Student voting in NC
Top three things to know before you vote
Make your voice count. Register to vote at your current address at least 25 days before the next Election Day.
Save time, avoid long lines. Vote early in your county. If you wait until Election Day, vote in your precinct (look it up here).
Double-win! You can register AND vote on the same day during Early Voting using same-day registration (but not on Election Day).
Where should I register to vote?
- What’s your registration address? In NC, it depends on where you call “home.”
- Call your college address “home” if you have no clear “intent to return” elsewhere after graduation.
★ PRO-TIP: Update your voter registration every time you move to a new address, even if it’s from one apartment to another in the same county.
How do I register to vote?
To register you must be
- a U.S. citizen;
- 18 years old by Election Day; and
- live at your address at least 30 days before the election.
- You can register after you’ve served a felony sentence, including probation. Serving a misdemeanor sentence? Register now!
- Send your completed voter registration form to your county Board of Elections at least 25 days before Election Day. Find your Board of Elections here.
- Miss the deadline? Register + vote on the same day during Early Voting. Bring a photo ID, bill, etc.
- First-time voter in your county? You may need to show a photo ID or another document with your current address. Got a utility bill? Bring it!
★ PRO-TIP: When filling out voter registration: write full name as appears on Social Security Number card or license + an ID number, birthdate and phone number, and sign.
★ PRO-TIP: When filling out a voter registration form, list a physical place for your residence like your dorm’s street address (not a box number).
How do I vote?
You have 3 choices for voting:
- Early Voting;
- Election Day; and
- Voting by Mail (AKA “Absentee ballots”)
★ PRO-TIP: Use a location near your campus to increase turnout.