default.aspx. In addition, this site provides full details on the Early Voting period, including the hours each day that the locations will be open. If you live outside of Wake County, check the website of your county’s Board of Elections instead (Durham: https://www.dcovotes.com/home-boardelections; Chatham: https://www.chathamnc.org/government/departments-programs/board-of-elections; Orange: https://www.orangecountync.gov/1082/Board-of-Elections).
3) Absentee/Mail-in voting. Contrary to news reports which may seem to indicate otherwise, there is no difference in North Carolina between “Absentee Voting” and “Voting by Mail” This option is available to every registered North Carolina voter, but you MUST request the ballot, which you may do by visting http://www.wakegov.com/elections/info/Pages/absentee.aspx (or the Board of Elections site for your county of residence if not Wake). This page contains a wealth of detail on the process for both obtaining an absentee ballot and for voting by mail.
To help you research your candidate options, Wake County Sample Ballots will be made available on September 3 here: http://www.wakegov.com/elections/info/Pages/nextelection.aspx
Key Dates:
Below are some of the most important dates to remember this election season:
September 3, 2020: Sample Ballots to be made available.
October 9, 2020: Voter Registration Deadline for online and mail-in registrations. Mail-in registration must be postmarked by this date.
October 15, 2020: Early Voting begins.
October 27, 2020: Last day to submit an absentee ballot request (it is recommended this be done well in advance of this date, however).
October 31, 2020: Last Day for Early Voting
November 3, 2020: Election Day – Absentee Ballots must be delivered to the Board of Elections by 5PM (if mailed it must be postmarked on or before Election Day).