How to Vote in the 2024 NC General Election
When is Election Day for the 2024 NC General Election?
Tuesday, November 5th, 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Pro-Tip: If you are in line by 7:30 PM, stay in line. You can still vote!
Where can I vote on Election Day?
You must vote at your assigned polling place. This is different than the Early Voting locations.
★ PRO-TIP If you go to the wrong polling place and don’t have time to get to the right place, ask for a provisional ballot.
Find Your Polling Place
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).
Other Ways to Vote in the 2024 NC General Election
How Can I Vote Early?
Avoid long lines, vote on a weekday, and have the option to register on site! Early Voting offers many advantages over voting on Election Day.
Early Voting lasts 17 days and ends on the Saturday before Election Day.
Find an Early Voting site in your county
How Can I Vote by Mail (Absentee)?
Any registered NC voter can vote by mail. You do not need a special reason or excuse.
Request your absentee ballot by 5 PM on the Tuesday one week before Election Day (but sooner if possible!).
Learn more about absentee voting.
FAQ on Voting on Election Day
It is important for you to vote in your assigned polling place on Election Day.
Your polling place depends on what precinct you live in. You can find your polling place through the Board of Elections Voter Lookup tool by clicking HERE.
Some people go to an Early Voting location on Election Day, but that will not work unless it happens to be your own precinct’s polling place.
All polling places are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Election Day. If you are in line at 7:30 PM, you will be allowed to vote.
If you try to vote in the wrong precinct’s polling place but in your correct county, you will be sent to the “Help Desk” and shown how to use a provisional ballot. This is called out-of-precinct voting. If you are not offered a provisional ballot in this situation, ask for it. Your ballot will be counted (at least in part) including for all contests on the ballot at your home precinct (e.g., mayor, at-large city council, countywide and statewide contests).
If the election officials cannot find your name on the list of registered voters when you go to vote or if you encounter any other problem, you have the right to receive what is called a “Provisional Ballot.” You will have to fill out a form in addition to your ballot; the form helps the officials research your registration history, and it creates a record that voting-rights groups can review later to make sure you were treated fairly. If elections officials verify your eligibility to vote, your ballot will count like a regular ballot. You can look up your provisional ballot at the Provisional Ballot Lookup Portal to learn if your Provisional Ballot was approved or rejected and why.
If you had a problem and were not offered a Provisional Ballot or requested one and were denied your right to receive one, please call our Voter Hotline at 1-888-OUR-VOTE or 1-866-
Vote With or Without Photo ID
Due to an April 2023 ruling by the NC Supreme Court, you now need to show an NC driver’s license or other “acceptable photo ID” to vote with a regular ballot.
Don’t have an “acceptable ID”? You have other options if you do not have the acceptable forms of photo ID, such as completing an ID Exception Form and submitting it with a provisional ballot during in-person voting or with your absentee ballot if voting by mail (see acceptable ID exceptions here).
Forgot your ID? If you do have an acceptable ID but forget to bring it to the polling place when you vote, go get it! If you don’t have time to go get your ID and make it back to your polling place, you can vote a provisional ballot. For your vote to count, you must then return to your county board of elections with an acceptable ID by the day of county canvass (the Monday after Election Day for municipal elections; the second Thursday after Election Day for all other elections).
Questions about voting? Problems at the polls? Call our toll-free hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).
NC election laws are subject to change.