RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) – As one-stop voting begins Thursday, state election officials want to make sure voters have all the information they need before carrying out their civic duty.

The State Board of Elections shared ten things you should know about early voting. Registered voters can cast their ballots today through November 2nd, three days before Election Day on November 5th.

1. Early voting locations. Eligible voters can cast their ballot at any early voting location in their county. For locations and hours in all 100 counties, use the Early Voting Sites Search tool. See also “Early Voting Sites” for the November 5, 2024 general election (PDF). The busiest days for early voting are often the first day and the last few days.
2. Information about the candidate. Sample ballots are available through the voter search tool. For information about candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, see the State Board’s Judicial Voter Guide: 2024 General Election. The guide will also be mailed to all North Carolina households. Election officials do not release information about candidates in other contests, but some media and interest groups do. Many candidates also have websites and social media accounts. Being familiar with your choices will make your voting experience go more smoothly.
3. Bring your photo ID with you. Voters will be asked to present photo ID when checking in to vote. Most voters will show their driver’s license, but many other types of photo ID are accepted. Voters who do not have a photo ID may comply with the photo ID requirement by either (1) completing a form explaining why they cannot show a photo ID or (2) submitting their ID no later than November 14 at 5:00 p.m , present at the county elections office For more information about the photo ID requirement, visit BringItNC.gov.
4. Free photo ID cards. Any registered voter who requires a photo ID can obtain a free photo ID from the county elections office during the early voting period, which ends Nov. 2. For more information, see Get Free Photo ID for Voters.
5. Register to vote. The regular voter registration deadline was October 11th. But any eligible North Carolina resident can still register and vote during the early voting period. Registrants must provide proof of their residential address. This could be a driver’s license or other government document, a paycheck, a utility bill, or a bank statement. For more information, see Registering in Person During Early Voting.
6. Update registration. Early voting allows registered voters to update their name or address within the same county if necessary.
7. Submitting postal ballots. Voters who vote by mail can return the ballot by mail or hand it to a poll worker at an early voting location in their county. You can also drop it off in person at your county elections office. Voters registered in the 25 counties in the Helene disaster area in western North Carolina can cast their absentee ballots at any early voting location in the state during early voting hours. Ballots are securely stored and delivered to the voter’s county election board for processing. For more information about returning postal ballots, see the detailed instructions on postal voting.
8. Personal voting instead of absenteeism. Voters who have requested a mail-in ballot but have not yet returned it can instead vote in person during early voting or on Election Day, Nov. 5. Voters can discard the mail-in ballot and do not have to bring it with them to a polling place.
9. Peace in the elections. All voters should respect the right of others to participate in the election. Election officials are trained to respond quickly to incidents that could affect a voter’s ability to cast their vote. It is a crime to intimidate any voter. Voters who feel harassed or intimidated should notify a poll worker immediately.
10. Voters who need help. Voters who need assistance may bring a voter authorized person to assist them in entering and exiting the polling station or to help them fill out their ballot according to the voter’s instructions. Election workers are also available to assist voters. For voters who cannot enter the polling station, voting is also possible at the curb. For more information, see Curbside Voting.

For more information about early voting, see Vote Early in Person.

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