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A photo ID is now required to vote in NC beginning with the municipal elections in the fall of 2023, but there are exceptions! See the NC Board of Elections info on Voter ID here.
Voting questions? Call the non-partisan voter information hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE.

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).

Wmoan holding a I Voted Eary sticker.

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

    1. a U.S. citizen;
    2. 18 years old by Election Day; and
    3. 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:

    1. Early Voting;
    2. Election Day; and
    3. Voting by Mail (AKA “Absentee ballots”)

★ PRO-TIP: Use a location near your campus to increase turnout.

Find an Early Voting site in your county

Look up Early Voting sites and hours by county here.
Early Voting Sites

Need an Absentee Ballot?

You can request an absentee ballot online. Your ballot will be mailed to you. Mail it back (postmark) by deadline or drop at an early voting poll.
Learn more about Absentee Ballots