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Been Locked Up? Don’t be Locked Out!

Illustrated blue man with number one finger pointed in air, speaking to a crowed in celebration.

Once a person has served their time, they should not be made to continue paying for their past mistakes.

—Desmond Meade, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

If you are convicted of a FELONY: you temporarily lose your right to vote.

If you have completed your sentence, including probation and parole, you may register to vote and vote.

In NC, you automatically get back your right to vote once you have finished your sentence, including probation and parole. Fines, fees, and restitution alone do not make you ineligible to vote. You just register and vote like any eligible voter (see below for registration info), and you don’t need a special document that says your rights are restored.

If you have questions about your specific circumstances, please contact:

If you have been charged with a FELONY but not convicted, you do NOT lose your right to vote.

If you are convicted of a MISDEMEANOR: you do not lose your right to vote.

You can register and vote, even if you’re in jail.

Provide an address on your registration form and absentee request where you can receive mail – either the jail, your home, or the home of a near relative who can help you vote (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild).

You can request an absentee ballot by using the Absentee Ballot Request Online Portal or completing and mailing an absentee ballot request form to your county board of elections. Your absentee ballot request form must be received by your County Board of Elections at least a week before the election. 

If you already requested your ballot, see instructions on how to complete and mail your ballot. 

You Now Need an ID to Vote in NC

You now need to show an NC driver's license or other "acceptable photo ID" to vote with a regular ballot. However, you have other options if you do not have the acceptable forms of photo ID, such as completing an ID Exception Form and submitting a provisional ballot during in-person voting (see acceptable ID exceptions here).

How to register and vote

Register Online or by Mail

GET a paper registration form from the county Board of Elections or a public library, or download your voter registration form. If you have an NC-issued Driver’s License or DMV-issued ID card, you can register to vote online. Learn more about how to register to vote online.

MAIL or deliver the form to your county board of elections at least 25 days before Election Day. Find your county board.

CONFIRM your registration online or look for a postcard in the mail from your county showing your registration was received and other info.

Same-Day Registration and Voting

Not locked up? You can register to vote in-person at any Early Voting site in your county – and vote there, too. You can only do this during Early Voting (NOT on Election Day). Find your early voting locations and more.

To register, bring one form of ID with your name and current address, such as a utility bill, vehicle registration, or any letter, bill, NC driver’s license, or document from a local, state, or federal government agency. See a full list of what kind of ID to bring here. 

Other Questions?

For the latest on where or how to vote, call 888-OUR-VOTE.