Today begins the first day of Absentee Voting. Any North Carolina registered voter who is qualified to vote in an election can request and receive a by-mail absentee ballot for any election, whether it is a statewide primary, general election, or special election on constitutional amendments, referenda or bond proposals, or any municipal election in which absentee voting is allowed. No special circumstance or excuse is needed to receive and vote a mail-in absentee ballot.
To receive an Absentee Ballot, click here to download the official request form.
A signed and completed State Absentee Ballot Request Form must be received by the county board of elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday prior to the date of the election for which the ballot is being requested.
A signed and completed request form may be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or delivered in person to the county board of elections office. To receive a mail-in absentee ballot for an election, a voter or the voter’s near relative (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild) or legal guardian must use the State Absentee Ballot Request form to request the ballot. Request forms are available at the State Board of Elections’ office, here on the State Board of Elections website, and at county boards of elections’ offices. The form can be reproduced.
For more information on this year’s election, please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
Other Important General Election Dates
Friday, October 14: Voter registration deadline for the November General Election. Click here for more information on registering to vote. To check your individual registration status, voting jurisdictions, election day polling place, and your own sample ballot, click here.
Thursday, October 20: Early voting period begins for the November General Election and ends on the last Saturday before the election (November 5) at 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 1 – Deadline for absentee ballot request to be received.
Saturday, November 5 – Early voting period ends at 1 PM for the November General Election.
Tuesday, November 8 – 2016 Statewide November General Election. Polls are open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm across the state. November 8 is also the deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot by the county board of elections office (or, if you’re mailing it in, clearly postmarked by that day).
Voting in Honor of a Veteran Program
North Carolina successfully launched this program in time for the 2008 General Election, with over 2,000 Veterans honored. The Vote in Honor of a Veteran Program provides North Carolina citizens an opportunity to pay tribute to those that have served, and continue to serve, this country to protect our freedom. You can honor a Veteran on any Election Day by requesting a pin.
Requesting a Pin
This pin is a way for you to show your pride in a certain Veteran or active duty service member on Election Day. These pins are provided to you free of charge by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Each pin will can be personalized with the name of the Veteran that you wish to honor. You can request a personalized pin by completing a request form, then mailing the form to the address provided on the form.
Pin requests received after October 7, 2016 may not arrive before the General Election.
Click here to download the pin request form.
Click here to email a request for a personalized pin. The email should contain Honor a Veteran in the subject line and include the completed request form, or simply provide your mailing address and the Veteran’s name you are honoring.